Guides
Cleat guide
Updated · Independent guide · 6 picks compared
Quick answer
Use SPD cleat shims when deep shoe tread or a pedal's platform touches the sole before the cleat clicks in, or when a fitter wants to lift one foot for a leg-length difference. Crankbrothers Shoe Shields and Shimano's SPD cleat spacers lift 2-bolt cleats; BikeFit's 3 mm leg-length shim kit is the fitting option. Add the shim's thickness to your bolt length.
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Chosen from current models on manufacturer specs, compatibility and design — not sponsored placements. Amazon buttons open a search for the exact model.
Best for: Crankbrothers riders with lugged or carbon-soled shoes
Thin stainless-steel plates that sit between a 2-bolt cleat and the sole. They protect carbon soles from pedal wear and add a little height, which helps the cleat reach the pedal on shoes with deep tread. Sold as a pair; you may need longer cleat bolts.
Best for: Shimano trail-pedal riders whose shoe tread hits the pedal cage
Shimano sells SPD cleat spacers in pairs as a spare part, listed for pedals including the Deore XT PD-M8000, PD-M530 and PD-M540. The spacer lifts the cleat so it engages before the shoe tread touches the pedal.
Best for: Riders with a measured leg-length difference on SPD, Time or Crankbrothers cleats
A 3 mm shim for 2-bolt cleats, supplied with 14 mm and 16 mm screws and two SPD cleat wedges. BikeFit's instructions warn against stacking more than two shims under a 2-hole cleat, so bigger corrections belong with a fitter.
Best for: Road riders on SPD-SL who need to raise one or both cleats
One 1 mm and two 2 mm spacers plus fixing bolts in two lengths, giving 1 mm to 5 mm of adjustment under SM-SH10, SM-SH11 and SM-SH12 cleats. The easy way to add stack on Shimano road shoes.
Best for: Look Keo riders with flat-soled road shoes
A 1.5 mm spacer that fills the gap between a Keo cleat and a flat sole (Look specifies soles with a curve radius over 185 mm). It is aimed at creaking rather than fit. Supplied as two spacers with six screws.
Best for: Speedplay riders replacing stripped screws or adding a shim
A 25-pack of M4 x 0.7 Phillips recessed-head screws in 13 mm for 4-hole Wahoo Speedplay cleats.
Swipe sideways on mobile. "—" means not applicable or not confirmed by the manufacturer.
| Model | Fits | Thickness or size | Main use | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crankbrothers Shoe Shields | 2-bolt cleats (Crankbrothers pedals) | Thin steel plate | Sole protection, slight shim | Check price |
| Shimano SPD cleat spacers | Shimano SPD 2-bolt cleats | Pair | Clear tread/pedal-body contact | Check price |
| BikeFit Leg Length Shim, 2-hole (3 mm kit) | 2-bolt SPD, Time and Crankbrothers cleats | 3 mm | Leg-length correction | Check price |
| Shimano SM-SH20 SPD-SL cleat spacer set | Shimano SPD-SL cleats | 1 mm + 2 x 2 mm (1–5 mm) | Stack height, leg length | Check price |
| Look Spacer for Flat Sole | Look Keo cleats | 1.5 mm | Flat-sole fit, stops creaking | Check price |
| BikeFit 13mm Speedplay cleat screws | Wahoo Speedplay 4-hole cleats | M4 x 0.7, 13 mm | Replacement or longer screws | Check price |
Shim an SPD cleat when the shoe touches the pedal before the cleat does. A 2-bolt cleat sits recessed in the sole, and if the tread lugs around it are deep or soft, they can hold the cleat off the binding.
Signs you need a shim:
Mountain bike shoes with deep, soft rubber tread are the classic case. Mud makes it worse. A shim lifts the cleat closer to the tread surface so it engages first. Crankbrothers’ Cleat Tool has tread-depth gauges for exactly this check; see cleat fitment.
Pedals with a platform or cage around the binding, such as Crankbrothers Mallet DH and Candy 1 or Shimano trail pedals, are designed to support the shoe. That only works if the cleat still engages fully. Crankbrothers Shoe Shields and Shimano’s SPD cleat spacers are made for this; see the Crankbrothers brand page for its pedals.
A measured leg-length difference is the other reason to shim, and the fix is to lift the shorter leg’s cleat. Get the difference measured by a fitter: shimming a guess can create a problem you didn’t have. BikeFit’s 2-hole shim is 3 mm, and its instructions advise against stacking more than two under a 2-bolt cleat.
Hardware follows the cleat’s bolt pattern:
Check the cleat compatibility chart if you’re unsure what your cleat is.
Thin is better. Every millimeter of shim moves your foot away from the pedal axle and raises it, which changes saddle height slightly. On 2-bolt cleats, stacked shims also leave less of the bolt in the nut plate.
Add the shim thickness to your current bolt length. A bolt that bottoms out before the head clamps the cleat leaves the cleat loose; a bolt with only a couple of turns of thread engagement can strip.
2-bolt SPD-style cleats use M5 bolts that thread into a sliding nut plate inside the shoe, under the insole. If a nut plate thread is damaged, Shimano sells the SM-SH51 cleat with its cleat nut, which gives you a fresh plate. Many riders keep a spare set of bolts in the tool kit; a lost cleat bolt can end a ride.
3-bolt road cleats use M5 bolts into threaded inserts in the sole. If you add Shimano’s SM-SH20 spacers, use the longer bolts in the kit.
Wahoo Speedplay cleats fasten with four M4 x 0.7 screws into a 4-hole sole or into the 3-hole adapter. Grit packed into the screw heads and overtightening are the usual causes of stripped heads; the BikeFit screw page covers length choice and removal. Covers keep the heads clean; see cleat covers and the Standard Tension cleat page.
Road cleats are shimmed for leg length or fit rather than tread clearance. Shimano’s SM-SH20 set stacks from 1 mm to 5 mm under SPD-SL cleats. Look’s 1.5 mm Spacer for Flat Sole fills the gap between a Keo cleat and a very flat sole, which stops creaking. For angle rather than height, use wedges; see cleat fitment.
Only if something stops the cleat engaging cleanly, usually deep shoe tread or a pedal with a cage around the binding, or if a fitter recommends lifting one foot. If you clip in crisply and the shoe doesn't rock on the pedal, you don't need them.
Between the cleat and the shoe sole, with the cleat bolts passing through it into the nut plate inside the shoe.
Usually. BikeFit's rule is to add the shim's thickness to your existing bolt length. Too short and the bolt only catches a few threads; too long and it can bottom out before clamping the cleat.
They can raise the shorter leg's foot, but get the difference measured first. Shims also move the foot further from the pedal axle, and BikeFit advises against stacking more than two under a 2-bolt cleat.
Some Crankbrothers shoes ship with a shim already fitted under the cleat. Crankbrothers advises removing it once the sole has worn down a little.
SPD-style 2-bolt and 3-bolt road cleats use M5 bolts. Wahoo Speedplay cleats use M4 x 0.7 screws in a 4-hole pattern.