New cleats, new shoes: Locktite or Copper grease or what?

Copaslip for me. Never had an issue. I do switch the bolts from hex head to torx though.

Copperslip here....from a tub thats 10+ years old and will probably get inherited by my kids before its used up

Posted by: vlad_the_invader

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... what is everyone putting on cleats to... make sure they can be replaced when they wear out...?

Once installed, add a dollop of silicone sealant in the screw heads. 

Stops them filling with mud and sand, thus ensures they can be undone later. Just pick the hexagonal blob dot of hardened sealant out with a pick. 

I just screw them in. Never really had much of an issue other than the odd tighten up

Copper slip seems to have the right mix of slight lubrication and anti-seize in my experience.

I have noticed some SPD cleats now come with bolts where they have reduced the hex key from 4mm to 3mm. Presumably to make it a little bit easier to round out.

🤡

I just use a standard bike lube and make sure they are tightened up. 

Always used copper grease, no issues with removal so far.

Shimano cleats wear out? My shoes usually die before the cleats need replacing.

Flat pedals for the win

I use loctite, just because I'm a bit paranoid about being unable to unclip, or having a premature trip home in a taxi, because one of the bolts has dropped out.

I've always just used normal grease. Also use a pick or tiny flat head screwdriver to clean out the shite from the bolt head before trying to undo them.

Posted by: snotrag

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Posted by: vlad_the_invader

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... what is everyone putting on cleats to... make sure they can be replaced when they wear out...?

Once installed, add a dollop of silicone sealant in the screw heads. 

Stops them filling with mud and sand, thus ensures they can be undone later. Just pick the hexagonal blob dot of hardened sealant out with a pick. 

 

 

 

I've never heard of that before but it sounds like an excellent idea, although I am struggling to believe that the silicone will last the duration of the cleat.

I use Shimano anti-seize but for no other reason than I have had a tube of it in my toolbox for literally years. Presumably I bought it during a shopping trip at my local bike shop, but I would use any anti-seize, I am sure they all do a very similar job.

Copper slip. Undo them a quarter turn now and again. Drill out the shit with a 2mm drill head prior to inserting a hex.

CuSlip plus and annual crack open and re-grease. The silicone works for a while, but seems to get lost eventually. My Top Tip: Use CB bolts even on Shimano cleats - they rust less. 

Same as everyone else. Copperslip, blob of silicone or wax in the head (properly smushed in so it doesn't get pulled out). And sometimes fill the cleat slots with silicone too. It stops the soles filling up with crap and is easy to pick out (30 seconds to do both shoes)

Shimano cleats wear out?

In my experience they wear to the point of annoyance (clicking and allowing your feet to rock axially) in about a month or 6 weeks and then stay at that level for a couple of years.

I haven't used spds, unless paid to, in decades.

Posted by: smiffy

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My Top Tip: Use CB bolts even on Shimano cleats - they rust less.

Ah yes. I use CB Candys, so less of an issue for me generally. 

Copper slip on the bolts every time.

Silicone in the bolt head sounds like a plan.

CB Bolts? Means Carriage Bolts, Connector Bolts or Candy Brother bolts? Please advise what and why use. Cheers.

Copper Grease +1

I've messed around with trying to seal up the slots and bolt heads but just picking the compacted dirt out with a pick is easier.

Shimano cleats wear out? My shoes usually die before the cleats need replacing.

The only pair I've ever worn out was because I commuted in them and the soles of the surrounding shoe wore down walking between offices!

Ah yes. I use CB Candys, so less of an issue for me generally. 

I guess when the brass cleats last 6 months and the pedals less than 12 before detaching from the axles the bolts getting stuck becomes a non issue 😂

CuSlip plus and annual crack open and re-grease. 

Blimey, you remove and regrease the bolts on your cleats once a year??

I used to grease them, but years ago we were given a huge box full of Juice Lube products as a wedding present (11 years and still working through it all) which included their anti-seize paste so still using that. Seems to work. 

Yet another Copperslip vote here.

I put silicone sealant on the inside of the shoe in the recess  where the sliding tapped plate is, to make the sole waterproof (as the sticker from Shimano to go over that is a waste of space and  sticker material!).  Means it's not as cold on the foot either in the depths of winter)

CuSlip plus and annual crack open and re-grease. 

Blimey, you remove and regrease the bolts on your cleats once a year??

Yes, do you think it should be done more often?

Winter boots get done in the Spring, Summer shoes at the beginning of winter. 

I never used to use anything (dry SPD bolt), but I noticed corrosion from winter road rides. It wasn't terrible, but they certainly weren't going to get loose on their own.

Noticed the MTB shoes had zero corrosion after a lot of wet/muddy riding, and actually 2 out of 4 SPD bolts weren't tight. So this time round I've gone with blue Loctite. It'll be quite a while before I know if it's any better though.