Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

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David9694
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Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by David9694 »

Here is a picture of the soles of my new North Wave cycling shoes. It’s my birthday today and I asked for these as I believe they can take both the Shimano SPD (mtb) cleats or the SPD road system.
FCA818F5-DE49-4FF0-8725-7706DE543F2A.jpeg

I get on better with the former, although I know these won’t have the nice recessed effect of other shoes. So how do I fit my SPD cleats?
There are two oval holes with what seem to be plastic blanking covers in them - I’ve tried winking these out out with a tiny screwdriver and they don’t so far want to move. I can’t detect any ability in the inside lining of the shoes in this region to install the backing plates: the sole linings also seem pretty firmly glued in.

Please tell me this is something simple.
Last edited by David9694 on 17 Feb 2019, 9:48am, edited 1 time in total.
Spa Audax Ti Ultegra; Genesis Equilibrium 853; Raleigh Record Ace 1983; “Raleigh Competition”, “Raleigh Gran Sport 1982”; “Allegro Special”, Bob Jackson tourer, Ridley alu step-through with Swytch front wheel; gravel bike from an MB Dronfield 531 frame.
Brucey
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by Brucey »

I dunno how those blanking plates come out exactly but at the least you will need

- threaded metal plate inserts in the sole (between the insole and the sole) to take the SPD screws
- 'pontoon' style SPD adaptors. (without these the cleat will not be flush with any part of the sole and there won't be enough support when riding and there won't be any walking benefit in having SPD cleats).

If this isn't easy to manage, you can always get a three-bolt converter to take SPD cleats; these ought to mount onto any 3-bolt shoe.

cheers
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LinusR
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by LinusR »

David9694 wrote:So how do I fit my SPD cleats?
There are two oval holes with what seem to be plastic blanking covers in them - I’ve tried winking these out out with a tiny screwdriver and they don’t so far want to move. I can’t detect any ability in the inside lining of the shoes in this region, they also seem pretty firmly glued in.

Please tell me this is something simple.


You have to go in like a surgeon, like this https://youtu.be/4xzPVT46DuI
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LinusR
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by LinusR »

Brucey wrote: there won't be any walking benefit in having SPD cleats.


I don't think that's a problem. He won't be able to walk in them at all :wink:
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cycleruk
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by cycleruk »

There is available a "stabilising adapter" :-
https://www.evanscycles.com/shimano-spd ... s-EV148476

I had something similar but these were specifically for Sidi's.
IMG_2146.JPG
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Brucey
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by Brucey »

IIRC the Sidi adaptors are called 'N14' adaptors. I think they will fit any show with a similar curvature to the sole and a three-bolt mounting. Goodness knows where you get them from these days though.

cheers
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mattsccm
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by mattsccm »

A mate uses SPDs with road shoes s in the first pic. Not good for walking he reckons but better than road cleats. I guess its a small "spiky" cleat that grips better than a wide plastic one.
They do tend to be more resistant to mucky road surfaces etc and also if you wander around off the bike.
MTB shoes would be better though.
pwa
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by pwa »

At a glance it looks like it is designed to take a plate like this, put in from inside the shoe, under the insole.

https://www.bikes24.co.uk/shimano-cleat ... gK6jfD_BwE

But that means finding an access from inside, and removing the plastic currently covering the slots in the sole. That's the problem.
David9694
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by David9694 »

The You Tube confirmed my worst fears on this - surgery from inside the shoe, cutting open the sole lining, to install some metal backing plates (I think I’ve got some lying around). The Evans adaptors seem to get pretty poor reviews - and look like they rely on you having activated your two hole screws as they use only one of the three holes on the shoes. I’m going to try to get some SH-SM 85s that attach using all three holes and provide a backing plate for the metal cleats.
Spa Audax Ti Ultegra; Genesis Equilibrium 853; Raleigh Record Ace 1983; “Raleigh Competition”, “Raleigh Gran Sport 1982”; “Allegro Special”, Bob Jackson tourer, Ridley alu step-through with Swytch front wheel; gravel bike from an MB Dronfield 531 frame.
Brucey
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by Brucey »

SM-SH85 are stronger than the other things but the problem with SM-SH85 with SPD cleats is that there are no pontoons either side of the cleat, and the thickness of the whole affair is quite large too. The image below shows the net result;

Image

also shown are SM-SH70 (or 71) cleats fitted to metal plates inside the insole of a 'road' shoe.

Image

However these cleats are different to any other SPD cleats and are really meant for use with PD-7410 or PD-6500; they may not work quite as intended with other SPD pedals.

I'd choose the SIDI adaptors over SM-SH85.

cheers
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TrevA
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by TrevA »

You've basically bought (or been bought) the wrong type of shoe for what you want. If they have not yet been worn, I'd try taking them back to the shop and ask if they would swap them for some MTB shoes. MTB shoes will have the recessed cleat holes that you need.
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Brucey
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Re: Dual purpose SPD shoes - fitting cleats

Post by Brucey »

unfortunately there is a distinct lack of 'posh road shoes' which are genuinely compatible with SPD cleats. Shimano RT** shoes are of this sort; there are (or have been ) several models that might do. MTB shoes are perfectly functional but just look a bit odd to roadies, (who IME are by and large are more of a bunch of fashion victims than any other type of cyclist).

NB barring the use of converters (of which the SIDI one is the most satisfactory one I have seen) or pontoons the die is cast when you buy your shoes; 'proper' SPD compatible shoes have a recess for the cleat and don't have a three-bolt fitting. If you want full SPD functionality shoes with a three-bolt fitting invariably need something extra added before they will accept a two-bolt cleat, whether they have threaded fittings in the sole or not.

cheers
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