Shimano MTB shoes - cleat recess too deep

[T42]

I have new Shimano SH-M089L MTB shoes, bought for road use because I'm hard on toes.

The cleat recess is so deep that clipping on takes undue concentration and time - bloody dangerous when moving off from lights etc.

Options: shim, or grind down soles on belt sander.  I don't much like damaging new shoes, but unsure of what to shim with.

What does the panel think?

[Canardly]

Shim?

[rafletcher]

I just carved out a larger recess with a sharp knife.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Shimming a SPD cleat is difficult to do without the cleat twisting when clipping in/out. I suggest widening the cleat opening as a first choice and sanding/ wearing down the tread depth as the second. I've never found a problem clipping in with that exact shoe (post-LEL replacement) but YMMV.

[T42]

Cheers - hadn't thought of widening the hole. Will have a try.

[Brucey]

look at where the binding is actually occurring; if the cleat isn't flush with the bottom of the sole then the sole needs to be relieved for sure but there could also be an issue with the cleat pocket being so narrow that the bindings er, bind against it.

In most current SPD pedals (even MTB double-sided ones) the intention is that part of the load is borne by platforms either side of the cleat. This only works if the cleat is flush with the sole of the shoe. If it isn't (with new cleats) then it is probably best if you take an angle grinder to the shoe sole; a local relief is all that is required but if you change to a different model of pedal (with different platforms) then a revision to this will probably be required.

cheers

[Paul]

I just carved out a larger recess with a sharp knife.

Same here: cratered out a bit of the plastic/rubber around the cleat to improve access.

[Samuel D]

I have new Shimano SH-M089L MTB shoes, bought for road use because I'm hard on toes.

How do these shoes help your hardness on toes?

I suggest riding these a bit, if you haven’t, before fixing the cleat problem. I found the sole to be intolerably flexible. (Didn’t notice a clip-in problem.)

[T42]

Not my toes, the toes of my shoes. Not that I brake with them, just from normal contact with the road when I'm stopped.  This shows my old Carnacs in March:



The problem with the new ones is that clipping in too much takes time, concentration and mucking about.  It should be automatic.  I've had awkward shoes before but never as bad as these.