Weight Weenies

I changed to Time pedals from DA about 3 months ago and I cannot get to grips with the interlock system. Every time I try to engage my cleat it takes me forever and when sprinting from road junctions after stopping with the club I get left because I cannot get my cleats to engage fast enough.

Has anyone got any tips on the secret of engaging with these pedals as I really like them due to their float range? I may have to consider an alternative if I cannot get a fix, any ideas ???

Billy Spesh

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No tips. It takes me a while to (sometimes), but I'm not racing so it isn't much of a concern...unless I'm pulling out into traffic

It took me just few weeks to get used to time pedals, before them i had miche. Nothing special in engaging, just always must to look at which positiion pedal is befor trying to clip in.

For the first 2 months or so...run a tiny amount of grease over the engagement plate and the u-shaped wire retainer that sits in front of it.
You will notice the float a little more but it will help you slide in and help everything bed down a lttle more smoothly. Enough grease will transfer on to the cleat...but you could put your shoe in the pedal on its own then have a good look at it to see where to lube. After 1 month, you'll be so quick that the others will be struggling! Honestly...the best pedals I've ever owned. Not the lightest....just the best stable platform and best engegement (hence my surprise at your difficulties!)

I find the biggest issue with getting into the pedals is how the pedal sits when you take the first push. I have 2 sets of of the newer rxs and one set just doesn't spin freely so it always hangs either level or flipped. This makes getting into very difficult. On my other set, where the spin is free, I simply drag the front toe and follow it around and stomp. Super fast and easy. The newer rxs style cleats have improved the entry as compared to the previous impacts. With those I used to get the front tip of the cleat stuck in odd places. . As mentioned, once you get things sorted out, your entry will be as quick as any other pedal. Infact, I've been playing around with speedplay zeros and sometimes the cleat just doesn't engage unless I lift up and stop again. I find my times to be more predictable.

I thought it was just me. I switched back to my D/A. Also there seem to be less surface area to push against with the RXS pedals.

I never had any problems with Speedplay, Time, Look, Campagnolo, Shimano etc.

They're all just different.

The problem is not with the pedals but where you engage. On the time rxs you need to place your foot closer to the crank arm then you do with the other pedals. Once you have the tip of the cleat in push down and slightly turn your foot out a few degrees and in a few degrees. It should click rather easily.

Yes, it takes a little bit to get used to them. With me, its more a kind of side-to-side misalignment that caused the initial frustration and disappointment - they seem to be a bit more deceptive than other designs.

Have a look at the distance between your shoe and the crank when clipped in and try to go for that when you are clipping in the next time. They also seem to need a bit of heel down persuasion. It becomes second-nature after about 500miles or so.

That said though, it was goodbye sore knees and hello to squeak-free pedalling for me. Someone told me years ago about Times and I chose to ignore the advice. Now I realise just how good they are.

Leloby wrote:That said though, it was goodbye sore knees and hello to squeak-free pedalling for me. Now I realise just how good they are.

Same over here. Love them

Thanks for all the replies. I guess it's just me so I will lube the pedals a little and see what difference it makes.

I read a thread on the net that the best cleat position was basically as far back on your shoe as you can go. It seems that you get better weight transfer and rely more on your quads than your calf. Has anyone tried this or is it a myth ??

BS

Please do not lube the pedals it will cause additional problems like wear on the pedal body and cleats after dirt gets in there. If you mean lube the axle then it's a different story.

Usually the best cleat position is the ball of your foot intersecting the pedal axle.

Thanks for the info stella azzura

I will lube the axle only.

BS

Disagree with Stella-azzura.
A little lube on the strike-plate and u-wire will help you quite a bit.
These pedals settle in nicely. Wipe any excess off the carbon body, but unless Time specifically recommend NOT to lube a little...In your case...I definately WOULD.
I do on mine when they are new...and bluntly...it helps heaps!
(owner of 3 pairs now....g/f has 2, and see my posts on sensible light bikes...all my mates ride Times as well.....common practise...but only when they are settling in do I do mine)

Nah the only place where you adjust tension on the pedals is the barrel adjuster under the pedal. There are 3 possible tension positions you can set it to. Other than that there are no other adjustment to make.

The only place where lube or grease goes is on the tip of the axle where the needle bearings are inside the pedal body.

The cartridge bearings (part # 6801 with 2 seals) are really the only other place you might think of adding grease. I replaced mine with ceramic bearings.

Those are the only 2 places where to put grease or lube on.

This has been my experience in rebuilding the time rxs pedals.

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