merlinextraligh

Last weekend's race the cleat on my left foot pull completely out of the shoe, casuing me to DNF on the last stage of a stage race, where I was headed to a podium finish.

Went to install new cleats today, and the threads in the shoes where the cleats screw in are shot. They're corroded to the point that there's no thread left to screw into.

Speedplay can set me up with a replacement plate.

The problem however is that the plate goes between the sole, and a custom molded CF footbed, which is glued to the sole.

In trying to lift the foot bed out, its clear that there is no way it's coming up without breaking into a whole bunch of small pieces.

My only thought is to to pull the footbeds out (destroying them in the process, and then finding someone to make a new footbed or going with something like a Sole footbed.

Any ideas of where to find someone to make a new footbed (with Rocket 7 out of business), or other ideas?

dmotoguy

have new threads cut into the old plate? helicoil?

botto 

why is this a surprise? those things aren't built to last more than a season.

The_Cretin

If it's just adhesive, use some heat to perhaps loosen it up. IIRC, the footbeds are thin and it's the shoe that's molded to your foot. If so, you can replace it with a thin layer of any material you choose.

merlinextraligh

Asked the mechanic at the LBS, and he said they're too small to helicoil, which lloking at it seems plausible

The shoes are actually in good shape going into their 3rd season; its just the threads, in a part that on any other shoe would be replaceable.

botto 

Location: Jacksonville

mollusk

Hikers need new footbeds for their boots all the time. Just go to an "outdoors" shop.

KiuBWhy

Are the thread holes in a condition where you could retap them?

availpunk9

Don't take your bike mechanic's word on this. Take it to a machine shop; they have far more experience in helicoiling stuff. I would try helicoil or tapping for the next larger bolt, before replacing the shoes.

merlinextraligh

The next larger bolt is not going to work because it won't fit through the speedplay pedal body.

Also the width of the metal looks to be about 2mm, so not a lot of room to drill out and rethread.

The screw size apparently is 4-15. Do they make helicoil kits in that size?

Psimet2001 

Post pictures. Is this set up in such a way that the speedplay 4 bolt goes direcly into the sole or does it screw to an adapter?

johnybutts

I bet you can make a larger hole in the speedplay base

Psimet2001 

If it's set up the way i think it is then those aren't drilled into anything. Those threads are nuts imbedded in the molded plastic base. If you could put in new nuts you'd be fine. the issue obviously is doing that swap. ....post some pictures....

jwible

Heat??? Cook the shoe at 200F and see if the glue breaks down enough to pull the footbed out without destroying it? Dunno what the heat would do to the rest of the shoe though....

dmotoguy

Like mentioned, don't take a bike shop mechanic's advice on this, helicoils are available in metric down to 2mm..

Da Tinker

metric helicoil chart:
https://www.thorintl.com/Drill-Sizes-...ils-Metric.htm

Nachoman

Good call.

Shimagnolo

Have you considered talking to the mfgr?
Seems like a high-end company would have an incentive to keep you happy.

DaveSSS 

I have R7 shoes, but no custom footbeds. I can't imagine that the footbeds are glued in that well, but if they are, I'd leave them alone.

I can tell you for a fact that is possible to attach the speedplay cleat directly to the sole with no adapter plate because I have done it. I drilled and tapped holes for the M4 bolts, directly into the carbon sole.

One problem with doing this will be no fore/aft adjustment possible after it's done, so you have to know where you want the cleat positioned. There will still be side to side adjustment.

The adapter plate does two things - adapts the 3-hole pattern to 4-hole and creates a flat surface for the speedplay cleat instead of the typically curved surface.

When I made the alteration to my shoes, I used epoxy putty and 5-minute epoxy glue to create the flat surface - basically doing the job of the tapered shims that go under the adapter plate. Once that was done, all I had to do was bolt the adapter in place and drill 1/8" holes right through the nuts in the adapter plate and then run the M4 tap through the adapter plate, just like installing the 4-bolts, but using a tap to cut new threads.

It would also be possible to install thread inserts into the carbon sole, but as you've noted, the soles are thin and finding just the right thread insert can be tough. I bought a few candidate from McMaster car just in case I ever strip the threads in my shoes, but I might also just drill the hole a little larger, fill it with epoxy, then redrill and retap.

heads up!

Except Rocket 7 is apparently defunct.

shawneebiker

Maybe give the guys at D2 a call and see if they can help.

Soil_Sampler

use a heat gun, or...time for a new pair?

merlinextraligh

Here are pics.

The cleat screws screw into nuts that are on a sliding piece situated between the sole and the footbed.




And the inside (minus the thin top layer)

DaveSSS 

I see that you already have the direct-mount 4-hole sole, rather than the 3-hole. That makes the problem worse.
Obviously, the thread inserts or "nut plates" are just plain steel and rusted. You'll have to remove the insole to get those
out. If you can't get the insoles removed, I'd say those shoes are trash.

Those thread inserts are not much different than some standard inserts that are sold for the purpose of placing threads into
wood. Ace hardware has them in metric versions, but the threaded portion is probably longer than needed.

merlinextraligh

I thought about that. I may try that.

Next step, I'm going to try longer screws. There are threads further down in the nuts. You can screw the screw into, but not through the cleat with the shorter screws. One issue though will be whether the protrude into the shoe.