# Badly gouged SPD cleat on front corners - likely counterfeit, not sure if any other cause **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [June 10, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537 "2020-06-10T02:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hvvelo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hvvelo/32/7746_2.png) [@hvvelo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hvvelo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/1 "2020-06-10T02:57:27Z")
My left shoe has felt loose… Finally remembered to check cleat after ride. I’ve never seen one gouge up the front corners like this. For reference, these have no more than 2k miles on them - last set was probably 10k and just got softly rounded off, more on bottom - nothing like this. I also understand there are counterfeit aluminum spd cleats out there but these hold strong to a magnet. Would this happen from just having pedal tension too lose? Haven’t adjusted them since purchase about 20k miles ago. Can’t see any damage to pedal interface. Thanks for any tips … Couldn’t find an example like this on google. ![IMG_20200609_171212805](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/e/4/e4d35f4ef551ef210d434dd17501637c33a939b2.jpeg) ![IMG_20200609_171240419](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/9/c/9cf87689e70aebf186bffa0b0f7e4abc4c99bac8.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![hvvelo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hvvelo/32/7746_2.png) [@hvvelo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hvvelo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:24am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/3 "2020-06-10T03:24:18Z")
I got them on eBay and had no idea of the counterfeit issue. They are steel though. Mine are only used on road bike - my last set I walked in a good bit without issue. These new ones were hardly walked in at all, so it was surprising to only see one side wear off half the front corner so quickly. In any case, I’m trying a different replacement set from a bike shop and the package looks different with more Japanese on it. Roll of the dice I guess… ---
**Author:** ![AJS914](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@AJS914](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/AJS914)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 6:02am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/4 "2020-06-10T06:02:43Z")
> [@hvvelo](#): > > These new ones were hardly walked in at all, so it was surprising to only see one side wear off half the front corner so quickly. Is that side shoe worn out more than the other side? That cleat simply looks like it’s getting mashed against pavement. It also looks like your shoe is worn a bit. FWIW, my road cleats always wear more on the side I always unclip at stop signs/lights. ---
**Author:** ![hvvelo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hvvelo/32/7746_2.png) [@hvvelo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hvvelo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/5 "2020-06-11T02:07:30Z")
I live in a rural area where and no longer commute to an office as I used to, which is why I was so surprised to see such wear - I rarely unclip anymore. These cleats have a fraction of the miles, and even less walking as my original pair since there is nowhere to go under covid. The last pair saw years of walks from parking lot to office, cafe stops, etc. These are just used for mostly nonstop loops from my house for maybe 3-4 months. I guess for now I’ll assume counterfeit bad metal and see how next pair does. ---
**Author:** ![hvvelo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hvvelo/32/7746_2.png) [@hvvelo](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/hvvelo)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 11:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/6 "2020-06-14T23:27:32Z")
The new ones felt heavier - confirmed on scale. Both are ferrous metal but I’m more inclined to suspect the prior pair as counterfeit. From what I’ve seen online, the cleat with the bolts and thin plate should be around 25g total. I’d check that but they are already installed. In future, will check any replacements before using. ![IMG_20200613_174933453](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/7/2/72f78399b2823bfd41dd5ef8298f852c442a0c04.jpeg) ![IMG_20200613_174945390](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/a/3/a3b909b78a9a29f8869222b0a64290002d36d6c4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![dprimm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/dprimm/32/7757_2.png) [@dprimm](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/dprimm)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 3:05pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/badly-gouged-spd-cleat-on-front-corners-likely-counterfeit-not-sure-if-any-other-cause/37537/8 "2020-06-15T15:05:58Z")
> [@iamholland](#): > > The best way to tell would be a hardness test, but I don’t know anyone with that tool. Got one of those machines here at work. Would need the spec for hardness. Hmmmm.