Speedplay Extendor Plate

joeyhalloran
joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
in Road buying advice
I bought some speedplay in the hope that they would offer more rearward adjustability for the cleat as I am having issues with my SPD-SLs. However, it seems that they don't, or at least, it's very marginal.

I was told there was an extender plate to help with this but it seems out of stock or discontinued everywhere. Has speedplay stopped making it?

Any other solutions? I am considering filing down the slots in the base plate of the cleat...but hesitant to do something which may have structural implications.

Comments

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Why do you want the cleat so far back ?
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
    My toes go numb and moving the cleats back seems to fix the issue. I also find I have less knee pain and a given power feels easier. With the cleats slammed as far back as they will get the ball of my feet is a couple of mm behind the axle, so I don't think I am trying to do anything radical.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Could the numbness not be caused by the shoe rather than the cleat position?

    To my mind, with a very stiff sole, such as a carbon shoe would provide, I can’t see how the position of the cleat would cause numbness - surely the rigidity of the sole would even out any force from the cleat/ pedal across the ball of your foot? I can’t feel any difference in the soles of my feet with the cleats full forward or full back with my Speedplays, but optimal positioning is trying to get the ball of the foot aligned with the pedal axle.

    Do you have, or have you considered moulded footbeds? I have a pair of Sidas footbeds that I have swapped from one pair of cycling shoes to the next. They are supremely comfortable. I did get a little pain from an old pair of Sidi shoes as they supply them with laughably thin and cheap insoles (presumably because they know most people will fit a footbed in a top end shoe!), which was what prompted me to get the footbeds.

    PP
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
    edited August 2020
    My road and offroad shoe are the same shoe (Lake MX237 Vs CX237). They have the same (carbon) soul, the same upper material and use the same last. I even have exactly matched custom fit insoles in both. I have had this issue with all road shoes I have tried (Shimano, Bontrager with custom insole, Lake with custom insole). I just thought it was part of cycling that your feet go numb.

    In the MX 237s (offroad) I feel like I am pedaling with my whole foot and leg, with my road shoes it feels more like I am pedaling on my toes.
  • 50x11
    50x11 Posts: 408
    Sounds like you need a bike fit.
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
    Had one, actually, I've had several.
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Shoes aren’t too tight around the toe box area are they?

    PP
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,550
    wahoo bought speedplay, availability has been going downhill ever since - from reports i've read that seems deliberate, i.e. not all products will survive

    steve hogg is making his own extenders now, if you really need them he may be your best option... https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/store/bike-fitting-products/
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
    sungod said:

    wahoo bought speedplay, availability has been going downhill ever since - from reports i've read that seems deliberate, i.e. not all products will survive

    steve hogg is making his own extenders now, if you really need them he may be your best option... https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/store/bike-fitting-products/

    Blimey, the Hogg ones are expensive! Thanks for the heads up regarding Wahoo though, I have emailed Wahoo and they have confirmed it is currently not available but they are planning to bring them back.
    pilot_pete said:

    Shoes aren’t too tight around the toe box area are they?

    PP

    No, I got the widest shoes I can (as I do have quite wide feet) but there is no pressure on the outside. The shoes were purchased when I went to get the insoles so were chosen to fit by foot shape.

  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Can we assume you haven't sized up, in order to get a shoe that's wide enough?
    Ben

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  • joeyhalloran
    joeyhalloran Posts: 1,073
    No, I have a small amount of space at the end of the shoe but certainly nothing excessive and it's within the range of normal shoes I wear.
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,550
    do your footbeds have a 'metatarsal bump'? i still use my old efit ones that have this, but they're no longer available

    over the years i had a few custom footbeds for extra arch support, but without the bump (aka button) tended to get numbness after a while, the efit ones are perfect

    the specialised bg have one, might be worth a try
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    sungod said:

    wahoo bought speedplay, availability has been going downhill ever since - from reports i've read that seems deliberate, i.e. not all products will survive

    steve hogg is making his own extenders now, if you really need them he may be your best option... https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/store/bike-fitting-products/

    A possibility that Wahoo are developing the Speedplay design to bring out their own pedal based power meter. That'd certainly please a lot of Speedplay users who are stuck with spider or crank based.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.

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