A Tale of Two Cleats
09-15-21, 06:35 AM
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A Tale of Two Cleats
The photos below tell their own story. I replaced the cleats on both my pairs of "Summer" shoes recently. One pair was the usual cheapo aftermarket cleats, the other was a pair of genuine Look bimaterial cleats (the Amazon seller only had the one pair left on stock, and I was in the LBS for something else and bought a pair while I was there). Both shoes are B'wtin 500s, albeit one pair is a newer model.
The main difference before fitting was the price - the copies were less than a tenner, and the Look items set me back £15.
Both pairs were fitted at the same time, and I've done a similar mileage in both pairs of shoes. I replaced the genuine Look cleats last week - completely worn through, and had been creaking incessantly for over a week. The cheap Chinese cleats don't show half the wear. The other difference I've found is that the Look cleats are slippery - seriously, dangerously slippery. I've put my foot down a few times and had it slip out from under me, especially on wet days.
While it's a little time since I last used genuine Look cleats I don't remember them being this bad - I know they've always had a tendency to creak as they wear but the fast wear and the slippery surface is something I don't recall experiencing before. Has anyone else seen anything like this?
The main difference before fitting was the price - the copies were less than a tenner, and the Look items set me back £15.
Both pairs were fitted at the same time, and I've done a similar mileage in both pairs of shoes. I replaced the genuine Look cleats last week - completely worn through, and had been creaking incessantly for over a week. The cheap Chinese cleats don't show half the wear. The other difference I've found is that the Look cleats are slippery - seriously, dangerously slippery. I've put my foot down a few times and had it slip out from under me, especially on wet days.
While it's a little time since I last used genuine Look cleats I don't remember them being this bad - I know they've always had a tendency to creak as they wear but the fast wear and the slippery surface is something I don't recall experiencing before. Has anyone else seen anything like this?
09-15-21, 06:49 AM
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I recently replaced my Look pedals and installed the new bimaterial cleats that came with them. They creaked and were VERY slippery. I replaced them with Look Keo Grip cleats and the creaking was gone but I had a lot of problem getting my shoes to unclip on the left side. I replaced the new cleat on the left foot with a used Keo Grip from an older pair of shoes and it works fine.
I just don't get it.
I just don't get it.
09-15-21, 07:02 AM
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I recently replaced my Look pedals and installed the new bimaterial cleats that came with them. They creaked and were VERY slippery. I replaced them with Look Keo Grip cleats and the creaking was gone but I had a lot of problem getting my shoes to unclip on the left side. I replaced the new cleat on the left foot with a used Keo Grip from an older pair of shoes and it works fine.
I just don't get it.
I just don't get it.
EDIT: Just to update my post, I've not seen any difference in clipping in or unclipping with either type of cleat, both work fine with all the Arc and Delta pedals I've used them on.
Last edited by ExPatTyke; 09-15-21 at 07:05 AM. Reason: Addition of information
09-15-21, 01:42 PM
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The photos below tell their own story. I replaced the cleats on both my pairs of "Summer" shoes recently. One pair was the usual cheapo aftermarket cleats, the other was a pair of genuine Look bimaterial cleats (the Amazon seller only had the one pair left on stock, and I was in the LBS for something else and bought a pair while I was there). Both shoes are B'wtin 500s, albeit one pair is a newer model.
The main difference before fitting was the price - the copies were less than a tenner, and the Look items set me back £15.
Both pairs were fitted at the same time, and I've done a similar mileage in both pairs of shoes. I replaced the genuine Look cleats last week - completely worn through, and had been creaking incessantly for over a week. The cheap Chinese cleats don't show half the wear. The other difference I've found is that the Look cleats are slippery - seriously, dangerously slippery. I've put my foot down a few times and had it slip out from under me, especially on wet days.
While it's a little time since I last used genuine Look cleats I don't remember them being this bad - I know they've always had a tendency to creak as they wear but the fast wear and the slippery surface is something I don't recall experiencing before. Has anyone else seen anything like this?
The main difference before fitting was the price - the copies were less than a tenner, and the Look items set me back £15.
Both pairs were fitted at the same time, and I've done a similar mileage in both pairs of shoes. I replaced the genuine Look cleats last week - completely worn through, and had been creaking incessantly for over a week. The cheap Chinese cleats don't show half the wear. The other difference I've found is that the Look cleats are slippery - seriously, dangerously slippery. I've put my foot down a few times and had it slip out from under me, especially on wet days.
While it's a little time since I last used genuine Look cleats I don't remember them being this bad - I know they've always had a tendency to creak as they wear but the fast wear and the slippery surface is something I don't recall experiencing before. Has anyone else seen anything like this?
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09-15-21, 02:07 PM
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I've been using Delta pedals since about 1992-3. I've tried all manner of aftermarket cleats, some last longer than others but none last as long as the Looks.They might be more slippery to walk in than the knockoffs but I think it's because they are harder. They seem to eat through the tops pf the pedals and they do creak.
I have never worn one down like the one pictured on the left, they get tossed before that point. I don't think the wear comes from riding, it's from walking and pushing off.
I have never worn one down like the one pictured on the left, they get tossed before that point. I don't think the wear comes from riding, it's from walking and pushing off.
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09-17-21, 03:12 AM
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Nope, definitely not running 
Ankle injury makes walking difficult, so my running days are over.
Both shoes pictured are right shoes - due to my ankle injury I can't use my left foot for stopping or pushing off, so the right shoe gets all the wear. Walking any distance in normal shoes is a bit of a non starter for me, so no way am I going to walk far in cleats. However, my route into work includes several gates on rough tracks that I have to get off and open and push the bike through.
I was just rather shocked at the level of wear on the Look cleat, especially given the cost. I've used Look cleats before, so I knew about the creaking, but I'm sure that wear previously has not been this bad, and the slipperyness of the Look cleat came as a nasty shock. Both sets of cleats have covered about the same mileage, probably less than 1000 miles, so not a huge amount.
I can't help thinking that the slipperyness of the look cleat means it's being scuffed along the ground more, leading to the excessive wear - as I mentioned above I'm sure the rubber pad used to be quite a bit bigger.
Ankle injury makes walking difficult, so my running days are over.I've been using Delta pedals since about 1992-3. I've tried all manner of aftermarket cleats, some last longer than others but none last as long as the Looks.They might be more slippery to walk in than the knockoffs but I think it's because they are harder. They seem to eat through the tops pf the pedals and they do creak.
I have never worn one down like the one pictured on the left, they get tossed before that point. I don't think the wear comes from riding, it's from walking and pushing off.
I have never worn one down like the one pictured on the left, they get tossed before that point. I don't think the wear comes from riding, it's from walking and pushing off.
I was just rather shocked at the level of wear on the Look cleat, especially given the cost. I've used Look cleats before, so I knew about the creaking, but I'm sure that wear previously has not been this bad, and the slipperyness of the Look cleat came as a nasty shock. Both sets of cleats have covered about the same mileage, probably less than 1000 miles, so not a huge amount.
I can't help thinking that the slipperyness of the look cleat means it's being scuffed along the ground more, leading to the excessive wear - as I mentioned above I'm sure the rubber pad used to be quite a bit bigger.
09-17-21, 06:06 AM
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Observing the wear on the front of both cleats, seems that you are dragging the foot when coming to a stop. I have used both after market and Look branded cleats and get the same wear from them. They last about 4 years, sometimes 5. Wear is not coming from the pedals, it is coming from stops and walking. Three years ago I changed to Shimano road pedals and they make zero noise, but can still wear if walked on.
