I just installed some new Smarty pedals and I cannot clip into them; I’ve tried pointing my foot down, pulling back, jumping, screaming, nothing works. I’ve even tried connecting the cleat to the pedal by hand…no dice. I’ve tried 1 shim, 2 shims…nothing. What is going on, what’s the trick?
Dave in VA
Boy thats somthing weird !!!
I ain’t had a problem with my egg beaters or candy’s
did you try a road shoe maby the sole of the mt bike shoe won’t let it clip in ??
I am a better carpenter then a machanic 
good luck
dirt
“I am a better carpenter then a machanic ;-)”
…and hopefully speler… 
I had some Candys and whenever I clipped in I was catching the edge of the pedal body with the cleat and it was just like you said- I would have sworn I was on the center, it felt right. When I lifted up my foot and moved it forward an inch, they clipped in like butter. I switched back to my old pedals b/c I don’t think it ever would have worked for me. I think the plain eggbeaters would work great though.
I run Eggbeaters on my road and tri bike, and have no problems. It’s the same clip in device as the smarty. Try this: take your shoe off, and put it on your hand while watching the cleat interaction. This should tell you exactly what’s happening…they’re very easy to get into, so you’re probably just missing.
I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to bash the cranky brothers. 2 multi tools in 6 months…the first got a little water on it and got rusty. For the second, I bought one with a case…a small amount of water seeped in-rust again. No multi-tool should rust that easily. I won’t be buying any of their products again.
Stan.
I’ve had a Crank Bros multitool for about three years…it’s a bit rusty too, but it’s no bother. The rust tells me that it’s not cheapo aluminum, but good old steel. Rust or no rust, it’s super dependable, and the allan keys don’t strip like aluminum ones do. I’ve used mine for every type of trailside MTB repair - even for killer tight bolts. Incidentally, my park allan key multi-tool also has some rust on it…coincidence?
If you’re worried about rust (about how the tool looks rather than performs), then get a new cheap aluminum multi-tool every year and watch it wear out. Crank Bros stuff, like Park, lasts forever because it’s made to last forever - no cheap aluminum crap from those companies. Rust? Bah!!!
I run Eggbeaters on my road and tri bike, and have no problems. It’s the same clip in device as the smarty. Try this: take your shoe off, and put it on your hand while watching the cleat interaction. This should tell you exactly what’s happening…they’re very easy to get into, so you’re probably just missing.
Agreed. Crank Bros are the easiest to get into of any other pedal i’ve experienced.
DC, are you lined up to get in or are you pressing in the wrong spot? It takes almost zero force to enter, so if it’s not going, you are in the wrong place. it’s a slightly different motion than look or shimano, etc, no hooking just placemnet. Also, depending on your shoe, cleats on the side might interfer. Best of luck. I’m guessing you will have an “oh that’s it” moment if you try again. Another thing thats good is you can keep pedaling effectively (yes there are limits) even if you are not really in. Keep going, recenter, bing!
most people have no problems with them. a friend of mine recently tried to switch to quattros (they matched her bike) after riding speedplays and could not for the life of her clip in. She runs Candys on her mtn bike but the quattros were impossible. She literally got one shoe in after almost half an hour of trying.
Guess it depends on the person. I usually ride spd pedals on my mtn bike and although I can use Crank Brothers in a pinch I find the rolling motion to engage the cleat really unnatural…
It’s the exact opposite for me. I used to have a lot of trouble trying to locate the dead centre of my spd to clip in, my GT came with Candys and I have no problem. I was a little tentative going for eggbeaters on my Pace, due to the lack of platform but have found those even better to get into!
Horses for courses, I guess.
Thanks to everyone who responded. I’ve tried clipping in by hand just to see what’s going on but to no avail. Also, after reading the insert I thought the tread on my MTN shoes might be a bit high so I used some shims but that also did not work. From what I can tell, once you snag the front metal clip on the pedal and push down, the back end will spring open to secure the cleat but I’ve tried this by hand and the springs seem ridiculously tight and I cannot get them to open wide enough to accept my cleat. I’m thinking about returning the Smarty’s for some Candy’s today, perhaps the slightly smaller pedal will work better with my shoes?
Dave in VA
As these are mtb pedals, and you may be using mtb shoes, perhaps he tread is too narrow for the width of the pedal, limiting your engagment, I use Eggbeater’s with no problems…
I also think this could be the problem, maybe I’ll try the eggbeaters instead of the Candy. I’m use to a large pedal platform (Look, Time RXS); will this be a major adjustment for me?
Dave in VA
Happy to help…good luck.
What shoes are you using? My Sidis work fine but I had to trim my kids’ Northwave and Nike shoes’ soles.
From their site:
I’m having difficulty clipping into the pedals.
Many mountain bike shoes have thick, variable tread. This can make it difficult to clip into some pedals. If you are having difficulty clipping into Crank Brothers pedals, try using the shims provided with the pedals and cleats. The shim is a thin plastic wafer that goes under the cleat. It pushes the cleat out from the shoe sole to allow easier engagement with the pedal. If this does not work, try slightly trimming the shoe tread (in the contact area only). Use a sharp blade or sanding wheel, and please go a little at a time. The tread should make contact with the pedal, but not so much that the tread compresses (which causes difficulty clipping in).
What I did when I had a problem with one of my kid’s new shoes is take the pedal off and then while holding the shoe try to engage the pedal into the cleat. The engagement is pretty much like every other pedal: front hooks in and rear pops in. You’ll see what’s interfering that way instead of trying to guess while it’s on the bike. In this case the shoe’s tread was hitting the pedal body before the cleat could engage so I took my dremel tool and just took down the area where it was hitting the pedal.
I’ll try the eggbeaters instead of the Candy…I’m use to a large pedal platform, will this be a major adjustment for me?
You won’t even notice the lack of platform - it’s the cleat interface that’s the important thing. The platform on Candy’s and Quattro’s is largely cosmetic…something to stand in when not clipped in, more than anything. It doesn’t even contact the shoe all that much oncce you’re clipped in.
I’ve used my Eggbeaters (with Sidi shoes) for 6 hour rides, IM’s…everything, and not issues at all - ever. Love 'em. They’re the most reliable, hassle-free piece of equipment I own.