How often do you guys replace your cleats?? I have been riding mine for about 1.5 years, and have noticed that my feet will pop out a lot easier than they used to, which is very uncool!! It always happens at the worst times, of course!! Is this telling me that the cleats are getting too worn, or should I turn up the clip tension on the pedals?? Sorry for the obvious NOOB question, but what can I say...I'm kinda new at the clipless pedal gig!! LOL!!
Cleats are like chains--often neglected and not replaced when worn out. I am just a guilty as the next guy. I use Crank Bros pedals and the cleats are ridiculously expensive. Last time I checked, they were around 20 bucks a set retail and I have not been able to find an aftermarket source. If you have Shimano pedals, you're in luck. Cleats can be found aftermarket for less than half the price of CB's. To answer your "how often" question, I'd say at least once a season. More if you ride a lot with the same shoes. I have four sets of shoes with cleats, so it's harder to judge when to replace them.
Yeah, I only use one pair of MTB shoes, and yes, they are Shimano. I have ridden on them quite a bit, well over 1000 miles, in various types on terrain, so I'm thinking that it's time. It is just one of those things that is not discussed often, and I had never heard how often they require replacement. Thanks for the advise Hoppy!!
Actually, worn out cleats should be harder to disengage. Try tightening up the spring first but replacing the cleats is probably a good idea also.
I just sold three new sets of Shimano cleats on ebay, with final prices between 99 cents and about $5...
As Grizzly mentioned, you can first tighten the tension on the pedals and see if that helps. What kind of pedals do you have?
Here is an SPD mountain pedal. See the bottom of the pedal in the picture with the "+" and "-" adjustment. Turn the screw in the clockwise direction with a 3 mm (I think) allen to increase the spring tension. See if this helps with the easy disengagement issue. Product
