Richard Bullis said of the M-71 "I broke an axle and stopped using them about 1973."
My guess is that the breakaway axles are a previously unknown example of Cino's genius and focus on safety.
Death pedal - my foot. Just give a good tug, break the axle, and away you go. That's why the cleat mounting is so complex- to ensure the axle lets go rather that the cleat from the shoe.
Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ
> buon giorno, tutto.
>
> After months of lurking, I can finally speak up about something. In
regards
> to M-71 pedals and cleat mounting. Supplied with the original package was
> sheet of instructions with the outline of a destra ( and printed on the
> other side of the same sheet) and the sinistra shoe sole. Within the
outline
> of the sole, there were positions marked based on the size of the shoe.
I'll
> loosely parphrase the instructions now:
>
> a) cut out the shape of the half sole along the printed line.
> b) put the cut out on the sole of the shoe.
> c) drill the shoe sole according to the numbers on the table (in the
center
> of the cut out are pairs of numbers from 1 to 7 corresponding to the table
> which runs from size 39 to 45. I remember extrapolating wildly for my size
> 50's.]
> d) take away the template sheet and enlarge the holes.
> e) put the cleat on the sole and put in the two special screws, one in
each
> oval hole in the middle of the cleat.
> f&g) Now it gets fun. Also supplied was a black temporary thingie that
> attached along the back edge of the cleat and into the sole with three
> little nails. This was a temporary "brace" to hold the cleat while you
tried
> out the position on the bike. Go ride around until you are quite sure your
> feet are happy.
> h) remove the shoes from the pedals carefully, remove the black temp guide
> thingies and now fasten down the cleat with all the other screws. In
> addition to the two you put in the oval slots and NOT counting the nails
> (which I just told you to remove with the black part) install the thirteen
> screws in a very specific pattern! Not only follow the pattern, but use
the
> correct long or short screw, depending on position on the cleat! Get it
> right! there is little room for error, and you know how your knees are!!
>
> Wow! So much more fun than Laffin cleats (...from San Diego, the best! who
> has NOS of them??).
>
> Anyway, I have the instruction sheet....minus the cut outs! I DO have a
> zerox with the intact cutouts somewhere in my dwindling piles but I can't
> locate right now. I will scan what I have and email it to anyone on the
> list. Hurry tho! I am off to Riccione on May 5! Italy beckons.
>
> Riccardo (I know you haven't forgotten me have you?) Bulissimo
> Verdi, Nevada
>
> PS I still have a bunch of m-71 stuff, and a small pile of cleats....I
broke
> an axle and stopped using them about 1973.