Swapped the mtb pedals on my road bike for some road ones after Christmas.
I’ve only done about 150 miles in them and noticed this evening that one of the cleat pads (for want of a better word) seems to have fallen off the main body of the cleat. See pics below….

The plastic under where the yellow pad should be is still smooth (a very slight scuff on it probably from when I got back from today’s ride), so it doesn’t seem to have worn through – it looks like it’s just fallen off.

Presumably this isn’t supposed to happen? Wondering if it’s worth contacting Merlin about it, who I bought the pedals from. I don’t really wanna have to fork out for a new set of cleats after only 150 miles.

Totally still useable. The yellow bits are supposed to be there to make the cleats a bit grippier for walking on. Mine fell off my first set after a couple of weeks. Nine months on and the cleats are still fine.

As stevious has said – still fully usable.

I’d also say how many miles you’ve ridden is somewhat irrelevant as this is likely to have come off whilst walking.

I know spending more money is never ideal – but we’re only talking £6 delivered – http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/281175670707

Just don’t put your feet down!

Have you been walking on gravel? Mine have gone like that too though mine took about 8 months of walking down a gravel path every time I go out to cause it. Once I realised it was happening I bought some cleat covers to protect them.
I don’t think it is a fault though, so I would not expect you to get anywhere by returning them etc and they only need replacing when they become difficult to engage\disengage.

Perfectly fine.

That’s what happens with Shimano cleats, it doesn’t effect the pedal/cleat interface, it’s just for walking

*checks shoes*

Just for reference, this is after 7k miles:

Maybe the damage was caused while walking in them? If they still clip in and out, I wouldn’t worry about it.

its because you’re walking too much! the actual function of the cleats is totally unaffected

Stumpy01, looking at how dirty\scarred\chewed up one shoe (not just cleat) appears compared to the other, it looks like you have possibly dragged that shoe down the road at some point or that foot always comes out at junctions and you have stopped at a lot of junctions in your 150 miles etc.

Ah. My road cleat stupidity, then….I thought that the yellow bits were the the bits that did the engagement.
Sure I saw something on the instructions for installing them that you were supposed to replace them once the yellow bits have worn by a certain amount…..maybe not.

andybanks – Member
As stevious has said – still fully usable.

I’d also say how many miles you’ve ridden is somewhat irrelevant as this is likely to have come off whilst walking.

I know spending more money is never ideal – but we’re only talking £6 delivered – http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/281175670707

Didn’t realise you could get non-Shimano cleats – I thought they were gonna be nearer £12-15. Not that it’s an issue seeing as the functionality of the cleat is unaffected.

TheGingerOne – Member
Have you been walking on gravel? Mine have gone like that too though mine took about 8 months of walking down a gravel path every time I go out to cause it. Once I realised it was happening I bought some cleat covers to protect them.

No gravel path – just the concrete drive outside the front door. Like I say, the garage is connected to the side of the house, so it’s only a few metres to walk to the bike.

Cheers peeps. I will stop fretting…..

I have the exact same cleats and shoes as the first poster. The 2 bottom yellow plastic bits on both my cleats fell off after about 2 or 3 rides last summer and I’ve been using them since.

They still work absolutely fine no need to replace them.

TheGingerOne – Member
Stumpy01, looking at how dirty\scarred\chewed up one shoe (not just cleat) appears compared to the other, it looks like you have possibly dragged that shoe down the road at some point or that foot always comes out at junctions and you have stopped at a lot of junctions in your 150 miles etc.

No, they are hardly marked – it’s just dried on road grit/dirt. Last two road rides have been in the rain on some quiet country lanes with a lot of mud from tractors/cars.
Definitely not dragged my foot down the road and I hardly have to stop on the road, as it’s mainly rural routes with no traffic lights/roundabouts I can generally cross without stopping etc.

I think I was just unlucky with this pair, as it definitely looks like this yellow blob has literally fallen off.