problems with cleats

Bmacbri

Hi,

I am trying to replace my cleats on my road shoes and I've managed to unscrew 4 of the 6 screws but for the life of me, I cannot undo the last 2. A few mates have tried and one reckons the screws are threaded but is there/are there, any tricks for getting cleats off? I've tried allen key and screwdriver and they won't budge.

I don't really want to go to my LBS and ask them because it feels bit cheeky but not sure what else I can do?

Any advice would be welcome!

Thanks,

dgunthor

sounds like they weren't greased before assembly - makes disassembly easy!

could try some heat or a longer lever

trek_dan

You'll have to get in between the shoe and cleat with a hacksaw blade and cut through.

ElectronShepherd

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681301#p19681301]trek_dan[/url] wrote:

You'll have to get in between the shoe and cleat with a hacksaw blade and cut through.

That sounds like a really bad idea, since you'll now have headless bolt stuck in the sole of the shoe, which will be impossible to remove.

I would suggest that you either try heating it (SWMBOs hair dryer, perhaps), or try liberally dousing with penetrating oil, assuming you can actually get anywhere near the thread with the cleat in place without drenching the rest of the shoe.

If it's a hex socket on the bolt, you may need something like this http://www.altrider.com/images/thumbnail/product_large/additional-photos-proxxon-18-piece-allen-key-socket-set.jpg and then you can get a standard 1/4" ratchet on it, which will give you much more leverage than a standard Allen key.

laurentian

Assuming the cleats that you are trying to remove are knackered, I would take a hacksaw blade to the plastic cleats and saw away until you can remove all of the plastic cleat from around them.

Once removed, you will end up with two hex bolts sticking out from the sole of the shoe that you can access without an allen key if you need to.

Then apply WD40 into the thread, wait for it to penetrate and then try again with the allen key. If this fails, try securing the bolt head in a vice and turning the shoe (check you are going the right way!) or use a pair of mole grips.

Then, when you replace the cleats, make sure you clean the thread as best you can use a dab of copaslip on the bolts!

Bmacbri

Thanks for the advice, think I'll try the heat tonight and if not then a nearby bike shop has said they could drill the 2 screws out.

I didn't even know about the greasing before fixing the cleats onto the shoes so I shall definitely do that when I put new cleats on!

napoleond

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19681421#p19681421]Bmacbri[/url] wrote:

Thanks for the advice, think I'll try the heat tonight and if not then a nearby bike shop has said they could drill the 2 screws out.

I didn't even know about the greasing before fixing the cleats onto the shoes so I shall definitely do that when I put new cleats on!

Grease all bolts in relation to cycling!

Skonk

Unless the bolts are torque-critical.

If you grease a bolt that is for example, holding a carbon component and as such requires a low torque to avoid damage it will throw the torque meter off and could cause you to over tighten.

Torque is based on the friction between the 2 metal components, so if you reduce that friction you will find the you get more tightness for the same torque value and potentially damage your components.

The best way to avoid things getting stuck is to not over-tighten them in the first place. Almost everything on a bike requires around 4 to 8 NM of torque, which really isn't a lot.