Fitting cycling cleates

[redir]

I just acquired two new pairs of shoes thanks to Colorado Cyclists closing deals and it's been years since I have adjusted cleats. I have a large size 49 (14US) shoe and in the past all the other shoes I have had I simply shoved the cleat as far back as it would go in trying to get the axel over the ball of my foot. These new shoes have a larger range of adjustment for and aft so I have to figure out how to do it right.

There's this Ergon jig here: https://road.cc/content/review/ergon...at-tool-274119

But the real problem I am having is finding the ball of the foot on the outside of the shoe. Where is it? You can't feel it. The first step in using the Ergon is, "The first step is to identify your first metatarsal joint – that's the big bulge where your big toe attaches to your foot, often called the 'ball of your foot'. With your foot in the shoe, you affix one of the provided green sticky arrows to the outside, directly in the centre of the ball. "

Well that's the whole problem. You can't really accurately measure from the back of your heal to the ball of the foot and then measure from the back of the shoe to the center of the cleat. It's just not accurate.

The Ergon jig seems to be mostly concerned with the Q-Factor but the SPD cleats have enough float for that anyway so it seems if you get it at least close your are fine. But finding the ball is hard to even get close.

How do you transfer the ball of your foot on the inside of the shoe to the outside to place the cleat?

[benb]

Get it in the ballpark and then give up and carry a wrench on a ride or do it on the trainer. If you know your bike fit hasn't changed and the shoes are not drastically different you ought to be able to get it pretty close by feel. You can also try things like measuring from the front or back of the shoe to the front of the cleat on the old shoes and try to transfer that assuming the size on the new shoes is pretty similar.

None of those ball of foot things has ever worked first try for me.

1) None of them even agree where it should be positioned behind the ball of the foot, or what metatarsal to use, or how far behind it should behind that metatarsal, or whether that should vary with foot size. What about people with a short first metatarsal?

2) Markings on the shoes aren't always symmetrical between the two shoes in the same box

3) Your feet might not be the same anyway, your knees might not be the same, your hips might not be the same.

4) Most of these don't take into account whether you heel drop or toe drop once you're on the bike, which changes orientation of the ball of the foot to the pedal spindle.

It's a pain but it doesn't take that long.

[prototoast]

Feel the ball of your foot without the shoe on. Then observe where that corresponds to the side of the foot. Then put the shoe on and poke the side until you feel the spot you previously identified.

[redir]

Originally Posted by benb

Get it in the ballpark and then give up and carry a wrench on a ride or do it on the trainer. If you know your bike fit hasn't changed and the shoes are not drastically different you ought to be able to get it pretty close by feel. You can also try things like measuring from the front or back of the shoe to the front of the cleat on the old shoes and try to transfer that assuming the size on the new shoes is pretty similar.

None of those ball of foot things has ever worked first try for me.

1) None of them even agree where it should be positioned behind the ball of the foot, or what metatarsal to use, or how far behind it should behind that metatarsal, or whether that should vary with foot size. What about people with a short first metatarsal?

2) Markings on the shoes aren't always symmetrical between the two shoes in the same box

3) Your feet might not be the same anyway, your knees might not be the same, your hips might not be the same.

4) Most of these don't take into account whether you heel drop or toe drop once you're on the bike, which changes orientation of the ball of the foot to the pedal spindle.

It's a pain but it doesn't take that long.

Yeah good points. I guess you just have too keep at it till you are comfortable. The only thing I could tell is that something felt different with the new shoes and who knows maybe my old ones are wrong but I got used to it.

[redir]

Originally Posted by prototoast

Feel the ball of your foot without the shoe on. Then observe where that corresponds to the side of the foot. Then put the shoe on and poke the side until you feel the spot you previously identified.

I tried that but with the hard carbon sole I just really cannot tell.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by redir

I tried that but with the hard carbon sole I just really cannot tell.

The hard carbon shell wraps around the side of the foot?

[redir]

Originally Posted by prototoast

The hard carbon shell wraps around the side of the foot?

No but how can you feel the ball of your foot from the side? Or hmmm, can you.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by redir

No but how can you feel the ball of your foot from the side? Or hmmm, can you.

That's why I said first you find the ball of your foot with your shoe off, then identify which point on the side of your foot lines up with that. Then you put the shoe on and feel for the point on the side that you previously identified with your shoe off.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by redir

No but how can you feel the ball of your foot from the side? Or hmmm, can you.

You can tape a cable end to the side/top of your foot and find it more easily when you put it back on. I'd suggest with a foot that big you set the center of the cleat 2cm from center of you first metatarsal as a starting point. Ride your bike and pedal both standing and seated to find your balance point. Just shoving cleats all the way back in every case is silly.

Good trick.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by redir

No but how can you feel the ball of your foot from the side? Or hmmm, can you.

This may sound stupid, but in the event that you can't feel the ball of your foremost position of your metatarsal, maybe you can measure the distance (without shoes) between the tip of you large toe to the metatarsal and then translate that to where the ball of your foot is in the shoe. You should be able to locate where your big toe ends with your shoe on.... (?).

[Likes2ridefar]

I have before used a dot with a marker on either side of the shoe where the bone touches the material of the shoe and then the center of the sole where those two dots cross is a good starting point.

[redir]

Good ideas, I like the cable end idea and will try that tonight. I didn't realize that duh, yeah I can just use the side of the shoe.

[macaroon]

You want to find the first MTP joint as identified below.
If you use your thumbnail, you should be able to feel a recess between what would normally be called the toe and the ball of the foot.
Mark with a pen then tape a cable end cap in the recess.
Do the same for the other foot.
Put cycling shoes on and stand up.
Then feel for the cable end on the outside of the shoe and put a pencil mark.
You might need a helper for this final bit.
It's important to stand as your foot might change shape when you do.

[meyatt]

I tried that Ergon jig for the first time this year and tbh I didn't find it helpful. My sense is it's more helpful for matching cleat position again, but even then the use of the stickers felt very unscientific to replicate. Simply painting the outline of my cleats with a silver sharpie yields better results.

When setting up new shoes, I generally look at the outside of my foot to locate the "ball", reference the bump on the side of your big toe where it meets the forefoot (MTP), and go backward of that a little bit. I start there which should bring the axel under the food. Typically this brings the cleats fairly far back, and then I'll sit on the trainer and adjust it more doing some different efforts and cadences. It usually takes me about a week to get it "right", but if you ride a lot I think going by feeling is better than any other methodology.

I might tinker with my saddle height +/- 5mm based on where the cleat location lands.

[Nomadmax]

Do what you're gonna do after all that's been suggested. Mount them, bring a hex key and go ride. Make changes as needed and don't worry if the cleats don't wind up in the same place. Human bodies are imperfect from one side to another.