Cleat Installation

2-bolt Style MTB Cleat Installation:
Lake Cycling MTB Shoes are designed to be compatible with 2 bolt style MTB pedals. In some cases with some brands the cleat to pedal interface can be obstructed due to variations in cleat & pedal designs. In this situation it is important that care is taken when installing cleats to insure there is enough clearance for the cleat to properly engage to the pedal & allow for smooth pressure free pedal engagement & pedaling.

  • Failure to properly install pedals for pressure free engagement will damage the shoe sole which will result in rubber sole damage &/or rubber sole separation.
  • Failure to follow these directions for MTB cleat clearance checking will void warranties related to sole damage &/or separation at the cleat pocket.
  • Spring Binder Style pedals that rest tension binders on the shoe sole must use Shoe Shield or Shims that are provided by the pedal manufacturers. The shields protect the shoe sole from friction and eventual sole breaking.

Spring Binder style pedals include & are not limited to the following brands: Crank Brothers®; Look®; Time®; HT® Cleat Installation Instructions and Fitment Tips:

Option 1: Using cleat spacers supplied by pedal manufacture or purchased separately to install the cleat with a 0.25-1mm gap between the cleat bottom & sole bottom. The desired gap is 0.25-1mm between the cleat & the ground.

Option 2: If cleat spacer is not available trim away the rubber lugs to achieve the desired gap of 0.25mm-1mm between cleat & the ground.

Desired Cleat Fitment 0.25mm-1mm Gap To Ground. Easy to engage pedal without excessive pressure or twisting on rubber lugs when engaged & pedaling. Undesired Cleat Fitment +1mm or Larger Gap To Ground. Difficult to engage pedal with pressure or twisting on rubber lugs when engaged & pedaling. This will cause rubber sole damage or separation at cleat pocket. Use Shim, Spacer &/or Shoe Shields to Achieve Desired Fitment 0.25mm-1mm Gap To Ground. Use multiple shims if necessary to achieve pedal engagement without excessive pressure or twisting on rubber lugs when engaged & pedaling.

 

Cleat Bolt Lubrication: Apply grease to the cleat bolt threads to insure that the bolts do not corrode, rust or seize in the cleat nut.

Cleat Bolt Torque Spec: Each pedal manufacture uses various levels & quality of metal for their hardware. For best results consult the pedal brands instruction manual for the most current & correct Torque spec to avoid stripping the Cleat Bolt & Cleat Nut.
Common brands torque spec:

  • Shimano® SPD®: 5-6 N-m (43-52 in-lbs)
  • Crank Brothers®: 4 N-m (35.4 in-lbs)

3-Bolt Style Road Cleat Installation:
Please use bolt grease and follow the pedal manufactures recommended torque specification. Install all bolts finger tight first, then alternate tightening each bolt until reaching the specified torque spec. 
Common brands torque spec:

  • Shimano® 3-hole road: 5-6 n-m (43-52 in. lbs.)

4-Bolt Style Road Cleat Installation:
Please use bolt grease and follow the pedal manufactures recommended torque specification. Install all bolts finger tight first, then alternate tightening each bolt until reaching the specified torque spec. 
Common brands torque spec:

  • Speedplay's Maximum Mounting Screw Torque: 35in. lbs (4 n-m) for the adapter to the shoe sole
  • Speedplay's Maximum Mounting Screw Torque: 25in. lbs (3 n-m) for the cleat to the adapter