Look cleats - help please!

philip99a · June 2007

I'm posting this in Race because I understand road riders/racers (right term?) are the main users of Look cleats.

I love cycling and use Shimano shoes with SPD cleats.

After 4 or 5 years of unpredictable and often severe long-lasting pains in my feet, after hill walking, after cycling, if I stub my toe, at almost any time, I've seen a specialist, had Xrays and my feet, both of them, are full of arthritis. Sh!t. I already gobble a full dose of omega fish oil capsules, glucosamine, eat oily fish etc. Even sometimes remember to do stretching exercises.[:)]

I enjoy 50 - 100 mile slow rides ie 12-14 mph average but since March I've not ridden at all (apart from to the shops) and am faced with chucking my two good touring bikes away unless I do something.[:)]

I've been wondering if I should buy some proper road shoes with a really stiff carbon fibre sole (I've seen some in the LBS for œ85). A friend has also suggested scrapping my SPDs and using grey Look cleats (ie with the middling amount of float).

I think they have a much bigger plate than my current SPDs, so may avoid a hot-spot which I'm sure currently causes problems in my arthritic feet especially in the ball of the foot, but often also in the Plantar Fascia and in the achilles tendon.

But are they more difficult to use than SPDs? Harder to get in and out of, when you're stopped at traffic lights for example? Or is it just a matter of getting used to them.

Do you think they'd help?

The specialist I saw was understanding etc but knew nothing about cycling, so just gave me stretching exercises and said the arthritis was too bad for him to operate until it gets so bad he would need to fuse each big toe (noooooo thank you!)[xx(]

Anyway back to Look cleats. Are they any good? Might carbon soled road shoes help me?

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

mandie · June 2007

Ultra stiff soles and Look cleats might help you foot problems but I don't have either the knowledge or experince to be sure.
I have looks on my lightweight and SPD's on my tourer and I do know this about Look's: they are absolutly useless for walking in, bordering on dangerous. Stopping at traffic lights etc.,I also find that they are slightly trickier to engage than SPD's, especially if you are used to doublesided pedals.

We'll kick against the darkness 'till it bleeds daylight

philip99a · June 2007

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

trickier to engage than SPD's, especially if you are used to doublesided pedals.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ah yes. No more double-sided pedals[:(]

I think it was dis-engaging that I was most concerned about rather than engaging![;)] I just don't fancy doing the Novice Topple! Thanks for the comments.

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

andrewgturnbull · June 2007

Hi there.

Have a look at this article from the comic's website:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/tech/Tec ... 19152.html

If you get shoes fitted using this technique, then at very least you'll have been fitted by a trained technician.

As for the cleats - you'll get used to them!

Good luck, Andy

http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk

Garybee · June 2007

I find SPDs a pain to use but have them on my commuter and MTB for the sole reason that they are a lot easier to walk in. On my other bikes I have Look Keos, easier to clip in, more comfortable to ride in, just much nicer to use than SPDs. I've never had any terouble clipping in or getting out.

The fact that they are single sided is not an issue as the pedals are weighted so that it is always in the best position for clipping into.

Hypocrisy is only a bad thing in other people.

Ken Night · June 2007

If you find the foot pain comes at the end of a longish day, try looking at the way you buy shoes-the fit that is

It may be that you have tight shoe-or at least tight on some part of the foot-particularly if the pain is between the third and fourth toes

"I once prayed to God for a bike, but quickly found out he didnt work that way...so I stole a bike and prayed for his forgiveness"

Unknown · June 2007

It might be worth paying a visit to Cyclefit in Covent Garden if you can. They specialise in biomechanics and do a range of custom foot beds and even, if you are feeling very flush, hand made shoes. They'd probably offer some very good advice.

Keith Oates · June 2007

I have recently fitted Look Keos to one of my road bikes and I find them very good for engaging and disengaging. To walk in the shoes with the Look cleats is very difficult and the SPD's are better in this area. However although it is early days and I've not really used the Look's for very long I feel that overall the Shimano setup is more efficient and gives a better "feel" when riding.

Ride Daily, Keep Healthy

lucretiuscp · June 2007

I used to have a similar problem with my SPD. I bought stuffer shoes and changed the position of the cleat on my shoe and it was a lot better.

philip99a · June 2007

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

I used to have a similar problem with my SPD. I bought stuffer shoes and changed the position of the cleat on my shoe and it was a lot better.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Lucretius
Please. Describe the troubles you had with your feet. Arthritis related? Where was the pain? Could you work out what caused it? Bike riding isn't the only cause for me. I can get horiible pain even when I've not been riding. But I don't want to have to stop riding.

Where did you move the cleat? Further back??

Thanks for all the other helpful posts.

Are all Look cleats Look Keos? Or are Keos one particular design Look do?

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

johndf · June 2007

Look do Keos and then the older standard Look design. They use different sole plates and are not interchangeable as far as I know. I use the standard ones with red plates which have make float. I do about 7000 miles per year in them and have no problems. Walking in them is OK. I wouldn't recommend a 10 mile hike wearing them, but a few 100 metres is fine, particularly if you get the rubber covers for them. Without these they can be a bit slippery on tiled floors or wet surfaces. Make sure you fix the cleats in the right position for your feet, including any natural toe-in or out which you have.

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by johndf
...red plates which have make float.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

make? misprint[?] = max??

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Ken Night · June 2007

Red have 8 degrees, grey 4, and black 0.

"I once prayed to God for a bike, but quickly found out he didnt work that way...so I stole a bike and prayed for his forgiveness"

msb123 · June 2007

if you are concerned about float try speedplay pedals, which have more float than looks and it is 'non centering' (with looks you are pushing against a spring, not speedplay)

they are also double sided

lucretiuscp · June 2007

I had various pains ranging from toes being squashed to ankles hurting. It took me a couple of months of week by week changing angle/and or front/back position of the cleats to find something that was as comfortable after a long ride as before.
I also have really short calf muscles so quite often stop after 20 minutes to stretch them out a bit.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.

djmc · June 2007

Time pedals have a good degree of float, both the racing sort and the Atac sort which can use the same shoes as Shimano. I use Atac. They are easy to engage and disengage and have a wider area than the SPD sort. If you use shoes designed for cyclocross these are much stiffer than the training/touring shoe and more like racing shoes but you can still walk in them without problems. These perhaps with an orthotic may help.

offthepace · June 2007

Philip If you want to try some look pedals I am also in Leicester and can probably find a pair that you can borrow.

I ride Audax up to 300km and find that Looks with carbon soled shoes are OK but with SPDs I get the feeling that my size 11s are bending over the edge of the pedals. Also read somewhere (This month's C+?) that the new Ultegra pedals, which lare very similar to Looks are now a wider body for better support

Born to be half wheeled

philip99a · June 2007

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

Philip If you want to try some look pedals I am also in Leicester and can probably find a pair that you can borrow.
Born to be half wheeled
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Will email you.

Well confused now re cleats (but thanks contributors so far):
Look Keos
Older standard Look
Speedplay
Time racing
Time Atac
Ultegra pedals

Spds (trying to give them up!)[:)]

Never knew there were so many. Prob will rely on LBS next (Dan at Julies in Clarendon Park Rd)

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

ynyswen24cp · June 2007

I have an old injury to the big toe on my right foot (broke it kicking a big cardboard box full of d-locks - don't ask) from about 15 years ago. it still plays up and causes me problems when I'm on my feet all day at work but generally I find that stiff soled cycling shoes cause no problems - using old style Look pedals, red cleats and Shimano shoes on the road, Shimano SPD pedals and shoes on the MTB. Certainly, when I try to run anywhere it's a lost cause but on the bike no problems.

Look cleats - help please!

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