Speed Play Clip Adjustment

How to adjust speed play clips for lighter cyclists.

[@l.marinaro4912]

life saver!! thank you so much for these instructions. i was just about to buy the easy tension cleats and now i don’t have to.

[@TomB-fs8sv]

best vid for the cleats. great job

[@revco196]

Just fitted these pedals and could not clip in at all. Tried your trick and now can clip in with ease. As easy as the spd-sl set up I had before. Thanks!

[@catherinetran3532]

Wow, thank you so much. Nobody talks about how difficult these are to break-in for lighter female riders. I've done everything: applied dry lube, loosened the spring screws, checked for flatness, loosened the heel in/out adjustments.... and even with all my weight plus a down kick, I am only able to clip them in 10% of the time. Going to try this next....

[@1337aznpro]

i had the problem that your wife had. followed your steps and now i can clip in and out so easily! THANKS!

[@jeffheath9829]

Thank you!! My wife was nagging me too, but it's fixed now.

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Hubby brownie points 😃

[@SonnyNight21]

After I put my clears on the correct way (right shoe wrong direction l, I know I knew 😂) after i made your adjustment clipping in is a brezze. Thank you.

[@DemiGod..]

Wow that is crazy. Just got a pair, got one shoe in , cant get it out again, the other shoe wont even go in. In contrast , just had to turn a screw for my shimano SPD cleets.

[@sneakpick129]

Thank you for this video. Somehow it worked

[@GeoffTV2]

Just completed the adjustment. Works a treat, many thinks.

[@MikeCappiello]

excellent !

[@Orcanislupus]

Thanks for the idea. Though, my issue is the opposite. I have the wahoo version with the black cover on one shoe and I purchased another cleat which came in gray. Little did I know that the gray has an easier release. I prefer the black which is harder to get out of. I don't want my foot coming out during sprints ya know.

[@carlhansen1093]

My wife had the same problem. Your video made all the difference. Thank you!

[@stevesatin]

Kristopher, thank you for the video. I did exactly what you’d suggested and it worked perfectly. As my wife said, “I’m amazed that you’d ever tighten the adjuster screws too tightly”. I love her sarcasm…

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Steve, glad it worked out

[@GeoffTV2]

I am so glad I found this. Just fitted speedplays and I could barely clip in. Had to force all my weight down on one pedal and wiggle then repeat the other side. Why the hell do they have to be that hard? I am light weight but even if you're a brute surely you don't need it to be that difficult?

[@allanwahidin5939]

thanks so much 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@christinetownend9568]

Thank you so much! I was going crazy trying to work out what else can I adjust to make clipping in easier. CHAMPION!!

[@mirozap]

Awesome! That worked, i didn't have to spread the clip very much at all, just enough to make it not squeeze the plate it sits in.

[@BLITZKRIEG1]

I just bought some zero aero. can't clip in. will try this

[@kleinqpro]

Wow, I am n oh t knocking what you did bbn ut man that seems like a lot of steps.

[@osh111]

what happened with lubing? 😁😁

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Viesturs Ošis lubing is recommended especially if it’s dry. These still enough residue still. Good looking out 😎

[@osh111]

@@KristopherUlbrich then i dont know, i just fitted them and all. good, ofc they are not look style pedals, but okdok

[@lifewithmikeyyy]

It works thank you

[@driqspurgeon]

Wow thanks for sharing!!!

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Awesome! Glad it worked out

[@pgh36]

Hi, Thanks for the advice! Were you able to clip the pedals in by hand once you made the adjustment? As mine are tight, but I was putting it down to not “broken in” yet Cheers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Paul I was able to secure them into the pedals with hand strength, however it still required a good bit of force with my hands and a little wiggle back and forward. Good luck 👍

[@GNX157]

Paul, you’re not supposed to be able to clip them in by hand. If you can something isn’t right. It’s designed to work with the weight of a rider pushing down with their body weight. In time it will all come together and work good after you’ve used them a while. Just don’t modify them.

[@helicart]

and this highlights the design flaw of speedplay brilliantly. the horseshoe spring tension cannot be finely modulated, which makes the cleats unpredictable for novice and lighter female riders, and short lasting.

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Rider preference, once adjusted it works out pretty well. Speed play is the pedal that doesn’t cause pain with my knees. So maybe be biased.

[@helicart]

@@KristopherUlbrich How long have you had the same pedals? Longevity is an issue. I and my wife have used speedplay in the past. She had trouble with the spring tension, and didn't last 2 weeks on them. I have gone to a similar Chinese pedal, that has been no problem over 10,000km.

[@KristopherUlbrich]

At least 5 years now with at least 8-10K on them. They do get tighter if I forget to lube, especially since I live in tropical areas and ride in the rain a good bit.

[@GNX157]

What you advised doing is not called for in any Speedplay guidance. I would suggest not modifying that cleat spring in any way. Typically using a dry film lubricant is what will help this, or going to the light action version of the pedal system. It’s more likely though that you chose the wrong front and or rear base wedges and the base is not resting totally flat when tightened down against the shoe. This causes the rest of the stack to bend when assembled and will cause difficulty clipping in and out.

[@KristopherUlbrich]

Noted

[@GNX157]

@@KristopherUlbrich If you wanted to improve initial clip in and all else was okay, you could try taking some scotch brite or very fine wet sand paper and polish the angled areas of the clip that cause it to spread apart when it contacts the metal angled petal portion of the pedal body. Basically advancing the break in process faster.

[@mark-1234]

There's a lot easier method. It's called "Pedal & Cleat Dry Film Lubricant" by Finish Line. Just spray some on any cleat and pedal combination, allow it to dry and be amazed. I'm surprised cleat lube is such an unknown product among cyclists.