# Noisy SPD-SL pedals



## jeff400650 (Mar 29, 2014)

About 200 miles ago I made the switch from SPD XTR mountain bike style pedals to SPD-SL Ultegra 6800 pedals and I like them, but they are super noisy. They were fine for 30 miles or so, but have started creaking like an old pirate ship on rough seas. I can feel it in my feet. I took the cleats off of the shoes and reinstalled with carbon paste. I lightly sanded the surface of the cleats where they contact the pedal to change the texture of the surfaces that press and rub together. I sprayed silicone lube on the pedals. Each "fix" worked for a few miles, but the loudness always comes back. 

I don't understand how they can be so noisy for me, and not everyone else. Or do others just not mind or notice the noise? I will go back to the SPD XTR 2 bolt setup if I cannot resolve this. The difference in performance between the 2 is pretty subtle to me anyway.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Put skateboard grip tape on the pedal, the squeaking is caused by the cleat rubbing on it.

You are not the only one with squeaky pedals.


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## jeff400650 (Mar 29, 2014)

That sounds like it might work! It seems like there is a bit too much slop in there, and the rough texture and the added thickness could do the trick.


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## bdaghisallo1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Have you determined that this creaking is from cleat on pedal contact/movement? Which cleat are you using? I ask because I have rarely heard this about spd-sl pedals. Of all the pedal styles on the market, they seem to have the fewest issues with noise and creaking.


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## jeff400650 (Mar 29, 2014)

They are new ultegras with the cleats that came with them, with the yellow wear pads. I just rubbed some candle wax on them last night, but have not ridden yet to test. It deffinatly feels like the noise is from the pedal/cleat interface.


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## MisterMike (Aug 12, 2004)

One thing I've loved about my Ultegra SPD-SL pedals is how dead quiet they are compared to any other brand I've ridden. BUT, I have the older metal body type. I fear the new carbon body may be the culprit here. I doubt its creaking from the metal plate on the top of the body. If you at positive it's not your shoes then its got to be the toe of the cleat or the interface of the heel of the cleat and the release mechanism. I was thinking about getting the 6800s as my old ones are getting pretty beat up. Maybe I'll hold off.

As for wax/lube IMO that just attracts dirt and will make it worse in the long run. 

Long shot... Could be the pivot of the release mechanism which you could lightly lube. Extra long shot...the metal plate is creaking on the body. Maybe remove and reinstall with a little paste or grease under it.

And I really do not like the idea of skateboard tape at all. I don't think any good will come of that with SPD-SLs. Especially with a floating cleat (yellow or blue)


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## Scar (Sep 13, 2014)

My wife and I run Shimano SPD pedals and yellow cleats on our collective six bikes. All squeak if left alone. When we first started with this combination of pedals and cleats it took me a while to find a fix but I did.

The squeak in our pedals (and possibly yours as well) was in the interface between the pedals and the cleats. Since the cleats are some form of plastic I tried Armor All on the cleats. It worked. Now it is a part of my bike maintenance prep. I put a heavy coat of Armor All on the cleats, let it sit overnight and wipe off the excess the next day. It has kept our six pair of SPDs squeak free for years. It has worked on Dura-Ace, Ultegra and one pair of 105 pedals. I also occasionally spray the pedal release mechanism with a heavy duty silicon. This dries overnight and doesn't attract as much dirt as a normal lubricant does. 

Prior to stumbling onto this fix I tried a number of different lubes and fixes but nothing worked for more than a ride or two. Good luck in finding a fix for your squeaky pedals. Persistent squeaks and clicks can be maddening on a ride.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

I've been running 6800 pedals since last year...easily have 1500 or so miles on them and they are still dead silent (and silky smooth action)...

Like others have said, the only thing I can think of is the cleat rubbing the pedal face...which so far, mine do not do.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Typetwelve said:


> I've been running 6800 pedals since last year...easily have 1500 or so miles on them and they are still dead silent (and silky smooth action)...
> 
> Like others have said, the only thing I can think of is the cleat rubbing the pedal face...which so far, mine do not do.


Pretty much the same here - about 1k miles on 6800 carbon pedals, yellow 6° float cleats, and all is quiet.

I wonder if the shoe plays a role in noise/silent?


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## Scar (Sep 13, 2014)

ibericb said:


> Pretty much the same here - about 1k miles on 6800 carbon pedals, yellow 6° float cleats, and all is quiet.
> 
> I wonder if the shoe plays a role in noise/silent?


Possibly the shoe could play a role in certain combinations of shoes and SPD pedals. We use only Sidi shoes ourselves, various models in various wear stages which have been bought at different times over the years. Oddly enough, our newest SPD pedals with carbon bodies squeak as much as the older alloy ones if they aren't treated with Armor All, or a similar product. 

Since the Armor All treatment has worked for us, I haven't had the need to explore other possibilities.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Scar said:


> ...Oddly enough, our newest SPD pedals with carbon bodies squeak as much as the older alloy ones if they aren't treated with Armor All, or a similar product.
> 
> Since the Armor All treatment has worked for us, I haven't had the need to explore other possibilities.


That makes me believe it is likely the show-cleat interface (including bolt head - cleat), not the cleat-pedal interface, that is the noisy offender. Armor All Protectant is basically a water-based mineral oil emulsion (with some additives). It will behave as a water-based mineral oil lubricant. You're probably getting just enough lube into the offending site that leads to the noise. It sounds to me like a good solution.

OP - carbon assembly paste is nothing more than grease with a gritty substance (e.g., silica) to prevent slipping. Since it's gritty, and increases friction, it's use on cleat installation will possibly increase wear of the shoe sole, cleats or both. The design of a floating cleat is to allow the cleats to move laterally in the pedal a few degrees either side of center (+/- 3° for the yellow cleats). It is designed to move, and needs to move both to preserve float and to allow for release. I'd try Armor All or a light wipe with a light mineral oil on the cleat-sole mating surface and the back of the bolt head.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

Yes, most likely its the cleat head (bulb) and, your foot is slightly rotating on your downstroke even though you may not know it. Lightly greasing the bulb head of the cleat will stop it....for a while. I generally have to apply a light film of grease on the sides of the bulb (where it rubs the pedal cutout) every 100 or so miles. When I do this, there is no squeaking. If I don't do this, its squeaks bad. The newer cleats with less float (2-degree) seem to be susceptible to this squeaking far more than the 6 degree cleats. Its a matter of the bulb (cleat head) design I think. You can try stopping the rotation of your foot but that is far easier said than done. I just lightly grease mine and set sail.


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## vmoonan (May 10, 2009)

Got rid of several sets of Look Keo pedals due to this! One thing I am NOT gonna have is pedals I have to wax or armor all or spray or baby power or this or that!!! Shimanos for me have always been dead quiet! Fingers crossed! Look Keo??? Nothing, and I mean nothing, worked!!! PITA.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Found this after my previous Reply.


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## jeff400650 (Mar 29, 2014)

Well, I rubbed candle wax and sprayed armorall on the pedals and cleats at all contact areas and rode home from work today. 16 miles and 1100 feet. they were 98% quiet at first, but slowly got noisier. I don't want to have to lube my pedals every 20 miles to enjoy quiet riding. I will keep trying things for a while, but I am not opposed to going back to the 2-bolt spd-xtr setup. They are easier to clip into and I can't really say that I notice much difference in feel or performance anyway with the "road" pedals.


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## Scar (Sep 13, 2014)

ibericb said:


> Found this after my previous Reply.


Interesting video. However, he is just plain wrong (in my experience) when he says the main source of squeaks are worn out cleats. I have it found just the opposite with new cleats being noisier until they have been Armor All-ed. 

Also, I would not use a chain lubricant on my cleats as it would likely attract more dirt and grit than an Armor All type treatment.

ibericb & NealH: It may be the bolt heads which cause the squeak. I don't know. I do use Loctite on my cleat bolts but they may be the source of the squeak. When I put on the Armor All I spray it all over the cleat, including the bolts and all surfaces which contact the pedal. 

Finally, when I treat our cleats with Armor All it keeps them squeak free for a long time. By that I mean hundreds of miles, not tens of miles. And it so quick to spray the cleat down that it literally takes only seconds for each. Of course, it would be best if they never squeaked to begin with but the fix for us has been easy and quick. It may not be so for everyone.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

It's your shoes squeaking.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Scar said:


> Interesting video. However, he is just plain wrong (in my experience) when he says the main source of squeaks are worn out cleats. I have it found just the opposite with new cleats being noisier until they have been Armor All-ed.


He didn't say that. What the said was:

_"Cleat squeaks can come from a number of different sources such as the cleat to shoe interface, the cleat to pedal interface, or from the binding mechanism housed in either the pedal or cleat._​
He then proceeded through each one.

_ ... At the cleat and shoe interface the most common issue is loose cleat bolts. ... At the cleat to pedal interface, most creaks are the result of worn out cleats that rock on the pedal body. ...." _​


> Also, I would not use a chain lubricant on my cleats as it would likely attract more dirt and grit than an Armor All type treatment.


On the lube, he was very specific:

_"Lubricate the contact points where the cleat and pedal meet with a *dry chain lube*. Rock N Roll Absolute Dry chain lube is a good example of the type of lube you want to use."_​
As best I can tell, the RnR products are suspended PTFE. When the solvent evaporates, there isn't anything left to attract dirt. I doubt that the kind of dry lube he specified would attract any more dirt than Armor All, which uses mineral oil



> ibericb & NealH: It may be the bolt heads which cause the squeak. I don't know. I do use Loctite on my cleat bolts but they may be the source of the squeak. When I put on the Armor All I spray it all over the cleat, including the bolts and all surfaces which contact the pedal.


You might try using an ordinary grease as shown. That would allow the proper torque to be reached when tightening the bolts, and provide for slip under the bolt head at the bolt/cleat mating surfaces. Mine are greased, and they stay good and tight. Loctite is an adhesive, and while it might allow for thread slip to reach torque, it won't help with binding under the bolt head. In fact, it would probably make it worse.



> Finally, when I treat our cleats with Armor All it keeps them squeak free for a long time. By that I mean hundreds of miles, not tens of miles. And it so quick to spray the cleat down that it literally takes only seconds for each. Of course, it would be best if they never squeaked to begin with but the fix for us has been easy and quick. It may not be so for everyone.


If it works, use it. It seems to me it's a very reasonable application. I would think that a dry chain lube would also do the same thing, but Armor All is probably cheaper, and if you have that and don't use a dry lube, then I certainly wouldn't bother with buying a dry lube for my cleats.

Like I said previously, the yellow Shimano SPD-SL cleats have been totally silent for me. Other than wear or the pedals themselves, I lean rather strongly towards creaking, which is obviously fairly common, to be shoe related or wear related with those cleats. Your fix seems quite viable to me. The video just goes through possible sources, and some different remedies for each of those causes.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

nhluhr said:


> It's your shoes squeaking.


Really good thought. That too could be the source.


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## Scar (Sep 13, 2014)

Yes, grease would probably work well also. Before we started using Shimano SPDs, squeaking pedals were pretty much unknown to us. We like the SPDs better than what we previously used (Speedplay, Time, others) so we plan to keep them and just lube the cleats. Different people and different experiences. 

I use Loctite due to a continuing problem with loosing bolts while using Shimano supplied bolts and cleats on Sidi shoes. I would have to stop regularly mid-ride to tighten one or two bolts. Due to a recommendation on a bike forum, I now use slightly longer after-market bolts instead of the ones Shimano supplies with their cleats. Combined with Loctite I haven't had a loose cleat bolt in years. 

This thread started out simple and has gotten wider and deeper.

ibericb:

Thanks for your usual thorough posts. I don't always agree with them (mostly but not all) but I do enjoy reading them. Of the threads that I follow, you are the most prolific and detailed poster here.


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

Scar said:


> ibericb:
> 
> Thanks for your usual thorough posts. I don't always agree with them (mostly but not all) but I do enjoy reading them. Of the threads that I follow, you are the most prolific and detailed poster here.


I'm not sure that's a good thing. Part of the peril of being a retired nerd.

When it comes to noises, be they shoes/pedals/cleats or others there is a lot of room for variation and different solutions. I'd use what works best for me that didn't compromise anything else. There is no one right way. Use what works.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

I have 3 sets of the ultegra 6800 spd-sl and one set of the new dura ace.... none make any noise...


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## ibericb (Oct 28, 2014)

obed said:


> I have 3 sets of the ultegra 6800 spd-sl and one set of the new dura ace.... none make any noise...


obed - what make of shoes are you using?

I'm riding with Specialized Expert, and the 6800 cleats/pedals are noise free.


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

ibericb said:


> obed - what make of shoes are you using?
> 
> I'm riding with Specialized Expert, and the 6800 cleats/pedals are noise free.



I use Giro Factor shoes. I have the blue cleats.


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## nhluhr (Sep 9, 2010)

Noise free from my pedals here too. I have a couple pairs of Northwave shoes and three sets of SPD-SL pedals (two of which are the newer carbon style) that together have around 25,000mi on them. I have NEVER lubed any of my cleats and I've ridden in every condition including freezing, snow, rain, humid, dry, dusty, steep climbing, long rides, etc etc.

I'd go so far as to say the silicone is CAUSING your squeaks now, if it's not just the shoe.


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## NealH (May 2, 2004)

I have two pair of Shimano shoes and with the cleats, they will squeak. I spent a lot of time trying to resolve it. If I hold my foot straight during pedaling - which means perfectly parallel to the bike - then I have no squeaking. But my foot naturally rotates (heel moves inward toward chain stay on downstroke). I tired a zero degree float (red cleat) and its not comfortable for me. Its a biophysical issue for me. I guess I'm just a little duck toed. Anyway, the yellow (6-degree) cleat produces less squeaking and I surmise this is because my foot moves further before the cleat bulb rubs the cleat body. There is more squeaking on the blue cleats since my contact is made sooner and it rubs longer (the downstroke). With the cleats and pedal perfectly clean, I only have to grease (lube) the points shown with the red arrows below. This totally stops the squeaking....for about 100 miles. Then it slowly starts back. I relube the bulb and I'm good for 100 miles again. I don't like having to do this but I love the SPD-SL system and do not want to change. The next thing I will try is the new carbon Ultegra pedal. I am now still using my 7800 DA pedals and these have a metal body. Perhaps the carbon body will help mitigate the squeaking.


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## Typetwelve (Jul 1, 2012)

I'm wondering more and more if shoes don't have something to do with it...

Like I said before, I had a set of 5700 pedals and now 6800...and thousands (and thousands) of miles on both. Zero noise issues at all. Heck, my current cleats are pretty beat up even.

I had a pair of Specialized sport and comp road shoes and currently have some Sidi Wires...all have been completely quiet.


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## TmB123 (Feb 8, 2013)

ibericb said:


> obed - what make of shoes are you using?
> 
> I'm riding with Specialized Expert, and the 6800 cleats/pedals are noise free.


i was just about to start a thread about this but figured there would be one already -

i have some 2 week old Specialized Experts and 6 week old yellow spd-sl cleats on DA 9000 pedals (also 6 weeks old). I've been running some type of look pedal for the last 20 years all had the dreaded look creak at some stage. I finally got the shits and changed to Shimano pedals believeing they were creak free. Must admit the walkability of the spd-sl was a bit of a revelation compared to the Looks and one of those moments where you wonder why you didn't do it sooner.

so anyway, my old shoes were 6 year old Louis Garneau Futura XR's, they did not creak with the SPD-SL's. I then bought a pair of Louis Garneau Air Lite shoes a few weeks ago, they hurt the bottom of my feet so went back, but found that they creaked and I could feel the cleat rocking a little (climbing seated). They actually looked like they warped the cleat a little. Went back to the Futura's and they were quiet and solid again. Bought the Experts and although they were quiet for the first few rides started creaking and feel like they are moving a little. Only on my right foot although I have a 3mm wedge under the left cleat. All the bolts are tight. I haven't lubed anything yet, was really hoping not to but looks inevitable.

i think the shoe or even cleat position on the shoe may have some sort of bearing on this.


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## TmB123 (Feb 8, 2013)

Wondering how many people with squeaky spd-sl cleats are using the yellow ones compared to the red and blue ones? After having ridden Looks for so many years I was used to the float they gave, I didn't realise that the Yellow cleats gave lateral float as well as pivoting float. This would probably account for the reason I thought I could feel them rocking around or moving a little - because they were. Trying Blue cleats now, hopefully the squeak stays away with less side to side movement at the pointy end.


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