Whats the silver slotted plate for that comes with SPD cleats?

This slotted silver plate sometimes comes with spd cleats:

whats it for?

A shim for the shoes or to stop the cleat digging into the sole.

Never had those with mine. I guess it also acts as a spacer to drop the cleat down a bit. Or maybe to protect carbon soles.

Yep, its to protect the sole of the shoe and stop the serrated part of the cleat digging into the shoe itself.

But surely, if you use that then the cleat ends up moving around?!

I usually have to crank cleats down really hard to bite into to sole so they don’t move around.

Or do you use it only on initial setup when you are moving it around to find the perfect position? And then remove and refit…?

wzzzz – I’ve used something similar with Crank Bros cleats for years – never had problems and give wear on plates I’m glad I fit them – the pedal bars would ruin the shoe’s sole.

I thought it was for the inside of the shoe – years ago some shoes didn’t come with the insert inside the sole, so you’d use that shim and the receiver nut thing (centre of pic) once you’d cut out a hole. I may have a blurred memory on this!

Er no. It goes inside the shoe, if required, for the plate with the threaded holes to run in.

I like the marks cleats make, makes changing them easy

Yep, its to protect the sole of the shoe and stop the serrated part of the cleat digging into the shoe itself.

The serrated part is meant to dig into the sole of the shoe. That’s kind of the point of the serrations!

Er no. It goes inside the shoe, if required, for the plate with the threaded holes to run in.

So I did remember correctly!

OK, so does anybody know for sure? i.e. have some instructions?

The shimano techdocs don’t show it…..

errm, they’re right – it’s to go int he show to receive the threaded bar.

:oops:Sole protectors are available though :)

Are they genuine Shimano cleats, or are they a cheap copy? I’ve not seen those parts with the cleats I’ve got.

Usually Shimano cleats have a ‘cleat nut’ with 4 holes, to go inside the shoe.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/shimano-sh-a200-4-hole-cleat-nut/rp-prod137485

Yeah, Shimano’s cleatnut is like above. Shown in techdocs:

Same fing though innit.

PS. I reckon the OP’s are 8O FAKE!! 8O cos Shimano always have black bolts don’t they?!

Used to get the silver plate with SPD cleats – I certainly did with the cleats that came with my SPD’s in 1991. Went inside the shoe, as not all SPD-compatible shoes had the nut plate fitted, so it was there to spread load when tightened.

Ok I geddid now, makes sense.

Looks like Shimano used to supply a small nut plate and this silver plate to go INSIDE the shoe and spread the load.

But now they use a big nut plate instead.

Some aftermarket “spd compatible” cleats still come with a smaller nut plate and the silver plate. e.g. https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pedals-cleats/exustar-ec01-spd-cleats/