A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

Speedplay Cleat Maintenance

My Speedplay cleats look okay, but is there a time/mileage when I should replace them?

Taylor

Hi Taylor,

Having cleats and pedals that are in good condition not only helps you get the most out of your drivetrain, it can also help you avoid injury.

Many pedals that use plastic cleats (Look, Shimano SPD-SL…) have wear indicator (usually a colored area or small hole on the bottom) that disappears as the cleat wears. Whether a cleat has a wear indicator or not, if the cleat is under half its original thickness, it should be replaced. You can also look at the pedal body where the cleat contacts to see if you have developed a wear pattern between the cleat and pedal that could allow your foot to rock as well. It is important that you replace your cleat frequently enough that the wear does not encourage the foot (and thus joints like the knee further up the kinetic chain) to start rocking laterally during pedal loads.

Metal cleats, like those found on Speedplay, may appear fine, but the springs and/or base plate may be flattening or developing grooves that allow the foot to rock on the pedal. In addition to visual inspection of the springs, you can check this by engaging the shoe on the pedal and then removing your foot (leaving the shoe attached to the pedal) and then grabbing the heel and the toe of the shoe and twisting it from the medial to lateral aspect (big toe to small). Speedplay X series pedals with round springs are more prone to rock inducing flat sections wearing into the springs than the square springs found on Speedplay’s Light Action and Zero series. However, all cleats wear and the junction should feel pretty snug; even if the rest of the cleat looks fine. Replace the cleat and the base plate if you feel rocking or vertical play.

Regardless of what pedal brand you use, when inspecting your pedals and cleats, check that your pedal bearings are smooth and tight as well – loose or worn bearings can create extra friction you have to work to overcome and can be another culprit in foot rock.

While every rider wears their cleats and pedals at a different rate, if you inspect this important juncture point on the bike at least once every thousand miles you should be able to get a good idea as to how often you need to maintain or replace cleats and bearings.

Ride hard and smart.

Ian

Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx. Fit Werx has locations in Waitsfield, VT and Peabody, MA and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty bicycle fitting and analysis services, consultation, and technology research. Fit Werx can be reached in VT at (802)496-7570, in MA at (978)532-7348 or through the Web at www.fitwerx.com.

A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

Press Fit Bottom Bracket Technology

What are the advantages/drawbacks of the new “press-fit” bottom brackets and cranks? Which “press fit” size is the best and can a current bike be converted?

Ted

Hi Ted,

First a brief history – “Press-fit”, or “Integrated”, bottom brackets were actually introduced decades ago in BMX, but have taken some time to be refined to the point where they work universally well in multi-gear applications. The first integrated bottom bracket designs in multi-speed bikes that I remember were in the early 1990’s when Gary Fisher, Klein and Merlin all offered bikes with threadless bottom bracket shells. These designs used cartridge bearings that were pressed around the bottom bracket spindle and were held in place with metal circlips. In addition to being a chore to service, the biggest limitation of these designs was that they were only compatible with the square taper spindle cranks that were popular at the time. As improvements in bottom bracket/crank design were released, these early integrated bottom bracket frames became obsolete as they were simply not compatible.

One other company was working on integrated designs in the early 1990’s and that was Cannondale. However, Cannondale was not just looking to replace cone and cup bottom bracket bearings with cartridge bearings like the others, they wanted to reduce weight and increase the stiffness of the entire crank and bottom bracket system. Instead of focusing on the frame, Cannondale initially focused on developing an integrated spindle crank that used externally mounted bottom bracket bearings. By mounting the bearings externally, the restrictions placed on spindle size by the bottom bracket shell were significantly reduced and larger diameter bearings and crank spindles could be used. The result was a crank and bottom bracket system with significantly lower weight and greater stiffness than most anything else at the time. While the initial Cannondale crank designs had some compromises, Cannondale continued to develop the idea and, in the year 2000, they introduced “SI” (System Integrated). “SI” took the crank and bottom bracket concept one step further by adding the frame into the system – what we now know as a “press-fit” frame was born. Cannondale offered the new design as an international standard – available to any frame manufacturer that wanted to use it at no cost – and named it “BB30” after the 30mm diameter of the crank spindle.

Despite the weight and stiffness benefits, few frame manufacturers jumped on “BB30” initially – primarily because the only crank that worked with it at the time was Cannondale’s. However, this would all change when Shimano introduced their Hollowtech II crank design for the 2004 season. While Shimano did not (and to this day, does not) offer a BB30 specific crank and bottom bracket (Shimano’s integrated spindles are 24mm in diameter), the adoption of an integrated spindle/external bearing crank design by the largest manufacturer of components on earth made it clear to the industry that integrated spindle cranks were here to stay. Once integrated spindle cranks became “the norm” for big crank producers like Shimano, SRAM, FSA and Campagnolo, manufacturers started to explore the concept of press-fit bearing frames more actively.

While integrated bottom brackets are not the standard yet, you will see more and more of them each year. Big bike manufacturers (Trek, Specialized, Giant…) have put integrated bottom brackets into some of their frames over the past few years while specialty builders like Parlee and Guru now offer BB30 in some models as well. There will likely never be a universal standard for press-fit frames (Trek uses their own 90mm wide bottom bracket shell they call “BB90” in some road models, Giant and Scott’s press-fit road options use a standard developed with Shimano called “BB83”…). However, while it is a good idea to check compatibility and adapter options if you want to use a specific crank and frame together before you buy, the relative simplicity of the press-fit design means that most press-fit frames will work with a wide variety of cranks.

Can you convert an existing bike with a threaded bottom bracket to press-fit? No. However, you can still take advantage of some of the benefits the concept has produced. Modern external bearings cranks, whether used in a press-fit or threaded frame, offer many weight and stiffness benefits compared to earlier designs. Also, if you want to use an over-sized BB30 axle in your threaded frame, Zipp offers ultra-thin walled threaded cups with their light and stiff 30mm spindle equipped VumaQuad and VumaChrono cranks. Of course, for those with a press-fit frame, Zipp offers BB30 adapters too.

I would not use integrated bottom bracket design as a criteria for buying or not buying a frame or bike at this point – there are other far more important variables (fit and ride quality, to name just two). But, as press-fit designs become more refined and solid, you will see more and more frames that use it. Like the threadless headset, press-fit bottom brackets do the same job as threaded, but are lighter, simpler, stiffer and cheaper to produce.

Ride hard and smart.

Ian

A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

I am a smaller rider (115 lbs) and have always had problems getting in and out of clipless pedals. What would you suggest?

Trina, via email

Dear Trina,

Your pedal dilemma is one that we hear about regularly, especially from newer or lighter/smaller riders. Luckily, more pedal manufacturers seem to be realizing the issue and the result is that many of the latest pedal designs require less effort without compromising retention in the process. Some of the better options are as follows:

Time iClic - Time’s latest generation design directly addresses ease of entry by using a “blade” made of composite or carbon fiber instead of a metal spring. The benefit of this design is that it depends on the shape of the blade and how it engages the cleat to retain rather than spring tension and this means that the force required to engage the pedal is extremely low. Another beauty of the iClic design is that it still retains at a level a pro racer can use vertically, so you won’t be pulling out of it under heavy efforts. Time offers the iClic design across their entire range of pedals and the design maintains Time’s well protected café cleat design and unique angular float feature.

Look KEO Blade - Like the Time iClic, the Keo Blade by Look uses a carbon engagement blade instead of a metal spring to hold the cleat. In addition, Look uses “bimaterial” in the design to create great rigidity in the platform while dramatically reducing friction between the cleat and pedal. The result is a design that requires 30% less effort to release than a standard Look Keo with a metal spring and is lighter and more rigid (for maximum power transfer) too. The only downside to the Look Keo is that the technology is currently not available across the full range of Look pedal products – it is found solely on the top of the line Carbon/Titanium model. The technology will likely trickle down in future seasons.

Speedplay X Series – Over twenty years young, the Speedplay X Series line of pedals is arguably the original low spring tension design. Unlike most designs where the cleat on the shoe goes into the pedal (like a ski binding), Speedplay uses a unique spring and groove design where the cleat actually goes around the pedal body. The Speedplay X Series pedals use a low tension round spring design that requires very little pressure to engage or release. The X Series pedals provide the largest amount of lateral float (freedom of heel movement) of any pedal on the market and have very little friction and the design allows the foot to naturally rotate wherever it would like. While the release effort to get out is very low, the pedal does require that the rider be able to rotate their heel and hip more than most other pedal designs before it hits its release point. Like Time’s pedals, the Speedplay X Series also has a degree of angular float which some riders will do well with while others should gravitate towards a more stable platform (like Speedplay’s Light Action or Zero pedals). Like all other Speedplay designs, the X Series uses a durable metal cleat, offers the most fore-aft and stance width (“Q factor”) options of any pedal system and offers two-sided entry/exit.

Speedplay Light Action – The Speedplay Light Action series of pedals is designed to bridge the easy entry/exit of the X Series with the increased stability and control of Speedplay’s stiff spring equipped Zero pedal line. The Light Action gets the more stable (less angular rotation) square spring profile from Speedplay’s Zero pedals, but uses a more forgiving spring that is easier to engage and release than the Zero series, but is a bit stiffer than the X Series. The Light Action offers a preset 15 degrees of float from the factory and requires less heel rotation before disengaging than the free floating X Series design. Like all Speedplay pedals, the cleat goes around, instead of into, the pedals and thus the easiest mode of entry with the Light Action is a little different than the traditional toe in method most designs use. While this technique can take a few tries to master, it is not hard and quickly becomes second nature for most riders.

Hope this helps and I’m sure you will find all of these pedal designs better than average for you in regards to ease of operation.

Ian

A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

Cleat Maintenance

Dear Tech Support,

How often should the cleats for my pedals be changed? Rick, NH

Cleats are a bit like car brakes in that you may not know just how worn out they are until it fails. Luckily, many cleat designs allow for easy visual inspection and I would recommend looking at them at least monthly. I’ve outlined quick check items on some of the most popular pedal systems.

On a Speedplay, where the cleats are metal, you want to look for spring wear and the outer metal protective layer wearing thin. On the X Series pedals, spring wear will appear as flat sections on an otherwise round spring while wear on the squared off Light Action and Zero pedal springs can be harder to see and usually take longer to form. The metal protective layer on all three designs will usually start to show wear at the edges of the cleat; if you see that the metal is thin, or even missing, you will want to replace the cleat. Make sure that cleat screws are not missing and are snug and, if you can move the cleat fore and aft on the shoe, be sure to remove the cleat and firmly tighten the base plate as well. Loctite is a good idea on any screws on a Speedplay.

On a Look based design (Shimano SPD-SL, Mavic and others) with a plastic cleat you want to make sure the bolts are tight and inspect the cleat to make sure it is not wearing thin or cracked. Some plastic cleats have wear indicators that use either tiny inset holes in the cleat or a colored wear indicator (when the hole or colored section disappears, the cleat should be replaced). If your cleat does not have one of these, get a new pair of cleats and compare the thickness of the plastic where it engages on the new cleats to your old cleat. If the old cleat is under 50% as thick, replace.

Designs like the Time RSX/Impact, Crank Bros or Shimano’s SPD pedals can be hard to visually see cleat wear as the cleat engagement point are hardened steel. Frequently the pedal itself may exhibit wear before the steel cleat shows wear. As you should with any pedal, pay attention to changes in stability or the pedal disengaging prematurely or engaging weakly on these designs as this can indicated that the cleats, bearings or retention hardware could use service.

Ride hard and smart.

Ian

Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx. Fit Werx has locations in Waitsfield, VT and Peabody, MA and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty bicycle fitting and analysis services, consultation, and technology research. Fit Werx can be reached in VT at (802)496-7570, in MA at (978)532-7348 or through the Web at www.fitwerx.com.

A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

Dear Tech Support,

I’ve been told that “Stack and Reach” are important numbers to know when it comes to bike sizing. What is “Stack and Reach” and how can it help me size a bike properly?

Rich, VA

Rich,

A bike’s stack and reach dimensions, in conjunction with the stack and reach needs of your riding position, can be helpful numbers to know when considering bike options as they provide a lot of valuable information about a bike’s actual geometry and fit in just two numbers.

“Stack” is the vertical distance, in centimeters, from the center of the frame’s bottom bracket/crank to the top middle point of the head tube (where the fork passes through the frame). “Reach” is the horizontal distance from the center of the bottom bracket/crank to the top middle point of the head tube. For the mathematically inclined, stack and reach is a Cartesian coordinate system with the origin being the center of the bottom bracket and the X,Y being the top/center of the frame’s head tube. For example, a 51cm Cervelo S2 has a stack (Y) of 52.2cm (top of head tube is 52.2cm above the bottom bracket) and a reach (X) of 39.4cm (middle of head tube is 39.4cm in front of the bottom bracket).

Why are a frame’s stack and reach potentially helpful numbers? If you know the stack and reach requirement of your riding position (acquired by working with a bike fitter who uses a sizing cycle that will provide the measurements or measuring these distances on an existing bike that is properly set-up for you and fits you well), you can look at the stack and reach dimensions on a frame sizing chart and know whether the bike will fit you well before you buy it.

The potential benefits of a stack and reach based system compared to traditional bike size listing (Medium, 54cm…) is multi-fold:

1. It standardizes bike geometry/sizing between brands and models as it transcends the limitations of looking at just a single size related variable (top tube length, seat tube length…) on a bike. Stack and reach dimensions consider a number of key variables in relation to each other and thus offer significantly more insight into how the frame actually fits than any other two measurements on the bike.
2. It stresses the importance of rider first bike selection by placing the most important part of the bike selection process – the rider’s position – first. In order to use stack and reach well, you need to know the stack and reach coordinates of your riding position too.
3. It is not unheard of for bikes from two manufacturers that are both called the same size (Medium or 54cm, for example) to actually fit up to 2cm (a full size different) than each other. Stack and reach shows how the frame actually fits/sizes and thus allows it to be compared to other bikes on the market accurately and relatively easily.
4. It distinguishes between sometimes confusing and inter-related frame dimensions. For example, it can be easy to confuse seat tube angle (the angle a frames’ seat tube is actually built to) and seat angle (where the rider’s seat should actually be placed in space in relation to the bottom bracket). Stack and reach virtually eliminate this confusion by simply showing how the frame actually fits.

Stack and reach is a significantly improved standard than the traditional sizing methods that are based on effective seat tube length and other outdated frame dimensions that are virtually irrelevant when it comes to how the bike actually fits. Stack and reach is not without challenges though, and it is important that you understand what the dimensions do not provide.

1. Frame stack and reach dimensions do not take into account handlebar shape or stem length/angle and spacers. The size cycle based stack and reach template we use in our fittings can take this into account and there are other systems available that do as well. Regardless, you must know what handlebar your stack and reach coordinates were based, and how those dimensions relate to the dimensions on the handlebar that either comes with the bike or that you will be using, as these can vary significantly and directly affect fit.
2. Stack and reach does not include headset type. There can be up to 3cm of effective stack difference between internal and external headset frames. If you are considering a frame with an external bearing headset (some custom and specialty brands) make sure to add in the headset you will be using to the listed stack dimensions.
3. Stack and reach does not consider potential seat angle limitations on the frame. For example, if you ride a 75 degree seat angle and are considering a frame based on a 73 seat tube angle, make sure that there are seatpost options for the frame that will allow the seat to be set to 75 degrees. This can be a problem, especially with frames that use integrated seat masts or a proprietary seatpost design. Even if the stack and reach dimensions look fine on paper, you need to be sure that any frame you are considering offers a configuration that will allow your saddle to be set to your riding position.

Stack and reach is a step in the right direction and a notable improvement over the “systems” the bike industry has traditionally used. However, the best sizing representation I have seen comes from a manufacturer. Argon 18 on their E-114 TT/Tri bike that shows the factory recommended set-up ranges for key positioning items (saddle height, setback, handlebar drop and reach) for each size.  I hope that Argon 18 considers making this sizing recommendation method more visible on their site and expanding it to include all their models (road and tri). I also hope other manufacturers adopt a similar system as the bike industry could make manufacturer recommended sizing ranges much more clear to consumers and bike shops.

Whether you are using stack and reach or some other frame sizing system, make sure you get a professional fit with a qualified fitter who also understands bike geometry before you settle on a bike. A rider first fitting places the needs of the rider in front of the needs of the bike and guarantees that you will not be guessing when choosing what is likely your biggest equipment investment – your bike. Once you know your positioning coordinates, your fitter can help you narrow your options to include only those bikes that have stack and reach that are appropriate to your needs before exploring other important variables like handling, ride quality, cost and durability to find the best match for you.

Ride hard and smart.

Ian

Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx. Fit Werx has locations in Waitsfield, VT and Peabody, MA and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty bicycle fitting and analysis services, consultation, and technology research. Fit Werx can be reached in VT at (802)496-7570, in MA at (978)532-7348 or through the Web at www.fitwerx.com.

A version of this article was originally
published in Triathlete Magazine

Foot and Lower Leg Issues on the Bike

Dear Tech Support,

I have been told by a doctor that I have a Morton’s neuroma and I am wondering what might be able to be done to help it during cycling, as it can be quite painful. Any ideas?

Melissa, VT

Dear Melissa,

A neuroma is defined as a tumor or overdevelopment of nerve tissue and Morton’s neuroma refers specifically to a neuroma between the metatarsals (toe bones) of the foot. Some neuromas initially create little more than a mild burning or numbing annoyance, while others can result in unbearably sharp pain at the point of the overdeveloped tissue. Women are more prone to Morton’s neuroma than men and this is thought to be somewhat attributable to the high heels and other restrictive footwear that women tend to wear. For similar reasons, a foot in a tight cycling shoe pushing down on a pedal can also be prone to developing a Morton’s neuroma.

A Morton’s neuroma most commonly occurs between the 3^rd and 4^th metatarsals. Non-surgical treatments of a neuroma tend to be more effective the earlier they are implemented after symptoms arise; if you think you might have a neuroma, have it diagnosed by a doctor and make equipment changes that can help you manage the issue as soon as possible. From an equipment and setup perspective the following five things are worth considering:

1. Foot Support – By supporting the arch and forefoot, nerve compression and pressure points can be reduced. As an added bonus, many riders will also see reduced fatigue and greater power production with a well supported foot as well. Consider talking with a podiatrist to figure out the best method of foot support for your needs on and off the bike. Make sure you get a footbed or orthotic that is made specifically for cycling shoes, as they can be quite different from a walking or running orthotic.
2. Wider/Higher Volume Shoes – With a Morton’s neuroma, you do not want your metatarsals restricted. Pressure on the forefoot will exacerbate the inflammation; get a wide and generous fitting shoe that does not put any additional pressure on the inflamed area. Sidi, Lake, Shimano and others make wide versions of their shoes and specialty companies like D2 and Bont offer stock and customizable shoes in a variety of width and volume options.
3. Stiffer Soles - Make sure your shoe sole is not too soft. Most modern performance oriented cycling shoes are plenty stiff, but make sure you are using a stiff enough sole as soft soled shoes can magnify pressure points.
4. Pedals with a Wide Cleat Platform – Generally speaking, road specific pedal systems with large cleats tend to work better than the smaller designs commonly used on spinning shoes and for mountain biking. Each pedal brand and design distributes pressure uniquely and thus experimenting a bit to see if one system minimizes pressure on the inflamed area over another can also be helpful.
5. Rear Mounted Cleat Position - Morton’s neuromas do not react well to pressure and standard cleat placement on a cycling shoe is often closely aligned with the point on the foot where a neuroma forms. If you have a neuroma, pulling the cleat away from this point will redistribute the pressure point and can reduce the inflammation. Most riders with a Morton’s neuroma will be best served by mounting the cleat further towards the heel rather than further forward. While a custom shoe will often be needed if you want to get the cleat significantly further back, Speedplay offers a rear mount adapter plate that allows any of their pedals to be mounted 1cm more rearward by just adding an aluminum plate.

Remember, early diagnosis and doing all that you can to take pressure off the inflamed nerve are your best chances of minimizing discomfort and further development of the neuroma. True interdigital neuromas rarely fully heal, but, caught early enough, can sometimes be managed well for long periods of time without surgery. Medically, use of cortisone (often not an ideal approach as the cortisone can atrophy other connective tissue) is a common non-surgical treatment, while removal of the inflamed tissue is the normal surgical solution.

Best of luck with the neuroma and I hope that equipment changes are enough to mitigate the issue for you. Ride hard and ride smart.

Ian