how do you correctly position a look-style cleat?

[Benjamin]

is there a more methodical way to go about this, other than

1) make an educated guess
2) ride till something doesn't feel right
3) repeat?

the issue is that i have several possible positions staked out for my right cleat and can't decide which feels right, or if i need a different position entirely.

this wouldn't be such a bad process, but sometimes it takes a good 70 miles of riding to determine that i need to change the position. (and/or waking up the morning after 70 miles of riding to a hurting knee.)

[caffeine power]

What shoe/cleat system were you using before? If it was a similar clipless system you can align the Look cleat similarly and be off for a ride. If it was a strap "system" you can use the cleat grove as an alignment guide. If you were using sneakers, look at the bottom after a ride. If the pedals are alloy you'll have a grey line from the friction of the shoe Vs the pedal cage. Use that as an alignment guide and you should be rolling close enough.

As for biofeedback, you're right about the knee pain. If you get it wrong you'll know. if you get it close or dead-on you'll feel fine.

Worse case, you go by your friendly neighborhood bike shop and get them to help you. Even if they charge you for their time you'll be saving yourself potential pain & suffering.

[Benjamin]

i'm coming from speedplays. they have the three bolt look attachment, but the secondary cleat plate can be positioned however you like it, so it's not much help.

anyway, it's getting there. just a process of elimination, i suppose.

[Matt Barkley]

The best would be to find a fitter with good experience adjusting cleats.

Otherwise set them up in a position where the ball of your foot is directly over the axle of the pedal (for-aft, easier if you pen-mark on the shoe after palpating where your large big-toe knuckle is located - then sighting that down the length of the crank-arm in 6 o'clock position when clipped in) and set the cleats in a neutral and symetrecal position where your heal will not hit the crank arms. Take a screwdriver with you and it is trial and error from there out. Toe-in, toe-out, and q-factor should be adjusted from there. Tighten those cleat screws down!! :beer:

[OldDog]

There is a gentleman, I believe in Rhode Island, who specializes in foot alignment issues. He is a partner/student/friend, or some professional connection, of Dr. Andy Pruitt.

I cannot recall his name. Anybody????? Phone?

[Richard]

Rather than starting in a neutral position, the most success I've had when setting up cleats for others is to have them sit on a table with their feet dangling. Then set the cleat (with the rotation centered) at an angle that duplicates the angle of the dangling foot. Then carry a screwdriver to adjust as needed.

FWIW, there is a school of thought that would have you position the ball of your foot slightly ahead of the axle, depending on your foot size. See the technical section of cyclingnews.com for a description of why, but the numbers are:

"...Make sure that the ball of your foot [centre of the first metatarsal joint] is in front of the pedal axle with the crank arm forward and horizontal. For a rough guide for shoe size metric 36 - 38, 7mm in front; 39 - 41, 8mm in front; 42 - 43, 9mm in front; 44 -45, 10mm in front. It is unlikely that your feet are bigger than that. Don't forget to move the right cleat further back again as outlined in point 3. I know that this is at variance with the commonly given advice but you will find as you try it that it works..."

I've always been over the axle, but maybe I'll experiment a little.

[OnceFast]

I would suggest using http://www.wedofeet.com/services-sportseval-cycling.html. They not only will do cleat positioning but will also make orthotic inserts for your cycling shoes. Another bonus is that they will also probably repostion you on the bike to make your pedaling more efficient. When I did this a few years it was around $300 for the orthotics plus the positioning. I was racing at the time and definitely felt the difference after I went there.

If you decide to do it, I would suggest the RI location as the fellow, Bill, who runs it, is the gentleman who started the business and he is very knolwedgable.

[deechee]

how does this "- Computer scan for foot pressures (hot spots)" work? or, does it actually work? I've pretty much given up the fact that my big toe gets a tad numb after long hard efforst but...