Fore-aft cleat positioning?

[[email protected]]

Hi Everyone,

Can someone point me to some online info about fore-aft placement of
cleats? I have my shoes setup more or less with the ball of my foot
over the spindle, but since I have longish shins and size 50 shoes,
maybe a position that puts my foot more forward on the pedal would be
better for power transmission.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Joseph

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Can someone point me to some online info about fore-aft placement of
> cleats? I have my shoes setup more or less with the ball of my foot
> over the spindle, but since I have longish shins and size 50 shoes,
> maybe a position that puts my foot more forward on the pedal would be
> better for power transmission.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Joseph

I've sometimes wondered about that bit of conventional wisdom, if
there's any scientific basis for it.

Two thoughts:
1. Seems the distance from the heel to the pedal spindle is a lever
stressing the calf muscle (and related anatomical bits). So I'm
thinking perhaps the cleat should be positioned to best use (not
overuse!) those parts?
2. The foot may ened some support (lots of bones and tendonds in
there!). But doesn't a stiff enough cycling shoe provide that support
without regard to where the cleat is positioned? Maybe not all cycling
choes are stiff enough...

 

[Ron Ruff]

[email protected] wrote:
>
> Two thoughts:
> 1. Seems the distance from the heel to the pedal spindle is a lever
> stressing the calf muscle (and related anatomical bits). So I'm
> thinking perhaps the cleat should be positioned to best use (not
> overuse!) those parts?
> 2. The foot may ened some support (lots of bones and tendonds in
> there!). But doesn't a stiff enough cycling shoe provide that support
> without regard to where the cleat is positioned? Maybe not all cycling
> choes are stiff enough...

I'd like to add that it will certainly change how your pedaling stroke
feels... you will be reaching more with your leg in the power stroke,
plus ankling range will be reduced. But since you have such long feet,
I don't think you'll have much trouble adapting... but give youself
some time, and change in small increments. You may want to move your
seat forward and down a little to compensate for moving your cleats
back.

Most riders don't really ankle much... the angle of their foot relative
to their shin stays pretty constant... so the calf muscles provide
little (if any) useful work to the crank... they just tense up on the
downstroke and relax on the upstroke. Moving the cleats back will
reduce the tension a bit... possibly resulting in a tiny bit better
efficiency.

 

[Cat Dailey]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Can someone point me to some online info about fore-aft placement of
> cleats? I have my shoes setup more or less with the ball of my foot
> over the spindle, but since I have longish shins and size 50 shoes,
> maybe a position that puts my foot more forward on the pedal would be
> better for power transmission.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Joseph

Joseph,
I recommend you do a search for all articles written by Steve Hogg on
cyclingnews regarding this issue. He's the only one I've come across that
seems to make any sense. Here's a good start for you:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2004/letters07-26#Cleat
HTH,
Cat

 

[Doug]

find the widest part of your 1st metatarsal head, and draw a line across the
shoe at that point, perpendicular to a line bisecting the entire length of
the shoe.

Than find the widest part of the 5th metatarsal head, and draw a second line
there.

Split the distance, and that's where you can initially position the cleat in
terms of fore-aft.


<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Everyone,
>
> Can someone point me to some online info about fore-aft placement of
> cleats? I have my shoes setup more or less with the ball of my foot
> over the spindle, but since I have longish shins and size 50 shoes,
> maybe a position that puts my foot more forward on the pedal would be
> better for power transmission.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Joseph
>

 

[[email protected]]

In general I think I have a pretty static pedaling style, but sometimes
when I'm grinding up a hill I crank up the ankling to let my thighs
relax a bit. I also have somewhat muscular calves, that I like to take
advantage of somehow. Rather than just use energy lifting them around,
I like to try to use them to help short term power. If I have to go
anerobic to try to hang with a group over a short hill, I want to
spread out the effort as much as possible to increase chances of
sticking with the group. It feel like I can almost pedal a whole stroke
just flapping my feet. (I've never tried other feet so I don't know if
everyone feels that way too!)

But perhaps the occasional extra ankling isn't worth not getting into
the powerstroke sooner under normal circumstances.

I'll try moving forward a bit and see what happens.

j

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

[email protected] wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> Can someone point me to some online info about fore-aft placement of
> cleats? I have my shoes setup more or less with the ball of my foot
> over the spindle, but since I have longish shins and size 50 shoes,
> maybe a position that puts my foot more forward on the pedal would be
> better for power transmission.

Yes, that's the conventional wisdom and it works for me with my short
thighs and long calves.