Help! I can't get shoe off of clipless pedal!
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 16
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Help! I can't get shoe off of clipless pedal!
So I finally got my shoes for the spd pedals and I tried to clip them in before even putting them on the bike without paying attention to their "handedness" if you will. So I have the right shoe on the left pedal and I'm pretty sure the cleat is backwards and it wont come off. To make things worse, the spring is in the strongest position and I can't get to it cause the shoe is in the way.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
#2
Full Member
Put ur foot in the shoe and make the shoe tight u should be able to click it off sometimes with just the hand trying to get it off it is not enough force good luck
#4
☢
So I finally got my shoes for the spd pedals and I tried to clip them in before even putting them on the bike without paying attention to their "handedness" if you will. So I have the right shoe on the left pedal and I'm pretty sure the cleat is backwards and it wont come off. To make things worse, the spring is in the strongest position and I can't get to it cause the shoe is in the way.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
#5
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
I wear street shoes. Then again that's okay on a Schwinn cruiser.
I used to have my own bowling shoes until my best friend's father who ran a bowling alley died and I wore them to his funeral.
I used to have my own bowling shoes until my best friend's father who ran a bowling alley died and I wore them to his funeral.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
#6
Mad bike riding scientist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,362
Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones
Mentioned: 152 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6219 Post(s)
Liked 4,217 Times
in
2,364 Posts
So I finally got my shoes for the spd pedals and I tried to clip them in before even putting them on the bike without paying attention to their "handedness" if you will. So I have the right shoe on the left pedal and I'm pretty sure the cleat is backwards and it wont come off. To make things worse, the spring is in the strongest position and I can't get to it cause the shoe is in the way.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
I was thinking about disassembling the pedal (there's a screw that holds the spring), but I'm worried if that spring comes loose, there's no way I'll be able to put it back together again.
What do I do?! I'll add a picture in a bit.
If not, put a flat blade screwdriver against the rear plate from below and pry the release mechanisms a little further out. You may have to twist the shoe as well. The mechanism is fairly robust so you can put a fair amount of leverage on it without causing damage to the pedal.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,547
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18373 Post(s)
Liked 4,508 Times
in
3,351 Posts
Which direction did you install the cleats?
They should look like an arrow with the point of the arrow pointing towards your toe.
The spring and clip part of the pedal should go towards the rear.
As mentioned above, the first thing would be to loosen the tension at the rear of the pedal if you can reach it. Loosening it won't hurt anything, and if you are new with the clipless pedals, it may not be a bad idea anyway.
If the pedal isn't attached to a crank arm, that may help a bit too.
They should look like an arrow with the point of the arrow pointing towards your toe.
The spring and clip part of the pedal should go towards the rear.
As mentioned above, the first thing would be to loosen the tension at the rear of the pedal if you can reach it. Loosening it won't hurt anything, and if you are new with the clipless pedals, it may not be a bad idea anyway.
If the pedal isn't attached to a crank arm, that may help a bit too.
#8
☢
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Metro Detroit/AA
Posts: 8,207
Bikes: 2016 Novara Mazama
Mentioned: 63 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3640 Post(s)
Liked 81 Times
in
51 Posts
Brute force it. It isn't going to break. Maybe see if there is enough room to slide in a big flathead screwdriver and pry the clamps open.
Other than maybe a precision fitting if your physciology or performance necessitates it, setting up SPD is easy peasy. Cleats on shoes (two bolts each) back out tension screw on pedals, and slowly turn tension screw in a click or two at a time until you get a pressure you like.
Other than maybe a precision fitting if your physciology or performance necessitates it, setting up SPD is easy peasy. Cleats on shoes (two bolts each) back out tension screw on pedals, and slowly turn tension screw in a click or two at a time until you get a pressure you like.
#10
Occam's Rotor
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,248
Mentioned: 61 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2366 Post(s)
Liked 2,331 Times
in
1,164 Posts
Put a long lever in the shoe, like a 3 ft plastic pipe, and just twist it off. The cleats don't have a handedness, and the right vs. left shoe is irrelevant (unless your feet are in them). It is also impossible to put them in backwards.
Just twist it off.
When you get them off, set the tension screws on the pedals to their lowest settings, put your feet in the shoe of the correct chirality, and try again.
Just twist it off.
When you get them off, set the tension screws on the pedals to their lowest settings, put your feet in the shoe of the correct chirality, and try again.
#11
Often on Fritz
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 536
Bikes: Franken-Fritz, Horse-Feathers, Junker
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Other than maybe a precision fitting if your physciology or performance necessitates it, setting up SPD is easy peasy. Cleats on shoes (two bolts each) back out tension screw on pedals, and slowly turn tension screw in a click or two at a time until you get a pressure you like.
A lot of repairs can be done with some very basic tools and a little research. Took me forever to finally get a bike stand, but after I did it made a world of difference (but that's another topic for another thread).
I'm curious to hear which method ended up working. Seems to me putting your foot in and step-twisting out would be the ticket.
#12
on your lawn
Put your feet in the shoes and ride from the bottom of the bike. The lower center of gravity should make it handle better. If you can reach the handlebars from that position.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
I don’t think that spd cleats are different left to right. I think they’re just stuck. Put them on the bike, but make sure you have the correct one because the PEDALS are different. Put your foot in it, strap it tight, and force it.
#15
Often on Fritz
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 536
Bikes: Franken-Fritz, Horse-Feathers, Junker
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 117 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I know! Go down to the local gym, set up a sign:
STRONG MAN CHALLENGE!
WINNER TAKE ALL!
($0.25 a try)
GRAND PRIZE
$25
WINNER TAKE ALL!
($0.25 a try)
GRAND PRIZE
$25
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,547
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18373 Post(s)
Liked 4,508 Times
in
3,351 Posts
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,547
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18373 Post(s)
Liked 4,508 Times
in
3,351 Posts
#20
☢
Read my comments. LBS provide experience and expertise, particularly valuable for new entrance into the cycling community. Besides, not all of us are mechanically incline.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 84
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
While I agree that LBSs can provide experience and expertise that is valuable for people new to cycling, I don't think that it is out of line to assume that someone will have a flathead screwdriver. I'm not particularly mechanically inclined, but I do have a flathead screwdriver (among other useful household tools). None of what people are suggesting is out of the scope of anyone with the manual dexterity to attach pedals onto their bike (which it appears the OP was planning on doing).