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I've had my Shimano MX-80 pedals about 18 months and I noticed the other day that I'm not getting the grip I used to have. So I tried to find some replacement pins. They are typically £9-12 delivered for only 9 pins. To refurnish both pedals requires 28 pins so I'd have to splash out £36 which seems OTT.
What am I missing?
Thanks in advance.
Some stainless M3 grub screws and a drop of loctite?
Check what size they are and just get a back of allen key cap head bolts on ebay?
You can get a bag of 30 m3 or m4 bolts for £2-£3
Seems crazy expensive - 44 DMR pins are about £12
Lots here
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/s?q=pedal+pins&cat=direct
There's a shop near me (Woking) called margnor that sell lots of random nuts and bolts. As mentioned above, get what size they are, should only be a couple of quid. You'll probably be able to get different lengths as well.
Obvious point is obvious but...
Unless you're missing some or have obviously ground them down (the mention of either of which seems conspicuous by it's absence) surely you'd be better off looking at shoes?
The rubber sole will age and wear much more rapidly than the pins.
"surely you’d be better off looking at shoes?"
One thing that prompted me to look was that I rode a friend's bike and had much more grip in the same shoes.
"Check what size they are and just get a back of allen key cap head bolts on ebay?"
The Shimano pins are wider at their base (where they screw in) than at the end which actually goes into the sole of the shoe, so if I buy bolts that fit they will be wider. But perhaps this will be just as effective? I think that's what I'll have to try. I can't afford the pukka pins.
You are right, just checked, the Shimano ones I have here are M4x0.7, 11mm long (including head), they neck down to about 2.9mm.
M4x0.7 12mm bolts are £1.75 delivered for 30 so its a cheap experiment if you are on a budget, but I think it will be less grippy as the surface area on the end of an 4mm circle is a lot greater than a 2.9 circle so wont dig into the shoes as much.
Thanks bigyan. I'll give it a try. Nothing to be lost...
So I tried the M4 bolt option as suggested by bigyan and they work pretty well. Thanks.
discobrakes do cheap pedal pins.