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Toe clip grease?

Old 04-13-22, 06:29 PM
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jdege
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Toe clip grease?

Don't laugh - I'm finally buying clipless pedals.

I've been biking since before there was such a thing, and never felt the need to switch.

A few years back my old touring shoes were shot, so I bought a pair of Shimano shoes that could have clips mounted, but I didn't, and continued to use them with my old clips and straps.

The other day I bought a set of CrankBrothers DoubleShots. I have them mounted to my old Peugeot touring bike, and have it set in a hallway so I can practice clipping in and out before I take it out on the road and fall on my face.

I have one question, though. The instructions for mounting the clips to the shoes says to grease the screws before screwing them in.

Why? What purpose does it serve?

I ask because I don't currently have any grease in the house, and it seems a waste to buy a tube j just for these four screws, when I may we'll have something that will serve.

Is it to prevent corrosion on the threads? I have a jar of Lanocote. Would it work?
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Old 04-13-22, 06:31 PM
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Originally Posted by jdege
Don't laugh - I'm finally buying clipless pedals.

I've been biking since before there was such a thing, and never felt the need to switch.

A few years back my old touring shoes were shot, so I bought a pair of Shimano shoes that could have clips mounted, but I didn't, and continued to use them with my old clips and straps.

The other day I bought a set of CrankBrothers DoubleShots. I have them mounted to my old Peugeot touring bike, and have it set in a hallway so I can practice clipping in and out before I take it out on the road and fall on my face.

I have one question, though. The instructions for mounting the clips to the shoes says to grease the screws before screwing them in.

Why? What purpose does it serve?

I ask because I don't currently have any grease in the house, and it seems a waste to buy a tube j just for these four screws, when I may we'll have something that will serve.

Is it to prevent corrosion on the threads? I have a jar of Lanocote. Would it work?
Always good to grease bolts so that they don’t seize.

If you do any work on a bike you should own some grease.
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Old 04-13-22, 06:40 PM
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Lanocote is an anti-seize grease that is good for dissimilar metals. I see no reason why you couldn't use that.

John
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Old 04-13-22, 06:48 PM
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jdege
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
Always good to grease bolts so that they don’t seize.

If you do any work on a bike you should own some grease.
I used to have a tube of bicycle grease, but I haven't pulled a bottom bracket or headset bearing in 30 years. It may be sitting on a shelf somewhere, but I have no idea where it would be.

If is just to keep the bolts from seizing, Lanocote will work fine.
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Old 04-13-22, 07:38 PM
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At some point the shoe's cleats will wear out but more importantly the screws that hold them in will get worn down to the point that a hex key or Phillips screw driver will barely be able to grab the screw.

The grease does two things: 1) it keeps galvanic corrosion and corrosion in general from attacking the screws' threads (ever get caught in the rain?), and 2) It helps the screw release easier if the screw head is worn down. Either way, you'll have to take the screws out. In short, yes, Lanocote should work fine for this job.

I've worn out probably 6 pairs of cleats out over the years. I always kept an eye on the condition of the screws because with my first pair I didn't, and I had a helluva time getting them out.


--

Last edited by drlogik; 04-13-22 at 07:42 PM.
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Old 04-13-22, 07:52 PM
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They are cleats. And they are clipLESS pedals so there’s no “clipping” in/out. You “click” in and out with clipless.

Dan
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Old 04-13-22, 08:02 PM
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Originally Posted by jdege
I ask because I don't currently have any grease in the house, and it seems a waste to buy a tube j just for these four screws
Chain oil or even motor oil would suffice.

I'm leaning towards motor oil as good alternative. I always put some on the treads of spark plugs when I change the plugs. They never seize even if the plugs were not replaced for few years. Also motor oil tends to have similar anti-friction / anti-seize additives as automotive grease.
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Old 04-13-22, 08:12 PM
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Folks, the OP has Lanocote. It's specifically made to prevent galvanic corrosion, especially in salt water conditions with different metals. It will work great!
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Old 04-14-22, 06:02 AM
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Originally Posted by _ForceD_
They are cleats. And they are clipLESS pedals so there’s no “clipping” in/out. You “click” in and out with clipless.

Dan
“Clipping in” is in fact the common and widely accepted term.

I understand you logic, but that’s just not the way it is. Same as driving on a parkway and parking in a driveway.
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Old 04-14-22, 06:42 AM
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They are cleats. And they are clipLESS pedals so there’s no “clipping” in/out. You “click” in and out with clipless.
Agreed, but let's not forget that racers and hard-riding enthusiasts back in the day of toe clips nailed cleats on the bottom of their cycling shoes and those cleats secured the edge of the pedal so that the foot would not come out once the straps were tightened. I rode with them and believe me, when I really reefed them down, my foot was NOT coming out of the toe clips. By today's standard, those things would be considered "Dangerous", and they kinda were, quite frankly.

If you look at films of crashes and pile-ups from 40 or 50 years ago, you'll notice that many of the riders were still attached to their bikes' pedals. The toe clip cleats were why. Today's riders will disengage from the pedals.


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Last edited by drlogik; 04-14-22 at 06:46 AM.
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Old 04-14-22, 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Kapusta
“Clipping in” is in fact the common and widely accepted term.
Originally Posted by Kapusta
I understand you logic, but that’s just not the way it is. Same as driving on a parkway and parking in a driveway.



Originally Posted by drlogik
Agreed, but let's not forget that racers and hard-riding enthusiasts back in the day of toe clips nailed cleats on the bottom of their cycling shoes and those cleats secured the edge of the pedal so that the foot would not come out once the straps were tightened. I rode with them and believe me, when I really reefed them down, my foot was NOT coming out of the toe clips. By today's standard, those things would be considered "Dangerous", and they kinda were, quite frankly.
Originally Posted by drlogik
If you look at films of crashes and pile-ups from 40 or 50 years ago, you'll notice that many of the riders were still attached to their bikes' pedals. The toe clip cleats were why. Today's riders will disengage from the pedals.


I know, I hear what you’re saying. I’m not trolling, and it’s not a mantra I made up. I’m just regurgitating an argument I recall reading in BICYCLING magazine back in the late 80s when clipless pedals were becoming popular. I think “clipping” has become accepted simply because most cyclists today never rode in traditional pedal clips. Prior to going clipless, I had my own share of incidents where I wasn’t able to unclip in traditional pedal clips. I.e. had to loosen the strap and unclip in order to disengage from the bike and stand up.

Dan
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Old 04-14-22, 09:42 AM
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Chapstick- the all purpose lubricant.
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Old 04-14-22, 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by drlogik
Agreed, but let's not forget that racers and hard-riding enthusiasts back in the day of toe clips nailed cleats on the bottom of their cycling shoes and those cleats secured the edge of the pedal so that the foot would not come out once the straps were tightened. I rode with them and believe me, when I really reefed them down, my foot was NOT coming out of the toe clips. By today's standard, those things would be considered "Dangerous", and they kinda were, quite frankly.

If you look at films of crashes and pile-ups from 40 or 50 years ago, you'll notice that many of the riders were still attached to their bikes' pedals. The toe clip cleats were why. Today's riders will disengage from the pedals.


--
I raced in those days. Yes, I remember having to release four buckles after crashing in the Stowe, VT race. (I double strapped for the Smuggler's Notch climb.) Being strapped in and knowing it did two things. 1) crashes were different. More sliding, less rolling. The bike might suffer damage and absorb energy that would otherwise go to you. I don't think crashes were overall a lot more dangerous. And 2) you rode differently. There was no bailing, putting your foot down or accidentally un-clipping. You did your best to ride through or around whatever was going on like there were no alternatives because, quite simply, there usually weren't.

I will still only use toeclips on my fix gears. I never want to unclip at speed.
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Old 04-14-22, 10:35 AM
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I will still only use toeclips on my fix gears. I never want to unclip at speed.
That's a pretty valid point. Although, the last time I crashed on my fixed gear bike, I was climbing a steep hill hit a sharp rock, twisted the handlebar and went straight down on my wrist and shattered it. Freak accident but for any other type of crash/fall, then yes, your observation is very valid. Bad road rash but probably no serious injury.
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Old 04-14-22, 11:17 AM
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You don't want the cleat screws to seize, trust me, it is difficult to get them out if they do. Grease, loctite, or anti-seize will all help prevent them from seizing.
Practice un-clipping with both feet, Try outside on grass the first time. Unclip before you stop. It will quickly become second nature, and feel normal. I fell with clips and straps more time than with clipless.
Just keep in mind that you will fall because you didn't unclip, but you'll be stopped, and just try to remember to roll, knee, hip, shoulder. Mostly your pride will be the most injured.
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Old 04-14-22, 11:49 AM
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In my experience, some crashes can happen so fast there is hardly any conscious effort.

I went from clips, straps, and cleats with road shoes to clips, straps, and no cleats with touring shoes. I have crashed with both setups and the main difference is the bike follows you when strapped and cleated.

Since I didn’t embraced clipless in my youth, I don’t plan on it at 70. It has to be a much more positive attachment than my touring shoe setup, which would be a definite plus, but I’m guessing the crash result is similar. Your foot will turn to an angle where it will come off/out of the pedal and your bike will end up some distance away.

John
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Old 04-14-22, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by jdege
...and have it set in a hallway so I can practice clipping in and out before I take it out on the road and fall on my face.
No need to practice. It's not the physical act of unclipping that will cause you to fall. It'll likely be that you'll simply FORGET to unclip and fall over at 0 speed, especially if the stop is unexpected and quick, like another cyclist stopping in front of you without warning. Let us know how your first fall went. And you won't fall on your face, it'll be on your knee, hip, elbow, and shoulder, and possibly the side of your helmet. Keep your hands on the bars, your elbow in, and your head away from the ground, and try to spread the fall across your entire side, and hopefully fall towards the curb, and not in the road into the path of the cars next to you.

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Old 04-14-22, 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Riveting
No need to practice. It's not the physical act of unclipping that will cause you to fall. It'll likely be that you'll simply FORGET to unclip and fall over at 0 speed.
I'm not having problems unclipping. It's an easy enough movement. It's getting things lined up correctly so as to clip in that's taking me a half-dozen tries.

As for unclipping - remember, I'm used to old-style clips. Where I have to reach down and loosen the strap before pulling my foot out. I've never had a problem with that. Unclipping from these new pedals is trivial.
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Old 04-14-22, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by jdege
I'm not having problems unclipping. It's an easy enough movement. It's getting things lined up correctly so as to clip in that's taking me a half-dozen tries.

As for unclipping - remember, I'm used to old-style clips. Where I have to reach down and loosen the strap before pulling my foot out. I've never had a problem with that. Unclipping from these new pedals is trivial.
Oh right, you already know by second nature to unclip prior to stopping. You'll be alright then. Having problems clipping in won't cause a fall, it'll just mean you won't have your first pedal strokes being efficient if you miss the clip in. That happens all the time, and it never goes away completely. BTW you did say you were practicing clipping in AND out in your hallway.
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Old 04-14-22, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Riveting
Oh right, you already know by second nature to unclip prior to stopping. You'll be alright then. Having problems clipping in won't cause a fall, it'll just mean you won't have your first pedal strokes being efficient if you miss the clip in. That happens all the time, and it never goes away completely. BTW you did say you were practicing clipping in AND out in your hallway.
I'd have been out in the parks practicing, if we weren't having snow flurries. The joys of spring in Minnesota.
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Old 04-14-22, 01:35 PM
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There are a few bolts/nuts on my bikes I do not lubricate: those that secure the brake pad, cable anchors on both derailleurs and brake calipers, and some pedal dust caps.
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Old 04-15-22, 06:30 AM
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Personally, I use Loctite. Cleat screws will loosen over time, and can fall out. On Sidi shoes, at least, you can't crank the cleat screws down too tight because you can easily strip the screw holes in the plate in the shoe (which is not replaceable).

My only clipped-in fall happened because I was not aware of this. I (unknowingly) lost a cleat screw, went to unclip and my foot rotated but the cleat didn't. If you use grease, then get in the habit of checking cleat screws for tightness before setting out on a ride. Actually, this is a good habit regardless, even with Loctite the screws can loosen.
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Old 04-15-22, 07:08 AM
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Originally Posted by noimagination
Personally, I use Loctite.
Long ago switched to SPDs as walking now is hard enough but never had problems with SIdi shoes & Shimano SPD-SLs but do recall the bolts supplied by Shimano while fine for Shimano shoes were too short by a couple mm for Sidi shoes and could strip at typical torques. Blue Loctite might work but as you say but the shorter bolt still might strip.
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Old 04-15-22, 09:56 AM
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Interesting thread. I mean, Toe Clip Grease sounds like a corny cover band made up of cyclists who play for free at local festivals, but other than that it’s an interesting thread because I’ve long thought the only reason to grease cleat bolts, especially SPD/2-bolt styles, was to get even tightening, which prevents the cleats working loose and getting the rider stuck in the pedal, unable to unclip.

I’ve never pulled cleats which have been in situ for years and found grease, so I’d be surprised if grease helped with removal. Those buggers are always a chore to remove after any real amount of time, so I don’t get what Loctite or thread locker is for, either. I suppose an anti-seize would be good, but that stuff does get thick and chunky over time, so I’d be choosy about which kind; non-metallic, for sure.

I’ve been happy using a little Phil’s Waterproof or the blue Shimano grease of which I have a huge, apparently lifetime supply of! I put that sh*t on everything!
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Old 04-16-22, 06:27 PM
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They are supposed to be greased because they are made from mild steel which does indeed rust. You can avoid using grease if you buy stainless steel or titanium hardware, which you can find on Amazon.
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