# Help with my SPD-SL shoes please



## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

So I'm new to riding (going to pick up my 2015 synapse tomorrow) and I just got my new Bontrager DLX Race shoes (fit SPD and SPD-SL) in the mail today, put the cleats on, and was about to start spinning to make sure the shoes fit good. Well I started spinning but noticed a lot of noise, like loose metal. Took the cleats off, and the SPD attachments under my SPD-SL cleats are just loosely sliding forward and back... very loud, very annoying. How do i stop this? I['m hoping there's a simple trick short of stuffing putty in there or cutting them out. I can't imagine it would take long for this clinking and clanking to get old for long distance riders.... help please! Thanks


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

What pedals are you using (make and model)?


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

for my spin bike its just the cheap light action shimano SPD-SL pedals. Buts the noise is in the shoe. I took the cleat off and the SPD (non-SL) screw plate is loose under the SL cleat, just sliding back and forth, so for now I packed a small wad of paper towel in it and it stopped them from moving, and the noise. However, I would assume there is a more professional way to fix the moving SPD cleat plate thats under the SL cleat....


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

If your SPD-SL cleats are torqued down properly the SPD slide nuts shouldn't be sliding back and forth.

I have no idea about Bontrager stuff, not something I deal with, but I'd set those cleat bolts to 5-6N-m and see if that helps any.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Pedal model is irrelevant, tvad. He's using 3-bolt cleats, and the nuts for the 2-bolt connection are rattling around loose inside the shoe sole.

I'd use a dab or two of a rubbery adhesive. ShoeGoo or silicone sealant would do it.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

deleted


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Take the footbed out and see if there is a square cut-out that you can lift up and then remove the SPD plate. I'm obviously not at work right now or I'd go look to confirm this. If you have a hard time lifting the cut out up you can push it from the outside of the sole. If you have problems w/ this post up again tomorrow and I'll check a DLX when I get to work.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

cxwrench said:


> Take the footbed out and see if there is a square cut-out that you can lift up and then remove the SPD plate. I'm obviously not at work right now or I'd go look to confirm this. If you have a hard time lifting the cut out up you can push it from the outside of the sole. If you have problems w/ this post up again tomorrow and I'll check a DLX when I get to work.


No cutouts under the insole. If the footbed is whats under the insole, it didn't seem removable. (sorry, this is my first set of bike shoes so forgive my ignorance). The last two sets of spd-sl pedals I bought both came with cleats but only one set of screws (Then again these were the cheapest model, and the next step up). 

I don't have any type of torque wrench at the moment but even "super" tight (thats my technical term), the plates still moved around so I backed them off to normal. Maybe I do need longer screws? Not sure, but I just spun (spinned) for 40 minutes and my temporary paper towel stuff job held them tight. I'll take them with me to my LBS tomorrow when I pickup my bike and if they can't help maybe CXWrench will be able to shed some light. Thanks everyone for the quick help, I look forward to being around this place for a while!


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## Adim_X (Mar 7, 2011)

I think this is pretty common. My fitter kept a little tub off plumbers putty in his tool chest just for this occasion. It's not a defect or a torque/assembly issue. This is just a side effect of having multi cleat shoes. Some shimano shoes are like that also.


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## MMsRepBike (Apr 1, 2014)

Adim_X said:


> I think this is pretty common. My fitter kept a little tub off plumbers putty in his tool chest just for this occasion. It's not a defect or a torque/assembly issue. This is just a side effect of having multi cleat shoes. Some shimano shoes are like that also.


This is not common. I've never seen any Shimano shoes do this and I've dealt with hundreds of pairs.


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## Adim_X (Mar 7, 2011)

Please explain to me a how a 3 bolt SPD SL interface will retain a 2 bolt spd setup. I have put some pictures up to help you. 

Non removable nut from Shimano shoe.


3 bolt cleat attached to shoe.


loose 2 bolt nut held in place with tiny amount of putty to prevent vibration...click sound


There is no amount of torque or assembly in the world that will prevent this 2 bolt nut from moving around.


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

Perhaps a couple of counter sink bolts in the two bolt plate will keep them still. I would think that if the bolts are the flat/counter sink type they would fit under the three bolt cleats.


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## Adim_X (Mar 7, 2011)

Why would you add extra bolts...all you need is putty, spit wad, play dough, anything. It's not that complicated.


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## TJay74 (Sep 9, 2012)

Some shoes have a rubber plug that keeps the other mount from moving (evident in the picture posted about).


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

In the pic below it looks like I can make out a rectangular cut in the foot bed. If it's like some shoes I've had, this can be pried up and the nut plates accessed/removed.



Adim_X said:


>


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## Adim_X (Mar 7, 2011)

Looigi, I just looked at shoe,there is a line, but it's not fully cut...you would need an exacto to finish cut. I'm not cutting up shoe to remove, mine is already fixed. Was just sharing with op easy fix. He fixed his with a chunk of paper towel. The pic were to prove a point that 3bolt cleats having nothing to do with retaining this nut plate.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

thanks for the replies, just picked up my new (first) bike today and asked the LBS this question and he showed me the cutout in the footbed. I told him I did not want to rip it open and the wadding was fine for now as it was quiet and doing the job. thanks all!! 

Here she is... 2015 Synapse w/Tiagra, first road bike ever!


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Adim_X said:


> Looigi, I just looked at shoe,there is a line, but it's not fully cut...you would need an exacto to finish cut....


Yeah. I think the main reason it's there is so that you can replace a stripped nut plate if it becomes necessary...if you can find a replacement nut plate.


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## matfam (Jul 13, 2012)

Been having this exact problem with my Shimano R088 shoes. Popped the cover inside and opened it up....the noise went away.


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## JohnV (Jan 19, 2011)

Has anyone noticed how the cables are run on the picture of the bike that the OP posted? You need to go back to the shop and have them fix that!!

John


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

They are run internally... whats wrong with them?


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

I'm not up on current C'dales, but I believe he's referring to how the cables are routed direct from the shifters to the down tube entry ports. Most modern Shimano (and SRAM and Campagnolo for that matter) have the cables routed along the bar to the stem, under the bar wrap, then down to the down tube. Not sayin' it's wrong (I'm no expert), just different than most others.


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

The cable routing looks different than I would expect to see.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

One is outside and the other is coming from under the handlebar wrap. 

I actually took it back yesterday because only after 20 miles the rear derailleur wouldn't shift right, sometimes needed two clicks to move and sometimes after I shifted it would take about 5 pedal rotations until it finally clicked. They upgraded the chain to try and fix it but it didn't, put new cables and better cable housings, didn't fix it, upgraded the sprocket, didn't fix it, then put a 105 rear derailler on it and it fixed it. They left all the stuff on for free because it took so long and gave me discounts on extras that I bought. I was ok with that, not everythings perfect, I understand that, and they definately didn't need to give me all that stuff. I now its not super expensive, but money is money. I was going to buy the extras online, but figured I could spend the extra to give them some of that money back


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

This is wrong? I'm new at this so forgive any more ignorance I may throw your way


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

The cable routing looks the same as I've found in photos of other Cannondale Synapse bikes, so it appears to be correct, if not an option.

This is what I would expect to see:


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

On my bike the cables come out of the side of the shifters so it would be impossible to route them under the wrap. It seems the higher end shifters have both cables coming out of the inside and not the side


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## tvad (Aug 31, 2003)

bobbo268 said:


> On my bike the cables come out of the side of the shifters so it would be impossible to route them under the wrap. It seems the higher end shifters have both cables coming out of the inside and not the side


You're right. I thought the cable routing was an option. My apologies for the unnecessary side bar.

Here's another photo of a Synapse Tiagra. Tiagra is what you have, yes?


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

Yes I have tiagra though it's the 2015 disc model that still can't be found online. I do have a 105 rear derailleur due to the stock tiagra one acting stupid. That's fine with me


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## cmtbiz (Jan 8, 2013)

OP sorry to butt in the conversation which I dont own a Cannondale. By looking at the cable routing, this is my first time to see it setup that way. I have riding buddies who owns Cannondale but none are like that. Is it because its Tiagra components?


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## junior1210 (May 2, 2013)

bobbo268 said:


> This is wrong? I'm new at this so forgive any more ignorance I may throw your way


Not wrong in the least. The first picture had a bad angle so I didn't realize that's how the routing was supposed to be. My mistake, and my apologies.:blush2:


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## cmtbiz (Jan 8, 2013)

Now I see why it was routed that way.. its the Tiagra shifter...


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## obed (Jan 12, 2014)

enjoy the ride.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

Did my first quarter century  today in 90 minutes. Legs were jello and all i wanted to do was eat when I got home!


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

What's the difference between a lower budget rear chain ring and a top of the line?


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

bobbo268 said:


> This is wrong? I'm new at this so forgive any more ignorance I may throw your way


That is not the way my synapse disc cables are routed. Mine have the front DR on the right side of the frame and the rear on the left with the rear brake. It does have ultegra shifters though which route the cables under the bar tape. Yours doesn't look right to me.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 20, 2014)

Srode said:


> That is not the way my synapse disc cables are routed. Mine have the front DR on the right side of the frame and the rear on the left with the rear brake. It does have ultegra shifters though which route the cables under the bar tape. Yours doesn't look right to me.


mine is the 2015 model. The two cables on the left side join together and run through the same hole. This is different than the 2014 models where I believe the brake cable runs under the top tube (could be wrong), can't find many pictures of the left side of the 2014 model.

here is a pic of the 2014 non-disc model, it has a wire going through the top of the frame, mine doesn't have that hole


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