Recumbent cleat location

bencouncil

Most 'bent riders shift cleat location from what they have traditionally used to address health problems. I initially experienced sore feet (esp. w SPD), numb toes, and hot spots the first year that I went 'bent. But these issues slowly evaporated. I experimented with a range of cleat locations from the cleat being directly under the ball of the foot to about 1cm aft. I could detect no comfort difference in this range. Of greater concern is the health of your knees and how your cleat design/position on a recumbent affects this. Greater knee stress is obviously possible on a recumbent than a DF if you push hard enough. Many riders have gone to great lengths to address knee pain by expanding their Q-factor, adjusting the lateral position of the cleats, and/or choosing a pedal system with a greater range of float. I'm not as knowledgeable as many so I would refer you to the Bentrider Forum: http://www.bentrideronline.com/