scottfsmith

I have some Shimano PD-ES600 SPD pedals on my road bike, they have flats on the sides for support (they call them "touring" pedals). Mounting my shoe on the bike I can see there is about a mm gap from my shoe sole to the pedal flat. So, I must be rocking a bit in them (I don't notice any rocking when riding I must admit). I was thinking of either shimming the flat areas on the pedals a touch or grinding a bit of metal off the shoe side of the cleats so I have no gap there. Good idea? Any particular method used?

I have been strongly resisting the SPD-SL since I do a bit of gravel riding and lots of commuting, and don't want to be swapping pedals. It seems like if I could get rid of this bit of rocking I would have SPDs which are getting very close to SPD-SL.

alcjphil

If the shoe soles were touching the platform you would probably find it very difficult to unclip from the pedal. You need that 1 mm gap

scottfsmith

Google pulled up some guy with the same pedals who said his gap was just big enough to get a sheet of paper in, and he was happy with that. So from that one report it seems like 1mm is overkill?

alcjphil

Have you tried measuring the gap with your weight on the pedal?

scottfsmith

Good question. I just tried and a piece of paper can't be pulled out with even a small weight on the pedal. That explains why I wasn't feeling any rocking

There would be some slight play on the upstroke is all I guess.. not a problem??

Troul 

I have that play on the upstroke with my speedplays. Not a problem for me. Prob the best clipless setup I've had as of late.

Cyclist0108

I have the same pedals. The gap gets compressed when your weight is upon the pedals. I find them harder to get out of than my XTR trail pedals. Don't put a shim in them.

sjammer

I also have the ES600 pedals and have never had an issue with the pedal. The only adjustments I have made are for the cleat tension.