How to Stop Squeaky, Creaky, Noisy Cleats and Pedals… FOR GOOD.
I happen to be the owner of a race bike that is worth more than the vehicle I drive. I have a rain bike that I’ve got more money into than most would spend on ten bikes. I’ve got a gravel bike, a mountain bike, and a tandem that almost cost as much as the freaking race bike.
The one thing they all had in common? Squeaky. Creaky. Noisy. F**king. Pedals.
God have mercy on my soul.
I’ve tried micro adjustments of my cleats. I’ve tried cleaning the cleats and pedals. I’ve tried a little drip of light chain lube on the cleats and pedal… nothing works for any length of time.
I’ve gotten to a point I almost wanted to chuck my bike in the woods and walk away.
You pay that much money for a bicycle, the last thing you want to hear going don the road is, reeet, reeet, reeet, reeet, reeet...
And then it dawned on me one day… everyone is going all gaga over wax lube or waxing their chain… wax.
I waxed my cleats and the cleat bed of my pedals. Nothing special, just rubbed cold, hard candle wax on the pedals and cleats and it worked.
First, get the cleat bed on the pedal.
Then the front part of the cleat… get right up in there, too. You want to leave some of the wax on the cleat.
Then do the back of the cleat. Again, get in there…
And that’s all there is to it. Your cleats will be quiet. I like to repeat the process every Friday and haven’t had to hear my pedals in a couple of months. The silence is glorious.
Specialized’s Torch 2.0 Road Shoe – A Top-Shelf Carbon Fiber Cycling Shoe For Anyone On A Budget – 20,000 Mile Review
I purchased a pair of Specialized Torch 2.0 shoes a little more than two years ago. Then I bought a pair for my wife because they’re spectacular. Then I recommended them to friends, three of whom bought them
Now, on one hand, to be honest, the color upset me more than a little bit (I ordered them online, through the local shop and they were a lot more red on the computer screen). I’m a black and red guy, not a black and funky orange/red hybrid guy. On the other hand, the shoes are so fantastic I really can’t complain about them… and they won’t wear out so I can buy a white pair.
Two years on and they still look good, the heel pad hardly shows any wear at all, and when I take the time to clean them up, they really don’t show any signs of the amount abuse they’ve taken. The soles are marred up, as one would expect of a carbon fiber sole after a couple of years in service, but the function hasn’t changed a bit.
They’re currently going for $160 a pair and come in several color options – or better, go for the Torch 3.0’s for $225. Still a fantastic price for a top-notch carbon fiber pair of cycling shoes.
To wrap this post up, the best compliment I can give for a pair of shoes is that I can’t get them to wear out so I can buy a new pair. Most cycling shoes look hit after two years worth of miles.
If there’s one knock on them, they don’t have a vent in the bottom of the shoe… if you’re caught out in the rain, they do tend to fill up before long. On the other hand, the vent isn’t letting water in, either.
Fit Recovery 