Look Cleat set up...

[Rocket69]

Hi all, new to cycling and had a cleat set up quesiton... In researching there seems to be a couple school of thoughts regarding the ball of the foot in line with the pedal axle. Some say a little forward, others a little rearward... Can I get some "real cyclists" helping me out here. I wear a size 42 (8.5 US) if this helps...

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rocket69

 

[capwater]

Hi all, new to cycling and had a cleat set up quesiton... In researching there seems to be a couple school of thoughts regarding the ball of the foot in line with the pedal axle. Some say a little forward, others a little rearward... Can I get some "real cyclists" helping me out here. I wear a size 42 (8.5 US) if this helps...

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rocket69

Too much personal preference, riding style and physical differences to give you a difinitive answer. That being said, the best starting point is to have the "bump" on the inside of your foot directly over the axle. Ride it some and if it isn't just right you can make some small adjustments fore and after. other things to verify are your proper saddle position. If it is too high you may end up being a toe pedaller trying to reach on the down stroke.

 

[Tonto]

This might sound a bit odd but I changed my cleat alignment for the better last summer when I started riding regularly in shorts. I had got some new shoes during the winter and tried to set up the cleats the same as my old ones. I had noticed a bit of discomfort in my right knee during the winter but put it down to general wear and tear on the joints. When summer came and I went out for the first time that year in shorts, I noticed how much my right knee was wobbling and swaying from side to side during each pedal stroke, while my left knee didn't deviate from side to side at all. I'd never noticed while wearing winter tights. Over the following couple of weeks I tweaked the cleat position and watched my knees carefully after each tweak. Worked for me anyway...

 

[dsschanze]

As the others have said...this is something that takes a lot of re-adjusting and is mostly personal preference. I finally got my cleats just perfect and am now thinking that I am going to have to outline them on the bottom of my shoe so when I have to change the cleat due to them wearing out, I will be able to put them in the same exact place again.

Good luck in getting your cleats right (I had a lot of trouble at first)

-dss

 

[vascdoc]

Hi all, new to cycling and had a cleat set up quesiton... In researching there seems to be a couple school of thoughts regarding the ball of the foot in line with the pedal axle. Some say a little forward, others a little rearward... Can I get some "real cyclists" helping me out here. I wear a size 42 (8.5 US) if this helps...

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rocket69

I had a professional fit for the bike and shoes. They used laser guides and other means to check my ankle, knee, and hip alignment. I am not sure how much it is a personal issue as much as it is the proper joint movement to maximize power and minimize joint injuries. I bought Rocket 7 shoes, incidentally, and it would go well with your internet handle = rocket 69.

 

[drubie]

As the others have said...this is something that takes a lot of re-adjusting and is mostly personal preference. I finally got my cleats just perfect and am now thinking that I am going to have to outline them on the bottom of my shoe so when I have to change the cleat due to them wearing out, I will be able to put them in the same exact place again.

Good luck in getting your cleats right (I had a lot of trouble at first)

-dss

Genuine LOOK cleats now come with stickers you put on the bottom of your shoe before you change the cleats. Neat idea.

 

[alienator]

Genuine LOOK cleats now come with stickers you put on the bottom of your shoe before you change the cleats. Neat idea.

Hmm. In about 1990, I figured out that tracing my cleat with a Sharpie was a pretty slick idea. I should have sold the idea to LOOK...............

 

[hd reynolds]

Hi all, new to cycling and had a cleat set up quesiton... In researching there seems to be a couple school of thoughts regarding the ball of the foot in line with the pedal axle. Some say a little forward, others a little rearward... Can I get some "real cyclists" helping me out here. I wear a size 42 (8.5 US) if this helps...

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rocket69

I like it a little center. A little rearward and i suffer from achilles tendon inflamation. A little forward and I seem to lack power on my stroke.

 

[vascdoc]

Hmm. In about 1990, I figured out that tracing my cleat with a Sharpie was a pretty slick idea. I should have sold the idea to LOOK...............

I used a sharp knife to trace the cleat position permanently into the sole of my shoes. I have had a couple of occasions since I first started using Look pedals in 1985 in which the cleat has loosened up while riding. In fact two years ago during a MS bike ride it loosened up enough that release from the pedal became nearly imposible. I had to take my shoe off to then use my hands to release the cleat from the pedal!

 

[pixelmill]

I just had Steve Hogg refit me for my bike [he writes the positional artices for cyclingnews.com - and is a guru]. Had the cleats under the ball - he moved them 9 and 11 mm to the rear. His argument is why would yo move the pressure further from the fulcrum [ankle]? I think he's right - I have a lot more power in my stroke, and feel liek the pedals are under my legs - not under the balls of my feet.\\I ride look Keos.

I would say about 10mm back from the bone/ball of the foot.

-j

 

[alienator]

I just had Steve Hogg refit me for my bike [he writes the positional artices for cyclingnews.com - and is a guru]. Had the cleats under the ball - he moved them 9 and 11 mm to the rear. His argument is why would yo move the pressure further from the fulcrum [ankle]? I think he's right - I have a lot more power in my stroke, and feel liek the pedals are under my legs - not under the balls of my feet.\\I ride look Keos.

I would say about 10mm back from the bone/ball of the foot.

-j

He's a good guy. While I've never been to his shop--it's about 8000 miles from me!--I did order some of his rearset plates for Speedplay pedals because I wanted my cleats to sit a little farther behind the ball of my foot than the standard placement would allow. The rearset plates were perfecto, and Señor Hogg's shipping from NZ to Arizona was very quick.

 

[sogood]

Señor Hogg's shipping from NZ to Arizona was very quick.

Sure about that? I thought he is in Sydney.

 

[alienator]

Sure about that? I thought he is in Sydney.

You might be right.....let me check the website.....Rosebury, New South Wales, Australia.

nolo contendere.

 

[serenaslu]

Hmm. In about 1990, I figured out that tracing my cleat with a Sharpie was a pretty slick idea. I should have sold the idea to LOOK...............

Yeah, I hate it when I miss out on patent filings for stuff like that. It's cost me a fortune! Imagine, you could have had a special" ultra version" especially for marking on carbon soles; and even a premium "SL" version with full CF pen body to save on precious grams and "super polymer writing tip" for added durability.

 

[John M]

I like it a little center. A little rearward and i suffer from achilles tendon inflamation. A little forward and I seem to lack power on my stroke.

Interesting that a rearward cleat position irritates your achilles as for most people moving the cleat farther to the heel of the shoe reduces stress on the achilles/calf muscles.

 

[hd reynolds]

Interesting that a rearward cleat position irritates your achilles as for most people moving the cleat farther to the heel of the shoe reduces stress on the achilles/calf muscles.

Thanks for pointing that out as I meant the opposite of what I said in my post - a little forward and I stress the achilles...

 

[mikesbytes]

You might be right.....let me check the website.....Rosebury, New South Wales, Australia.

nolo contendere.

Rosbury is a suburb in Sydney.

Yesterday I bloke mentioned to me that he gets Steve Hogg to check out his positioning every so often.