Weight Weenies

I came across the Giro REPUBLIC™ LX REFLECTIVE shoes and I was really impressed.

One slight issue - they are 2 bolt only. Does anyone have any experience of converting these kind of shoes for use with (say) Time cleats?

Specific experience would be amazing, but general advice on 2 versus 3 bolt cleats would also be great

Specific shoe - http://www.giro.com/eu_en/products/men/ ... ctive.html

As far as I know, you can use adaptors to convert from 3 bolt shoes to 2 bolt cleats, but not the other way around.

If you really like the shoes, why not buy some pedals to go with them, like some Shimano SPDs or (if you really love Time) Time ATACs?

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@CycloTron: I'm assuming that he doesn't want 2-bolt due to the lower foot stability of most 2 bolt setups, and their reliance on tread/pedal tolerances to prevent side to side rocking.

On the plus side, it looks like the Republics use replaceable, bolt on, tread sections. With that kind of setup, you can shim the tread sections to create the closest possible fit with the pedal, but not so close as to restrict float. As the tread wears, you can add more shims to "keep it tight", which is a weakness of most 2 bolt setups with permanent shoe tread sections.

If he has other reasons to go 3 bolt, then the shoes can likely be redrilled, although you'd want to mock-up a Time 3 bolt cleat and pedal on the sole to check the spacing from the tread blocks and make sure there isn't interference. I've drilled out 3 bolt cleat shoes with a 2nd bolt pattern, in order to move the cleats further back than would otherwise be possible. It's really pretty easy. Just go through the standard measures that you'd use to determine proper foot placement over the pedal to figure out where you want the cleat, then use the cleat as a template to mark the appropriate spots to drill on the sole. It helps if you drill some little "pilot holes" with a dremel, or at the very least, a small drill bit, before enlarging to accomodate your time cleat bolts. Then pick up a couple barbed "T-nuts" from the hardware store in the appropriate size for the inside of the shoe. The barbs will bite into the midsole, preventing them from spinning, once you start to tighten them. Depending on your insole that you place on top, and how soft the midsole is, you likely won't even feel them, as they tend to sink into any sort of paper fiber lasting board that many shoe companies use. If you find that they still stick up and it bothers your feet, you can remove them, and gently create a recess in the midsole, using a grinding stone on the dremel, in order to countersink the T-nut.