Cleat Position

ian baptiste · May 2007

is there a correct way to set your cleats [?]

i have my cleats set as far foward as they can go. however, isnt the correct way to have the ball of your foot over the pedal spinle?

what difference does this make? or is it just down to personal preferance!?

Thankyou [;)]

Unknown · May 2007

Thats the way I have mine set, ball of the foot over the pedal axle. But read, (Off here IIRC) about someone putting the cleats under the arch of the foot. I would think you'd be straining the calve's with cleats too far forward?

My roadie- http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id ... 513&size=o

my pics- http://www.flickr.com/photos/17009412@N00/?saved=1

steve23 · May 2007

i too have my cleats quite far forward, so am interested to read the replies to this one!

ratty2k, i can see what you are saying on the claves front, i sometimes (not very often i might add) get calf cramp during a high intesnity event, like the end of a 10 TT.

would putting the in the "correct" way, ie over the pedal spindle make that much difference!?

sorry for the hijack!

_______________________________________________________________________________________
If You Can't Cut It With The Big Dogs, Then Don't Pi$$ Up The Tall Trees!
You Know It!
www.gofiddygo.com

2191flint · May 2007

I have LOOK 247 pedals with, red delta cleats, I believe that the correct position of the cleat on the sole of the shoe should be, with the centre line (marked on the cleat with a raised line), this raised line should be in line with the joint of your little toe, where it meets the foot. This should then put the cleat in the correct position, i.e. with the ball of your foot over the axle.

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

Buggi · May 2007

i agree with Flint, also think it depends on the size of feet. Not the actual size but some people have longer toes. I thought (and i'm relying totally on common sense here and nothing technical or scientific so forgive me if i'm wrong) that it's all to do with your knee position over the balls of your feet as to where they put the cleat. for instance my friend is a size 8 and she has REALLY long toes (they look like fingers!), so i would imagine that the cleat would sit further back for her than for someone with the same size feet with short toes.

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

2191flint · May 2007

Buggi, I think toe length/ foot size are probably relative overall, otherwise if you had really, really long toes you would have feet like an Orang-u-tan!! LOL. foot size is decided by length from heal to tip of big toe, and in some shoes (notably Clarks) you can also have a choice of width fittings. So I think that the cleat position is probably the same for most people with the exception of a cycling Orang![;)]

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

Buggi · May 2007

my friend would not like it if she knew you called her an ape! and i have to admit her toes are a bit like orangutan toes too!

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia

ian baptiste · May 2007

thankyou for the info. i have looked at my cleats, and they are slightly forward, compared to how they should be.

does this really matter?

2191flint · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Buggi

my friend would not like it if she knew you called her an ape! and i have to admit her toes are a bit like orangutan toes too!

_____________________________________________

To infinity... and beyond!
my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oops[:o)][:I] apologies, I didn't mean to offend,was merely drawing an ananolgy! But you knew that you rotten teaser![;)][:D]

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

2191flint · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ian baptiste

thankyou for the info. i have looked at my cleats, and they are slightly forward, compared to how they should be.

does this really matter?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Only if you don't want to get the best out of your pedalling effort.

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

ian baptiste · May 2007

they are about 5-8mm forward.

does it really make that much difference!?[:D]

2191flint · May 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ian baptiste

they are about 5-8mm forward.

does it really make that much difference!?[:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

In the long term it will damage your knees and ankles, so best to get it right, you can do it by loosening off the cleat, but not much then clip in (on a turbo is perfect) and pedal feel what it's like, then fine tune it 'til the shoe feels right, you'll know because (a) it will feel right and (b) the power transfer will be better, when you have it perfect, mark the sole with a nick or something, so you have a reference for future use, My SiDi shoes have incremental lines marked on the sole, and the cleats leave an impression when screwed home, so you can set new cleats exactly where the old ones were.

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

ian baptiste · May 2007

thanks for that info!

my shoes feel right as they are though, but i suppose i am best changing them!?

will this effect my riding at all, once i have changed them?

thanks

2191flint · May 2007

You will notice a difference, because you won't notice a difference, if that makes sense?! you will be pedalling and not noticing your feet, cos every thing is as it should be. And I'm certainly old enough to be your Dad, but Obviously, I'm not actually YOUR Dad [;)]

A turkey is just for Christmas, not for life.

Me and my bike- http://aolpictures.aol.co.uk/galleries/flintosaur9/

ian baptiste · May 2007

ha ha ha! [:D]

looks like im going to have to have a look at my set-up then. [V]

so does EVERYONE have their cleats in the same position!? or at least should do?

fluff. · May 2007

I doubt it, like saddles, cleat position is a personal thing. And with modern stiff soled shoes, power transfer shouldn't be affected by cleat position. There's a link near the bottom of this blog (linked a few times here) on mounting the cleat near the heel, which seems to indicate as such.

----
The summer bike | The fixie | The sensible one (TBA)

nolf · May 2007

If you really don't want to do it that much don't bother!! [:D]

Pride speaks, but Elephants listen...

Unknown · May 2007

I have a problem where on my road shoes using look keo cleats the outside of my right foot aches after a while and feels like the screw of the cleat is digging into the right hand side part of my foot (its not as ive check and its a solid carbon sole) should i move my cleat back

ian baptiste · May 2007

i have moved my cleats, now i have toe overlap!!!

is this a problem?

thanks

beefcake2 · May 2007

I recently asked in my local bike shop. According to their expert, he said that first ensure the saddle is set to the correct height. ie your heel on the pedal and your leg straight when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke in line with the seat tube. Secondly, the ball of the foot should be over the spindle of the peddle. When your feet are horizontal on the pedal stroke, the spindle of the peddle should be in line with the centre of your knee.

I am new to road cycling and he said this would give me a good position to start with relating to cleat position and saddle position.

sloboy · May 2007

It's not bad a starting position and you'll probably end up with a few cm's of that in all dimensions. The one I wouldn't worry about changing a bit is the "knee over pedal" one.

Cleat Position

Comments

Categories