new to clipless pedals

Patience, you will get used to were the cleat is. Getting used to clipless pedals is a little weird anyway. I just switched fro SPD's to Crank Bros on my AM bike and it took a few rides to get used to clicking in.

It's possible. You have 2 feet, but they are not necessarily identical as to length and where the bones are. It's also relatively common to have one leg slightly shorter than the other one. Both could affect cleat placement.

It's logical to start out by installing the cleat exactly the same way on both shoes, but if it's not working, experiment a little at a time... assuming you can't get professional help with this (and most of us can't). The minute you clip your foot down onto a fixed spot on the pedal, you're getting into the same kind of territory that pro racers do, but you don't have the benefit of professional coaching.

miller2 said:

I have been commuting regularly on my Specialized Sirrus with flat pedals. I have been doing longer (20-25 mile) rides on the weekend, so I decided to get some clipless pedals and shoes. I also figured that if there is a fall due to not being used to clipless, I would rather do it on this bike than my next one.

Anyway, yesterday I purchased a set of SPD pedals and Specialized BG Comp MTB shoes. Today I rode 24 miles and the shoes were very comfortable, but it raised a question for me. Clipping my left shoe feels totally comfortable, and I've had no issues with it. Clipping my right, however, feels slightly unnatural, like the cleat is too far back on the shoe. The shoes fit both of my feet the same, and the cleats are in the exact same position on each shoe.

Do people have their cleats set up differently on each shoe, or is it more likely that I developed an uneven ride posture while using flat pedals that allowed me to move my feet around.

Any input is appreciated. I just want to see what people's thoughts are before I go moving a cleat on one shoe and potentially exacerbate an existing issue.

Thanks for the help!

Yes. Look at how you stand normally and see if one foot is more angled (when looking down at your feet) than the other one. In my case, the cleat on my left foot is slightly more angled than the one on my right foot. Move the cleat as needed until you feel it right.
If you have a trainer, pedal with the cleats a little loose so that you can adjust placement by moving your feet until they feel right. Then get off the trainer and tighten the cleats. It may take a few tries to get them just right. Don't ride with cleat that don't feel right; they may hurt your knees.

Ive never fallen off with my clipless pedals, i practiced in the garden up and down.
Took around 2 hours in total of clipping in like a pro 🙂

miller2 said:

Anyway, yesterday I purchased a set of SPD pedals and Specialized BG Comp MTB shoes. Today I rode 24 miles and the shoes were very comfortable, but it raised a question for me. Clipping my left shoe feels totally comfortable, and I've had no issues with it. Clipping my right, however, feels slightly unnatural, like the cleat is too far back on the shoe. The shoes fit both of my feet the same, and the cleats are in the exact same position on each shoe.

Do people have their cleats set up differently on each shoe, or is it more likely that I developed an uneven ride posture while using flat pedals that allowed me to move my feet around.

Any input is appreciated. I just want to see what people's thoughts are before I go moving a cleat on one shoe and potentially exacerbate an existing issue.

TRY to locate the fore-aft cleat position for the right shoe that is as comfortable for you as possible ... angle the cleat, as necessary (there is about 10º left-to-right angle variation from square, I reckon).

Then, move the left cleat to a comparable position on the left shoe's sole ... after all, it was EITHER serendipitous that you found a comfortable placement out-of-the-box OR your left foot/leg are more tolerant.

BTW. I extended the SPD slots by quite a bit so I could locate my cleats further forward on the sole than the factory cut slots allow.

All, thanks for the help. I haven't tried adjusting a cleat yet, but haven't ridden outside of my 4.25 mile commute to work. For that distance, I don't notice any issues. I hope to get out on another longer ride of 20+ miles in the next day or two and see again how things feel. If I notice anything in my hip, knee, or foot, I'll start small adjustments of the cleat.

Thanks again.