When to replace shimano cleats

neilp2000
neilp2000 Posts: 19
in Road general
I have 105 pedals, and the yellow cleats. Is there any way to know when it is time to replace cleats? I know people will say "when it is hard to disengage", but it's hard to remember what disengaging was like when they were new, and there is always a certain amount of resistance by design. I'll post pics later, as it may be the amount of visible wear is an indicator.

Comments

  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,572
    When the yellow bits start falling off.
  • neilp2000
    neilp2000 Posts: 19
    Dorset_Boy said:

    When the yellow bits start falling off.

    Even if the shoes/cleats are only used indoors? (i.e. never walked on)
  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115
    Just go on feel. I always find with wear that cleats are easy to disengage, rather than harder to do so. I can usually feel my shoe wiggling side to side as I pedal or the cleat starts tapping against the pedal as I ride. This usually means the cleat has worn and it is time to replace it.
  • neilp2000
    neilp2000 Posts: 19
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 said:

    Just go on feel. I always find with wear that cleats are easy to disengage, rather than harder to do so. I can usually feel my shoe wiggling side to side as I pedal or the cleat starts tapping against the pedal as I ride. This usually means the cleat has worn and it is time to replace it.

    Thanks. Could you put a ballpark figure on how many km you'd get out of a set of cleats? Mine are 4 years old and have done 7500km so probably don't owe me any favours!
  • MidlandsGrimpeur2
    MidlandsGrimpeur2 Posts: 2,115
    Thanks. Could you put a ballpark figure on how many km you'd get out of a set of cleats? Mine are 4 years old and have done 7500km so probably don't owe me any favours!


    My current set (shimano blue) were put on around September last year and the left cleat is just starting to show clear signs of wear. I have ridden about 9000kms in that time. I would say around 6-8 months of use for me, so around 9-11,000km per set sounds about right. Yours sound as though they may be worth replacing.

    How much you walk around on them also plays a part, and obviously contributes to wear and tear.
  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,572
    neilp2000 said:

    MidlandsGrimpeur2 said:

    Just go on feel. I always find with wear that cleats are easy to disengage, rather than harder to do so. I can usually feel my shoe wiggling side to side as I pedal or the cleat starts tapping against the pedal as I ride. This usually means the cleat has worn and it is time to replace it.

    Thanks. Could you put a ballpark figure on how many km you'd get out of a set of cleats? Mine are 4 years old and have done 7500km so probably don't owe me any favours!
    Biggest contributor to wear is walking on the cleats, followed by how often you clip in or out. Riding distance per se is largely irreleant.
    Outdoors, if I unclip for a junction etc, it's my left one that I unclip, and that wears faster than the right one.
    The coloured plastic is your best judge of wear. As I said originally, when that starts to disappear, it's time to replace.
  • neilp2000
    neilp2000 Posts: 19
    Thanks everyone, I have a replacement set already so will swap 'em out soon.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    neilp2000 said:

    MidlandsGrimpeur2 said:

    Just go on feel. I always find with wear that cleats are easy to disengage, rather than harder to do so. I can usually feel my shoe wiggling side to side as I pedal or the cleat starts tapping against the pedal as I ride. This usually means the cleat has worn and it is time to replace it.

    Thanks. Could you put a ballpark figure on how many km you'd get out of a set of cleats? Mine are 4 years old and have done 7500km so probably don't owe me any favours!
    As others have said - mileage is irrelevant. As long as the cleats allow you to clip in and clip out - and do not pull out under pressure - then there's no reason not to keep using them.
  • paulwood
    paulwood Posts: 231
    If only used indoors I would be tempted to leave the shoes clipped into the pedals and put them on while sitting on the saddle.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    paulwood said:

    If only used indoors I would be tempted to leave the shoes clipped into the pedals and put them on while sitting on the saddle.

    This also would be good training in case you join the dark side and take up triathlon.
  • captain_chaos
    captain_chaos Posts: 111
    These are quite worn...

    still fine to use inside and out
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    If the op’s chain is as dirty as your

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