Ultegra 6800 SPD's stupid tight

bushpixy
bushpixy Posts: 49
edited December 2013 in Road general
I bought some Ultegra 6800 pedals which come with yellow cleats earlier this month to replace the Look pedals I've had for the last 2 years. I thought I'd treat myself to something a little posher.

I started off setting the tension to around the middle - the same as my Look ones were ok. Luckily I couldn't even clip in as god help me if I had. I could of never been able to get my shoe off the pedal! So I backed off the tension to a click off min thinking this will be a good place to start. Nope. still really really tight. Clicking in practically requires me to stand up on the pedals. Releasing can be done, but with a lot of pressure put through my ankle/knee which can't be good.

Obviously this isn't ideal and can't be right? I can understand Ultegra might be a bit tighter than entry level Look pedals, but this is unreal.

The online retailer I purchase them from has suggested I visit a local bike shop for them to check them. I can't see why I would be welcome there. After all I did take my custom to the cheaper online retailer... I can return them if I wish for them to check, but I can just see them turning around and saying there's nothing wrong with them and I now owe them £10 for checking a non-faulty item.

What do you think?

Comments

  • buckles
    buckles Posts: 694
    They may not be faulty, it may just be that they're brand new and need breaking in. If they're not scratched or marked in any way you may be able to get a refund anyway. Otherwise either wait and see if they break in with use, or sell them. Just don't risk a knee injury.
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  • lawrences
    lawrences Posts: 1,011
    Mine started tight but now they are much smoother than my older spd-sl's. Just put your bike on a turbo and clip in and out a few times with them on minimum tension.
  • trooperk
    trooperk Posts: 189
    Think you got the same problem I had, basically the contour of the cleats is not the same as your shoe at the point where is bolted, to check if I’m right can you loosen the front Allen screw right out but leave the back two still done up, now see if there is a gap between the cleat and sole, if yes then the cleat is bowing when tighten and having difficulty fitting in the pedals.
    It will shape up with use but I didn’t want to wait so I shim the front part of the cleat and now clips it easily, but I still find it hard to unclip compare to my MTB spd’s even though is on a very weak setting to the point I hurt my left knee last week while unclipping.
    Specialized-The clitoris of bikes.
  • Proz
    Proz Posts: 136
    I bought the Ultegra 6700 carbon pedals and have exactly the same issue.
    I have real difficulty unclipping from them on the loosest setting compared to the Shimano 540 spd cheap pedals I bought the Ultegra to replace.
    They release with a bang and a jolt goes through the whole bike which cant be good for the pedals / cranks or bottom bracket surely.

    Here was my post about the same thing .
    viewtopic.php?f=40004&t=12946153
    Boardman AiRPro C
    Boardman FS Team 650b
  • I returned the pedals to the retailer to be told the manufacturer wished to inspect them...

    I now have to wait 10 days or so for this to happen before a refund or replacement can take place.

    I have requested a refund so I have no idea why a replacement has been mentioned. Even if they did replace them they would have to replace with brand new and then I could just return the brand new un-used pedals for a refund anyway.

    I don't understand why I'm being made to wait before ultimately a refund can be issued.

    I'm now back on my Look pedals with no painful unclips :)
  • Proz
    Proz Posts: 136
    I'll be interested to know what the outcome of this is .
    Boardman AiRPro C
    Boardman FS Team 650b
  • what did you do with yours?
  • Proz
    Proz Posts: 136
    bushpixy wrote:
    what did you do with yours?

    Still have them on the bike ... due to winter time the bike hasn't seen much use in the last 3 weeks. :oops:

    To be honest the difficulty in unclipping has convinced me im going to come a cropper one day and its kind of put me off the road bike just now.
    Im currently waiting on my mountain bike getting delivered without clippy pedals so I can continue some cycling during the winter months.
    Hopefully early next week.
    Boardman AiRPro C
    Boardman FS Team 650b
  • dsoutar
    dsoutar Posts: 1,746
    I've got two pairs of these (two bikes) and have got through a couple of pairs of cleats over the last couple of years (two pairs of shoes) and apart from being a little tight to start with I've never had any issues and they normally sort themselves out after a couple of rides. I guess (obviously) there's either some defect with the pedals or cleats.