[Closed] Time pedals self destructing on trail

Not something I've experienced. I did change the cleats on my sandals today, but amazingly the old ones were still engaging reliably...
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Same thing happened to my Special 8s on Sunday night ride, at home I managed to insert the pins back again. I whacked ends of the pins with punch, hoping that they would flare a bit and would hold better. And ordered new pedals.

I’ve recently had to bash the pins that hold the springs back into place, but that’s both pedals basically self-destructed over 3 days gravel riding

How many years service prior to that though ?

I should never have got rid of my old faithful XT pedals. I'm too tight to get rid of my XC4' until they're totally knackered. When they are knackered I'll be buying XT once more.

How many years service prior to that though ?

Maybe 1 and a half? Perhaps comparing any other pedal to apocalypse-proof M520s is unrealistic...

I’m too tight to get rid of my XC4′ until they’re totally knackered.

I think I'll try to fix or warranty mine, keep them for muddy races only!

Maybe 1 and a half?

This is not the first time I've heard some of the newer models being less than robust, did they not change the material used for the bars or something?

I've got 3 pairs of which the oldest must be getting on for 15+ years old, all still run well. Clearly don't make them like they used to.

I’ve recently had to bash the pins that hold the springs back into place

Last SPD's I rode were Time, had the same issue, the pin that holds the spring bar in is pressed in with a knurled section at either end, so it's only the friction of the OD of that knurled part that holds the pin in place.

I flung them to ****, and put a bolt and nut through instead.

although in truth the main benefits were that they didn’t clog in mud, only really important for 5 CX races a weekend…

See also, the sadness my CB pedals bring me. Bought for exactly the same reason and needed another rebuild this week. The only saving grace is that a rebuild only takes 5 mins a pedal but it still hurts

D'oh, just noticed my own typo, that should read 5 CX races a season, not weekend...

I did change the cleats on my sandals today, but amazingly the old ones were still engaging reliably…

More amazing that you found replacement cleats! They seem like hens teeth at the moment, only places that appear to have stock are shops I've never really heard of that look suspiciously as if they're just ordering from the distributors catalogue, which never ends well in my experience.

I wonder if it's a 'broken seal' type thing where once the pins have drifted out once or twice, it becomes easier and easier for them to do it again, I can imagine the soft plastic body being deformed now where the pin has slid in and out.

Between two sets of ATACs I think I've had more failures in 2 years than I've ever experienced in 15 years of using other brands, shame, I do like how they work.

More amazing that you found replacement cleats! They seem like hens teeth at the moment, only places that appear to have stock are shops I’ve never really heard of that look suspiciously as if they’re just ordering from the distributors catalogue, which never ends well in my experience.

If you are not throwing them in the bin, Amazon have them in stock with them, not some random 3rd party reseller.

This is not the first time I’ve heard some of the newer models being less than robust, did they not change the material used for the bars or something?

Not sure it's a new thing, aluminium ATAC's were my first SPD's 2 decades ago, the bearings would collapse or seize irritatingly regularly. I actually swapped to crank brothers for an imporovement (or at least ease of rebuilding).

The even older, original composite pedals from the late seemed to last a lot better on friends' bikes (which is why I got them). But their mid-range ~£40 pedals always seem to have been awfull.

Maybe 1 and a half? Perhaps comparing any other pedal to apocalypse-proof M520s is unrealistic…

That and the cleat longevity, Shimano use a steel cleat as their design doesn't rely on the cleat moving against the spring, it's retained by the plate instead. It's not really rubbing with anything untill it gets to the end of the float and pushes on the lever part of the plate to spring them appart. Since switching to Shimano I think I've thrown out one worn cleat? And that came on a 2nd hand pair of shoes! The rest have all outlived the shoes they were attached to! Can't ever see myself switching back from M520/M540.

Even the mud thing is overplayed, muds fine, snow compacting into ice is an issue.

Just for balance, I have some ATACs that are about 16 years old and I've never had any issues. Maybe not seen as much mileage as others, but they've certainly not had an easy life!

Just for balance, I have some ATACs that are about 16 years old and I’ve never had any issues.

Yeah this rings true with a lot of the reviews I've been reading, I think later model years have been value engineered or made lighter or something and are nowhere near as durable, or perhaps it's just a quality control thing.

I think my XC2s were fine once they got replaced for a snapped arch although I caught a drifting pin early before it had caused any issues.

More amazing that you found replacement cleats!

Yes, I ended up doing what I said I'd never do, ordering bike bits for the first (and hopefully last) time from Amazon. My local shop Merlin did have some recently but I prevaricated too long because the price (£4-5 less than Amazon) was too low to trigger the free postage. D'oh....

Wonder if the SRAM acquisition will result in the obsolescence of some models / spares?

Not Time, but I've got 4 pairs of Look Quartz pedals that I've been running for about 15 years - I'm down to my last few pairs of worn cleats and reluctant to pay £50 for a pair from the US and holding off to see what happens to Time before shelling out for a few pairs of new pedals