Novice question - pedals clogging

rodgers73

I'm only on my 2nd novice ride (today) and I'm learning a lot as I go but there's one thing I'm struggling with.

Today's ride was really muddy and I had a lot of trouble clipping in right from the start. Near the end I was unclipped for long periods of the lap (just balancing on the pedals) and it really messed with my confidence on the trickier bits and going uphill was a nightmare

I use SPDs but they are the cheapest version that Shimano offer and I wondered if that has exacerbated my troubles? Or maybe its my technique? I'm used to SPD-SLs on my road bike and clipping in needs me to go in toe first. Do SPDs need the same or am I getting the angle wrong? It seemed to take ages until I heard the (very quiet) click and there were times when they felt clipped in but actually werent! Is it me or the mud or my cheapo pedals??

ravey1981

By cheap, I assume you're on m520's? They are shimano's base model but I've always found them to be good, I run them on all my mtbs and I've put a set on my cross bike too... Theres no real secret to clipping in, just push down. You may have the spring tension set low on the pedals which would mean that the cleat comes out easily or you don't feel to be clipped in. Try increasing the tension with the allen key adjusters on both sides of each pedal, you will get a much more firm click then. If they are clogged with mud, or you're shoes are, try bashing you're foot on the pedal to loosen it a bit.

Hope you enjoyed you're second race, I had plans to do it but I've had a chest infection all week so I just went for a steady ride out instead...

rodgers73

Yes, I'm guessing you're right on the model number but they were a Christmas gift 2 years ago and I've lost the packaging!

I slacked them right off as I was struggling to get clipped in and assumed it was to do with the spring tension. Guess I need to ride round the estate and get the technique right

andyp

It was probably the mud as it clogs the mechanism in the pedal and can stick around your cleats, meaning you can't get them clicked in properly.

There's not much you can do about it bar trying to clear the mud when you get the opportunity during a race. One tip, which I've tried to find the original article I read it in over on http://www.cxmagazine.com, which was part of their mechanical Monday series, was to remove part of the tread from your shoes around the cleats to clear a space big enough that mud won't build up there. I've not done this but it might be worth trying.

Chris James

M520s do clog with mud a bit (there was a thread about this a few days ago).

I race with them though and am generally happy - or at least happy enough to stick with them due to the convenience of running SPDs on all my bikes.

Stamping on the pedals sometimes dislodges any mud. Andyp is right though, often it isn't the pedal that has clogged, but the sole of your shoe, especially if you have bits of twigs or bark rammed in there.

lostboysaint

Crank Brother Eggbeaters - 4 way entry, easy release, never clog, 5 year warranty (which gets over the old "CB stuff falls apart stuff that's a hangover from many, many years ago).

tgotb

lostboysaint wrote:

Crank Brother Eggbeaters - 4 way entry, easy release, never clog, 5 year warranty (which gets over the old "CB stuff falls apart stuff that's a hangover from many, many years ago).

I think the OP's more interested in advice on using his existing equipment. My observation is that upwards of 90% of the field is on SPDs, so I'd suggest it's worth persisting with them, and trying some of the tips above. It'll get easier; kicking mud off your cleats is just another CX technique that you'll pick up, and as you get more experienced you'll end up riding more sections of the course, and hopefully picking up less mud in the first place.

As for Eggbeaters (for whom lostboysaint seems to be something of a salesman), I was next to a guy on the grid on Saturday, who had a big strip of Elastoplast covering a hole in his calf that had been caused by a failed (fairly new) Eggbeater. Since he still seemed to be able to walk/ride he wasn't getting much sympathy, the general theme being "what do you expect?". Apart from the odd Time ATAC, everyone else around us seemed to be using SPDs.