Speedplay: Normal wear and tear?

[verbs4us]

After riding Speedplays Zeros for several years, it seems I am breaking the c-shape clip spring in the cleat once a year. I'm a rightie, and ride in a place with too many stoplights, so I am often bailing out/clipping in on the right side--which is the spring that breaks. I lube the springs with a wax lube and keep the whole thing Swiss clean, always walking with cleat covers. Is this more or less to be expected? I do about 50 miles/week, only on the road.

[bironi]

I rode Speedplay road pedals for years.
Not the zeros, but never had this problem.
Might try the Frog model.
You lose almost nothing and gain easy walking.
Good luck,
Byron

[kramnnim]

Over 100,000 miles on Speedplay Zeroes, never had this happen.

[Matthew]

20+ years on Speedplay X2s. Have never broken a spring.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by verbs4us

After riding Speedplays Zeros for several years, it seems I am breaking the c-shape clip spring in the cleat once a year. I'm a rightie, and ride in a place with too many stoplights, so I am often bailing out/clipping in on the right side--which is the spring that breaks. I lube the springs with a wax lube and keep the whole thing Swiss clean, always walking with cleat covers. Is this more or less to be expected? I do about 50 miles/week, only on the road.

Been riding zeros for more than a decade and a half and never broke that spring. I wonder if the cleat is flat. Is it sometimes hard to get in or out of them? BUT a slightly arc-ed cleat can put pressure on that spring. I've used the supplied shims on various shoes I have set up in the shop to make the cleats flat..Smallish size shoe?

I have some spare springs if you need 1 or 2..they are left or right.

[verbs4us]

Thanks! I take the right cleat spring! The shoes are 44s, and it is easy to clip in and bail out. New springs are a little stiffer but they ease up. They always break in the same place--near the toe end, at about the 2 o'clock position.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by verbs4us

Thanks! I take the right cleat spring! The shoes are 44s, and it is easy to clip in and bail out. New springs are a little stiffer but they ease up. They always break in the same place--near the toe end, at about the 2 o'clock position.

So, you'd like one? PM sent..

[gbcoupe]

Long time user and never had this happen. I bought some cheap nock-offs to try. Plan to use a spring from an old proper set.

Guessing the cleat isn't flat and/or too tight. Have you replacing just the spring each time? Maybe something wrong with the body?

For me, these pedals are great. Good luck

[jmoore]

Is the metal plate over the spring damaged maybe? Even a little nick could be enough to wear through a spring, esp if it's breaking at the same spot every time.

PS - Been riding X's since 2001 and never broken a spring.

[zzy]

Sounds like the outer metal plate is being overtightened and preventing the c spring from moving fully. Have over a decade on my oldest set of zero cleats.

[weiwentg]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Been riding zeros for more than a decade and a half and never broke that spring. I wonder if the cleat is flat. Is it sometimes hard to get in or out of them? BUT a slightly arc-ed cleat can put pressure on that spring. ...

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

...
Guessing the cleat isn't flat and/or too tight. ...

I also have to wonder if the cleat isn't quite flat. I only just found this out last year, but best practice is to check the base plate with a ruler after you tighten the screws down. It may not be completely flat, but you want to get it as flat as possible, and Bill at Speedplay did say that you can change out the shims to make it as flat as possible. He did say you could even mix shims on a shoe, e.g. put a #5F and #6R on the cleat, or the reverse. Remember that the #6 shims are more curved than the #5s.

The explanation I got was that their recommended shims notwithstanding, carbon shoes have some inconsistency in how much they're curved, so you may benefit from a check. For me, this showed up when I installed cleats according to spec, but my right shoe started creaking terribly on a century ride.

I agree that if the base plate is flat and you keep up with maintenance, the type of failure that the OP described really should be atypical.