Speedplay Carbon Sole Wear Protector Shim...really?

[DRZRM]

I just picked up my first carbon soled shoe (Lake cx330) with the Speedplay specific drilling. Speedplay sells a carbon sole wear protector shim to "reduce the deforming of your clear coat under your cleat" and to hold the cleat in place while you tighten the screws. Seems like a pretty ridiculous thing to spend $12 (plus shipping) on, but does anyone using Speedplays with carbon soled shoes recommend these things?

[merckx]

I would use it. Twelve bucks is cheap considering the potential damage you can do to your shoes. I know from experience.

[AngryScientist]

my shoes have carbon soles, and i've never heard of the sole protector, so i guess i've never used it. i use the appropriate angle shims to perfectly match the sole contour of my shoe, and when tightened down there is no relative movement between the cleat and the sole, so how would any wear occur? am i missing something?

[Mark McM]

I just picked up my first carbon soled shoe (Lake cx330) with the Speedplay specific drilling. Speedplay sells a carbon sole wear protector shim to "reduce the deforming of your clear coat under your cleat" and to hold the cleat in place while you tighten the screws. Seems like a pretty ridiculous thing to spend $12 (plus shipping) on, but does anyone using Speedplays with carbon soled shoes recommend these things?

If these are shoes you plan to keep for a while, I'd say the protector plates are a good investment.

With 4 bolt Speedplay-specific soles, the sole of the shoe sits directly on the surface of the pedal body (no adapter plate inbetween). If your foot rotates while you pedal (which is kind of the point of free-float system), the direct contact between pedal and shoe can cause the shoe sole to wear - especially if any dirt or grit gets between the pedal and shoe. Once a "divot" has been worn into the sole, the shoe/pedal interface will become sloppy, and may even be able to rock laterally.

With a 3-bolt shoe sole, the curved adapter plate is used between the shoe and cleat, and the adapter plate is the part that wears. But the adapter plate is replaced when the cleat is replaced, so the wear isn't a permanent problem. Without the adapter plate, the divot worn into the shoe sole will just continue to get deeper with time. I've known a few riders who have had their 4-bolt shoes become ruined due to sole wear with Speedplay pedals.

Use the protector plates, and replace when they become worn.

[AngryScientist]

If these are shoes you plan to keep for a while, I'd say the protector plates are a good investment.

With 4 bolt Speedplay-specific soles, the sole of the shoe sits directly on the surface of the pedal body (no adapter plate inbetween). If your foot rotates while you pedal (which is kind of the point of free-float system), the direct contact between pedal and shoe can cause the shoe sole to wear - especially if any dirt or grit gets between the pedal and shoe. Once a "divot" has been worn into the sole, the shoe/pedal interface will become sloppy, and may even be able to rock laterally.

With a 3-bolt shoe sole, the curved adapter plate is used between the shoe and cleat, and the adapter plate is the part that wears. But the adapter plate is replaced when the cleat is replaced, so the wear isn't a permanent problem. Without the adapter plate, the divot worn into the shoe sole will just continue to get deeper with time. I've known a few riders who have had their 4-bolt shoes become ruined due to sole wear with Speedplay pedals.

Use the protector plates, and replace when they become worn.

now i understand, this is for shoes that dont use the adapter plate, got it.

thanks for the explanation.

[DRZRM]

Mark,

I thank you for your response, and I am ordering a plate right now. Who knew? :beer:

Zach