For the casual cyclist, an ordinary flat or platform bicycle pedal provides all the grip and power you need to get from one place to another. If you take longer trips, bike competitively or do mountain biking, you can benefit from pedal technologies that keep your foot more securely attached to the pedal. Shimano Spd Sh-M51 cleats are used with clipless pedals to secure your foot to the pedal.
Pedal Types
Flat and platform bicycle pedals consist of the flat platform on which your foot rests, which is attached to a spindle that threads into the crank. As you pedal, your foot can easily slide off the pedal and you lose power because you are unable to apply force on the upstroke. Quill pedals have a toe clip -- a small cage designed to go around the front of the shoe -- that helps to keep the shoe in place over the pedal and allows you to pull the pedal up on the upstroke, giving you greater power. Clipless pedals are used in consort with specialized shoes that contain cleats that easily snap into and out of the pedal.
Clipless Pedals
Clipless pedals, also called clip-in or step-in pedals, allow you to secure your foot firmly to the pedal when you wear special cycling shoes that have a cleat fitted in the sole. The cleat locks into the pedal when you position your shoe over the pedal and apply pressure. On most clipless pedal systems, the cleat unlocks when you twist your foot outward, though some cleats allow you to release the shoe by twisting your heel in any direction. Although the earliest clipless pedels were patented in 1898, more modern clipless pedals have benefited from technologies developed for ski boots that allow for quick release of the shoe. Shimano developed pedal dynamics, or the SPD line of products, utilizing new technologies to provide firmer grip yet easier release of the shoe, for those times when the cyclist needs to free the foot from the pedal to avoid embarrassing or painful falls.
Spd Sh-M51 Cleats
Shimano's SPD Sh-M51 cleats are designed as stock replacements for all Shimano SPD pedal cleats, including A520, A530, M324, M424, M520, M540, M770 and M970. Sh-M51 cleats allow for quick release with a lateral twist. Some cleats have no float, meaning they release if you rotate your foot at all. Sh-M51 cleats allow 4 degrees of rotation in either direction without releasing the shoe, providing the opportunity to adjust your knee position as you ride without unlocking your shoe from the pedal. The M-51s release when you twist your heel to the outside only.
Use
The M-51s were designed to be used with Shimano's mountain bike pedals for off-road and aggressive pavement riding. The M-51 cleats are less likely than other Shimano cleats to release when you apply pressure on your upward stroke. These cleats are smaller than road cleats, which are designed to give support and distribute pressure across your foot for those long trips. The smaller M-51 cleats provide less support when pedaling, but they make for greater comfort when you get off and hike around the trails or walk to scenic views during your mountain expeditions.
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