Bike Fit: Little refinements mean a lot

[Lewis Moon]

I've been setting up my own bikes since God was a boy. Never really had many issues and still don't, but every once in a while something feels a bit off. Seat position is a biggy, mostly due to fitness and the different shapes of saddles. Fitness: because I tend to move back on the saddle as I get stronger (no idea why). Saddle Shape...because they're all different and feel best on my nethers at different angles and setbacks.

However: I've always set up my cleats so that the spindle was right under the ball of my foot. From slotted cleats for dinosaur feet to now. Never deviated. Road (Speedplay) and 'cross (Shimano SPD), same orientation. A couple of days ago I got new SPD cleats and finally decided to address a sometimes nagging feeling that my foot was too far back on the pedal. I had always assigned this feeling to a) just getting on the bike; it was always worse at the start of a ride, or b) broken right foot and replaced left hip. As an experiment, I positioned the new cleats about 7mm back and...wow. My feet feel so much more solid on the pedals and it really seems like power transfer is better. Only 7mm and the difference is amazing. It's even subjectively easier to clip in.

[Tickdoc]

New Cleats went forward or back?

[Dave]

Placing cleats further back, so the foot moves further forward is an idea that's supported by some expert fitters. The problem is that just moving the cleat all the way back, within the limits of the slotted holes, is sometimes not enough. Then you have to consider drilling new holes and installing new thread inserts.

https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com...leat-position/

I've done this with carbon soled shoes. I've also eliminated the 3-hole adapter plate for speedplay pedals by using epoxy putty to create a flat surface for the cleat, then drilling and tapping the speedplay 4-bolt pattern into the sole of the shoe. Both carbon fiber and fiberglass tap fairly well. I have some thread inserts on hand, in case I strip out the threads. I you do that, you are committed to one specific fore/aft cleat position.

Bolting the cleat directly to the shoe also reduces weight and places the foot closer to the pedal spindle.

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by Tickdoc

New Cleats went forward or back?

I moved the cleats back on the shoe which effectively moved my foot forward on the pedal.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by Lewis Moon

I moved the cleats back on the shoe which effectively moved my foot forward on the pedal.

Steve Hogg pushes this cleat positioning as Gospel. He's not wrong.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by Dave

I've done this with carbon soled shoes. I've also eliminated the 3-hole adapter plate for speedplay pedals by using epoxy putty to create a flat surface for the cleat, then drilling and tapping the speedplay 4-bolt pattern into the sole of the shoe.

For Speedplay pedals, this can be even easier by using the Speedplay Cleat Extender Baseplate, which (as its name implies) is a special extended base plate that allows the cleats to be mounted up to 14mm further back.

[Ken Robb]

It's easy to experiment on this topic. Get some decent flat pedals and regular comfy shoes with smoothish rubber soles comfy so there aren't prominent lugs limiting your position on the pedals. Ride around on flats and climbs try different placements on the pedals and see where your feet feel best. You may even find a great position without giving it too much thought if you just see where your feet end up naturally.

With this info you can probably position your cleats to replicate it on your clip-in pedals. OTOH you may fall in love with comfy shoes on flat pedals and forget about what the gang at the coffee shop thinks. :-)

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

It's easy to experiment on this topic. Get some decent flat pedals and regular comfy shoes with smoothish rubber soles comfy so there aren't prominent lugs limiting your position on the pedals. Ride around on flats and climbs try different placements on the pedals and see where your feet feel best. You may even find a great position without giving it too much thought if you just see where your feet end up naturally.

With this info you can probably position your cleats to replicate it on your clip-in pedals. OTOH you may fall in love with comfy shoes on flat pedals and forget about what the gang at the coffee shop thinks. :-)

I've been riding clip in pedals for 45 years. When I ride flats it feels just wrong...like I have a lot less control over the bike. I've tried....

[pobrien]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb View Post
It's easy to experiment on this topic. Get some decent flat pedals and regular comfy shoes with smoothish rubber soles comfy so there aren't prominent lugs limiting your position on the pedals. Ride around on flats and climbs try different placements on the pedals and see where your feet feel best. You may even find a great position without giving it too much thought if you just see where your feet end up naturally.

Great idea. I have always run flat pedals on my Homer Hilsen as I thought they suited the bike. Will definitely pay attention to my foot position compared to when using cleats (Look). Thank you.

[smokersteve]

Originally Posted by Dave

Placing cleats further back, so the foot moves further forward is an idea that's supported by some expert fitters. The problem is that just moving the cleat all the way back, within the limits of the slotted holes, is sometimes not enough. Then you have to consider drilling new holes and installing new thread inserts.

I have the cleats as far back on both pair of my Road shoes. The center of ball of foot is 8-9 mm in front of the center of the pedal axle. I often feel like the cleats should be even further back. Might have to give this a try