SPD-SL Blue Cleats - Easier to Unclip than Yellow Cleats

[Calnago]

I love the red cleats. I think I have a fairly neutral stance and the red cleats work. I've used all three. Funny story (not really) when I got a my last set of new Dura Ace pedals they came with the blue cleats so I thought I'd try them. No test ride. Just put them on my shoes and hopped on the bike to ride. Was wet and had booties on. Came to the first traffic light and for the life of me I couldn't clip out immediately, lost balance, and fell over. Nothing damaged. But embarrassing. Couldn't figure out what had happened and just assumed it had to have been either 1) I had gotten so used to the red cleats that I didn't twist far enough to release the blue ones or 2) my bootie was snagged underneath somewhere. Really think it was the difference between the cleats themselves however. My preference is red.

[BdaGhisallo]

The blue cleats do exhibit a different sensation when releasing. You almost have to twist and then pull them back to exit the pedal. It was very noticeable when I first tried them though it feels completely normal now.

[11.4]

I've ridden red for years and tried a set of blues, but after a few rides they felt sloppy. That said, new red cleats feel pretty precise but after a few hundred miles have some slop in them as well.

I actually find that one's foot may roll side to side a bit due to biomechanical issues, but rotation is something different. For most riders, I've found that yellow cleats are mostly a way to cope with inaccurate cleat angle. If you get it dialed in, you can go to less float. And if you're concerned about power output, float can cause your body kinesthetically to limit power generation somewhat. When track riders have been tested on ergos with fixed cleats and then with cleats with float, the power generated (measured at the crank) was consistently higher on the fixed cleats.

Road riding used to be on slotted cleats with absolutely zero float. Track riders kept using those long after clipless pedals were popularized on the road. In recent years, it's been hard to find the PD-7400 and PD-7701 pedals that made zero float so effective and one of the most popular alternatives has been Looks or Look clones. Track riders like them for the ease of finding equipment (and because Look sponsors them extensively) but one still hears comments about lack of power. Since track racing is being dominated by the omnium, which has become almost entirely an endurance event, pure power is less of an issue these days compared to when kilos and match sprints were the name of the game.

[mpulsiv]

@11.4
You are right about the slop in the cleats. The blue ones have 1 degree of floating angle but it feels like 5 degrees. I may try the red cleats for track and road.
When I switched from yellow to blue, the pedal stroke felt far more efficient!


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[corky]

I've ridden red for years and tried a set of blues, but after a few rides they felt sloppy. That said, new red cleats feel pretty precise but after a few hundred miles have some slop in them as well.

I actually find that one's foot may roll side to side a bit due to biomechanical issues, but rotation is something different. For most riders, I've found that yellow cleats are mostly a way to cope with inaccurate cleat angle. If you get it dialed in, you can go to less float. And if you're concerned about power output, float can cause your body kinesthetically to limit power generation somewhat. When track riders have been tested on ergos with fixed cleats and then with cleats with float, the power generated (measured at the crank) was consistently higher on the fixed cleats.

Road riding used to be on slotted cleats with absolutely zero float. Track riders kept using those long after clipless pedals were popularized on the road. In recent years, it's been hard to find the PD-7400 and PD-7701 pedals that made zero float so effective and one of the most popular alternatives has been Looks or Look clones. Track riders like them for the ease of finding equipment (and because Look sponsors them extensively) but one still hears comments about lack of power. Since track racing is being dominated by the omnium, which has become almost entirely an endurance event, pure power is less of an issue these days compared to when kilos and match sprints were the name of the game.

I tend to agree that zero float can be better, I have never suffered with knee problems(touch wood) and was brought up with nailing cleats to leather soled cycling shoes......

[mattr]

Road riding used to be on slotted cleats with absolutely zero float. Track riders kept using those long after clipless pedals were popularized on the road. In recent years, it's been hard to find the PD-7400 and PD-7701 pedals..........

shoes were also far more flexible, both the sole and the upper. And very very few cleat/pedal interfaces actually had zero float (the 7400 was one that did).
The popularity of spdr on the track was also due to being able to crank the tension right up to the point that even Hoy and his mates couldn't pull out. Plastic cleated pedals have enough flex in the cleats that you can pull out even on maximum tension (not me. Very much a weedy climber type).

Even so. You can buy toestrap attachment loops for spdr, so you don't pull out.......

[BdaGhisallo]

The blue cleats do exhibit a different sensation when releasing. You almost have to twist and then pull them back to exit the pedal. It was very noticeable when I first tried them though it feels completely normal now.

Just recalled that I started a thread over on VSalon about this very thinhttp://www.velocipedesalon.com/foru ... 40801.html

It generated some interesting feedback.

[ms6073]

I have never suffered with knee problems (touch wood) and was brought up with nailing cleats to leather soled cycling shoes......

As was I and had not really thought about that, but makes sense seeing as I prefer the blue with next to no float., versus the yellow cleat - guess I should give the red cleat a go. Of course the old cleats were a true 'zero' float cleat seeing as you 'clipped in' by making sure the slit in the cleat, properly interfaced with the back wall of the pedal before cinching down the toe straps. Probably why cyclists from that era tend to be pretty good at track stands, considering once strapped with quality toe straps and newer cleats, your shoes were not coming out of the pedal until you loosened the straps!