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How to tell if carbon soled shoe is fatally broken?

Anyone know if a clicking sound from a show's carbon sole is a sign if future disaster?

I've some Mavic's with a carbon sole. I noticed the other day a click/crack sound as I walked a couple of places in them. Was repeatable about every third step. Had a fiddle today and it repeats each time by pressing down and rolling foot inwards and there's a sensation from middle of foot arch area when it clicks.

There nothing visible on the outside sole and nothing inside as there's a lining under the innersole.

Is this how carbon soles fail if they've some sort of layering to construct them? I understandably concerned not to be thirty miles from how in the middle of nowhere and my shoe splits in half!!

Also is it possibly related to Speedplays? I was wondering if the increased cleat stack height makes a greater differential to the heel and so the sole more liable to issues from any kind of walking? Then again, I'd have thought carbon soles could handle that.

Not keen on replacing as they fit like a glove and I love them nearly as much as I hate shopping

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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16 comments

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Leviathan | 6 years ago
3 likes

Delaminating is a good word.

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dottigirl replied to Leviathan | 6 years ago
3 likes

Leviathan wrote:

Delaminating is a good word.

Is it bollocks!

Being risk-averse/clumsy/ham-fisted, I have managed to rid myself of my carbon bikes and most parts, to find now I have to inspect my shoes. Fuck's sake.

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Grahamd replied to dottigirl | 6 years ago
2 likes

dottigirl wrote:

Leviathan wrote:

Delaminating is a good word.

Is it bollocks!

Being risk-averse/clumsy/ham-fisted, I have managed to rid myself of my carbon bikes and most parts, to find now I have to inspect my shoes. Fuck's sake.

It's important to check your bollocks.

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fustuarium | 6 years ago
2 likes

Reporting back:

Finally got round to taking off cleats and it still clicked. Was going to be walking past Condor Cycles today so thought I'd ask in there and buy new ones off them if in doubt. Shout out to the fella in the shop as he was great. Had a good fettle and finally managed to pinpoint it.

By twisting the toe and heel in opposite directions a little gap appeared on the sole between the carbon layers (can just see it like when your lips are pursed by twisting the shoe) exactly where the feeling and noise was coming from. So the carbon is delayering. He said ok for now but will get worse and need replacing eventually, but not like a crack that will just fail (and the lack of recent impact/crash suggested it wasn't cracked).

So there we go. Mystery solved  1

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fustuarium | 6 years ago
0 likes

Thanks for the (helpful) comments. As it happens I thought I'd strip down and clean the cleats so have some new screws waiting to go in. Perhaps a good idea is to try to repeat the click noise and feeling without any cleats. I'll make that my first port of call and see what happens....

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MariaMartinez | 6 years ago
0 likes

could superglue work on those cracks?

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DrG82 | 6 years ago
0 likes

Do your shoes have points for multiple cleat types? I have north wave shoes that click when they flex because there's a unused threaded metal insert which has partly come free from the sole.

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TheFatAndTheFurious | 6 years ago
0 likes

I don't know much about speedplay, but assume the cleats are screwed into the shoe somehow.

Might you have a screw thread that is stripped - enough for it to jump a turn when loaded and unloaded?

 

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VeloUSA | 6 years ago
2 likes

I would imagine a defective carbon sole would flex not only when walking but more so when pedaling. I've experienced clicking when pedaling, not walking as I don't pay much attention to the latter. My remedy was putting a couple of drops of chain lube between the cleat and sole,  then re-tightening the cleat screws.

@S-J, this is not a place to trash talk someone looking for advice.

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fustuarium | 6 years ago
1 like

Yes, sums up Road.cc threads to a tee #sigh

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tritecommentbot | 6 years ago
9 likes

//img.memesuper.com/9f5b3728618a0556d084bd79d35e3cad_ron-burgundy-meme-imgflip-well-that-escalated-meme_500-333.jpeg)

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dottigirl | 6 years ago
2 likes

I've been wondering this too - I have some shoes that are incredibly creaky. So much so that a passing cyclist pointed it out the other day.

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S-J replied to dottigirl | 6 years ago
1 like

dottigirl wrote:

I've been wondering this too - I have some shoes that are incredibly creaky. So much so that a passing cyclist pointed it out the other day.

stfu. You talk shit!

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StraelGuy replied to S-J | 6 years ago
9 likes

S-J wrote:

stfu. You talk shit!

 

I beg your pardon?!

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Mungecrundle replied to StraelGuy | 6 years ago
6 likes
guyrwood wrote:

S-J wrote:

stfu. You talk shit!

 

I beg your pardon?!

I miss our old trolls, these new ones are rubbish.

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dottigirl replied to S-J | 6 years ago
5 likes

S-J wrote:

dottigirl wrote:

I've been wondering this too - I have some shoes that are incredibly creaky. So much so that a passing cyclist pointed it out the other day.

stfu. You talk shit!

Darling, takes one to know one. And there's a far bigger, rancid whiff coming from your direction, going on your less-than-constructive contributions in other threads.

 

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