dgasmd

About 3 months ago, I bought some new SIDI Ergo 2 shoes. I put the cleats for my Look KEO pedals on it by eye-balling them. Rode the bikes for a couple of weeks, and adjusted them based on feel. Now, weeks later, I am noticing some foot discomfort, pain?, and as if my foot is too stiff inside the shoe. I think a small part of it is because I think the shoes are about 1/2 size too small, but I think the bulk of it is because the cleats position is not right. I developed some hamstring pain at times (has disappered for some time now) sort of like tendonitis, and I think my butt is actually hurting some as a combination of bad foot position=body position, and because of my saddle. In any case, I am convinced proper positioning of my cleats would allow me to pedal in a more efficient and non-stressful way, not to mention a more natural way.

So, my question is: how do you adjust them and how do you know when they are set right? Is there some trick or rule of thumb to it? I guess there is some trial and error here, but I was wondering if there is some standard way of doing it that will save me some time and grief.

toucci

there is a little notch along the side of the cleat that indicates the spindle position. Try to line this up with the ball of your foot for a good starting position. If your cleat has float, angle it so it's lined up straight on the shoe. Eyeballing should be ok for this.

CastIron

The owner of my LBS fits them to me for buying them there. Wedges and all.

damocles1

Grease the holes, jack the cleats as far back as they'll go and go ride my bike.

Jynx

same

MadCowMoo

A wrench at a LBS put a set of speedplays on a new pair of shoes for me then put the pedals on a brand new high end bike for me to try them out ...... you should have seen the people running for that bike when the cleats and pedals locked up as i was coming to a stop in the parking lot , at the very last second heading for the concrete i ripped the pedal lose. He had toasted the cleat install and almost bought himself a scratched up Madone 5.5

recursive

Actually, I just put them exactly in the center of the available range. Yes, that's seriously what I do.

neurocycler

With a hex key.

cccorlew

Grease the holes, jack the cleats as far FORWARD as they'll go and go ride my bike.

prendrefeu

+1 If it feels strange, adjust.

DigitalRJH

I tried that once. I used to ride with them directly under the ball of my foot, then starting reading some stuff about how it should be 10mm or so in front of that, etc etc. So I moved them forward, I felt like I lost all my power and was literally pedaling with my toes. There is no right way to do it, just all by feel.

BarracksSi

I did that with my new pair of road shoes. I have no opinion yet on whether it's the best spot for me & my feet, but I'll ride it like this for a while and see how it goes.

waterrockets 

Originally posted here just over a year ago, in regards to moving cleats from old shoes:

Edonis13

same here.

Falchoon

Centre for me too. There was no science in the original positioning, I put the cleats in the centre when I bought the shoes/pedals/bike just over a year ago. I had a professional bike fit the other week and the guy said this was good, for me (for you it could be different).

Treefox

Grease the holes, jack the cleats as far forward as they'll go (it's never far enough for my right foot) and go ride my bike... on the trainer a few times at first to adjust heel position to suit my poor poor knees.

Once they're in a good place on a pair of shoes, should I need to change the cleats (worn out or broken), I outline the cleat with masking tape before taking it off - then I can get the new one in exactly the same spot - no messing about with faint little tick marks or anything.

soma5

I use the KOPS position for fore and aft. I mark the sole with a black Sharpie. For angle, I go somewhere where stopping every few minutes is comfortable (we have a closed course here in town) and use my hex wrench... I can tell by feel whether the angle is the same as before. In fact, I'm heading off this afternoon to do just that. Got new shoes for Christmas (had to exchange them because these shoes run small and it took some time) and got new pedals as well. Plus, float covers some sins in angular position.

-soma5

mollusk

This will work if you have a friend around to help.

Ride on a stationary bike or trainer with the cleats a bit loose. (You can clip in like this, but clipping out doesn't work so well.) After a while stop smoothly and have your friend pull back the "Clip" and tighten the cleats.

Added in edit: You could also have your friend outline the cleat as much as possible before wrestling the shoe off of the pedal.

Psydotek

If you get pain at the front of your knee, your cleats may be too far forward. If the pain is at the back of your knee, your cleats may be too far back.

I eyeball it and put the cleat directly under where i think the ball of my foot is going to be at the lowest part of my pedal stroke then adjust from there. It takes me afew rides to get the proper cleat position.

cuski

Gotta love LOOK's memory cleat feature... once you got them right, unless you need new shoes, it's as easy as popping in the new cleat.

But to answer the OP's question... fine-tuning is mostly a trial and error thing, at least in my case.

wanders

Any one remember the little red handled wrenches Look used to provide with the pedals? You would put them in between the cleat and shoe, turn to hold the cleat in place, snap in to pedal them ride a bit to see if t was n the right position. Once you got what you think was right, you could lock the cleat down. I put the thing in too far one time, as the pedal/cleat passed the crank, it bent the shnot out of it and had to take the cleat off to get the wrench out. Gouged the crap out of my crank as well.

MIN 

I use clips.

Zouf

I suggest a visit to the Fitness Q&A section of cyclingnews.com, there are a couple of articles that are quoted on a regular basis in the column - just search for "cleat placement".

For a transition to a new pair of shoes from a pedal/shoe combo that worked, it's best to measure axle and/or cleat placement relative to big toe + small toe knuckles, and transpose to the new shoes.

San Rensho 

Tighten the bolts on the cleats so that you can still move the cleats on the shoes, then put the shoes on and clip in. Take your feet out of the shoes leaving the shoes in the pedals.

Now adjust the shoes fore/aft, and side to side, alignment, until you have them where you want them. Flip the shoe over so the bottom of the shoe is facing up and using a sharp scribe, scribe as much of the outline of the cleat on the base of the shoe as you can. Unclip the shoes (you may have to put your feet back in depending on the tension) and align the cleats with the outline you scribed and tighten them firmly.

mrbubl

Our lbs had a machine called a RAD on a trainer that you ride with your shoes and cleats in place and they are adjusted to your individual pedal stroke. The theory is it aligns the cleats to your natural stroke thus creating less problems.

With a shoe purchase they do it for free, without a purchase they charge $25 but would probably be less if you bought the cleats from them.