Newbie pedal shoe interface question

Hi folks,

I currently have a mountain bike with SPD cleat shoes (and pedals of course).

I find that I get cramp in my right foot, so wondered if this was related in any way to the position
of the cleat on the shoe (not that there's a huge range of choice). Currently I have it set in the
middle of the slotted holes.

I was also after opinions for the best position on the shoe, bearing in mind that I do a mixture of
road and off-road (but nothing heavy) cycling. Also for any experience of cramping in the foot, and
solutions to this.

TIA

--
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In a brief moment of lucidity StainlessSteelRat scribbled:

> Hi folks,
>
> I currently have a mountain bike with SPD cleat shoes (and pedals of course).
>
> I find that I get cramp in my right foot, so wondered if this was related in any way to the
> position of the cleat on the shoe (not that there's a huge range of choice). Currently I have it
> set in the middle of the slotted holes.

Could be .. try a different position.

> I was also after opinions for the best position on the shoe, bearing in mind that I do a mixture
> of road and off-road (but nothing heavy) cycling. Also for any experience of cramping in the foot,
> and solutions to this.

Whatever's suitable for you and how you pedal. Generally the centre of the ball of the foot is where
most power is developed from, but almost anywhere on the ball of the foot will work. Some positions
will be more comfortable for some people than others. You need to experiment to see which is best
for you, your pedalling and your legs .. Try changing not only the fore / aft position of the
cleat, but also the angle that the foot is at.

--

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> > Hi folks,
> >
> > I currently have a mountain bike with SPD cleat shoes (and pedals of course).
> >
> > I find that I get cramp in my right foot, so wondered if this was related in any way to the
> > position of the cleat on the shoe (not that there's a huge range of choice). Currently I have it
> > set in the middle of the slotted holes.
>
> Could be .. try a different position.
>
> > I was also after opinions for the best position on the shoe, bearing in mind that I do a mixture
> > of road and off-road (but nothing heavy) cycling. Also for any experience of cramping in the
> > foot, and solutions to this.
>
> Whatever's suitable for you and how you pedal. Generally the centre of the ball of the foot is
> where most power is developed from, but almost anywhere on the ball of the foot will work. Some
> positions will be more comfortable for some people than others. You need to experiment to see
> which is best for you, your pedalling and your legs .. Try changing not only the fore / aft
> position of the cleat, but also the angle that the foot is at.

Two more dumb questions:

Is there an ideal distance the saddle should be set, in respect of the leg and the pedal? i.e.
should the foot be at 90 degrees to the leg at extreme extent, or at an even greater angle? I'm
trying to fine tune my bike set-up.

I am also having issues raising the headset. All I can seem to see is a hex socket in the top of the
headset. Would this be used for raising and lowering? (Yes, I know I need to try Is there an
ideal height that the headset should be at in relation to the saddle, or is it again about comfort?

TIA

--
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In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...

> Two more dumb questions:
>
> Is there an ideal distance the saddle should be set, in respect of the leg and the pedal? i.e.
> should the foot be at 90 degrees to the leg at extreme extent, or at an even greater angle? I'm
> trying to fine tune my bike set-up.

Sitting on the saddle your heel should be on the pedal when your leg is straight. This means that
when the ball of the foot is on the pedal there will be a very small amount of bend at the knee.

> I am also having issues raising the headset. All I can seem to see is a hex socket in the top of
> the headset. Would this be used for raising and lowering? (Yes, I know I need to try

What kind of headset is it?

> Is there an ideal height that the headset should be at in relation to the saddle, or is it again
> about comfort?

The bars should be at the same height as the saddle.

Note that these are rules of thumb, not decrees. Use them to set the bars and saddle initially but
be prepared to adjust to suit you.

Colin

 

Colin Blackburn wrote:
> > I am also having issues raising the headset. All I can seem to see is a hex socket in the top of
> > the headset. Would this be used for raising and lowering? (Yes, I know I need to try
>
> What kind of headset is it?

Thanks for the reply Colin.

To be honest, I have no idea. I remember the last time I adjusted a headset it had some form of
"nut" that you undid above the forks and then you lifted out and tightened. All I can see on this is
a socket at the top of the steering column (sorry! I'm not sure of exact technical descriptions).

The bike is a Compay from BMC Racing, if that helps at all:

http://www.bmc-racing.com/bikes.cfm?lang=fre&catID=2&modID=12

What else can I tell you? I guess I just need to undo the socket at the top, and see what happens...

--
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Not your life. Hannibal Lecter: But my freedom... just that.

 

On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 16:17:18 +0000 (UTC), "StainlessSteelRat" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> What kind of headset is it?

>To be honest, I have no idea. I remember the last time I adjusted a headset it had some form of
>"nut" that you undid above the forks and then you lifted out and tightened. All I can see on this
>is a socket at the top of the steering column (sorry! I'm not sure of exact technical
>descriptions).

You've probably got an A head type headset and stem. This unfortunately means that raising the
height of your handlebars is likely to mean buying a new stem with increased rise. An A head type
arrangement doesn t have the same kind of adjustment available as the more traditional quill type
stems you are familiar with.

You can confirm this by undoing the allen bolt at the top of the steerer column. If it's A head this
will allow you to remove the circular cap at the top revealing the star fangled nut beneath. Nothing
else should move at that point because the bolts of your stem are holding things in place.

Bob
--
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On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 17:13:24 +0100, Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote:

>Sitting on the saddle your heel should be on the pedal when your leg is straight. This means that
>when the ball of the foot is on the pedal there will be a very small amount of bend at the knee.
>

I'm probably the exception that proves the rule, Colin.

On my trundle-around-town, old, rigid, pseudo-MTB I do as you suggest. However, on my road bike (you
know what I mean by the term), I have my saddle a fair amount higher. Because of my bang on the
bonce several years ago <yawn> I cannot flex my right ankle properly. I can move my foot but not in
an 'ankling' manner. I, therefore, have my saddle set higher so that my toes are pointed more
downwards than might otherwise be the case.

The point being it works well for me so I've stuck with it.

James

--
A credit limit is NOT a target.

 

StainlessSteelRat <[email protected]> wrote:

> Also for any experience of cramping in the foot, and solutions to this.

I get cramp in my right foot if I do my shoe up too tight ( as tight as if I was tying a pair of
laces on a pair of Oxford brogues) before cycling, when it feels no quite tight enough beforeI start
then it's OK. I presume that my feet swell when cycling.

 

Call me Bob <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 16:17:18 +0000 (UTC), "StainlessSteelRat" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >> What kind of headset is it?
>
> >To be honest, I have no idea. I remember the last time I adjusted a
headset
> >it had some form of "nut" that you undid above the forks and then you
lifted
> >out and tightened. All I can see on this is a socket at the top of the steering column (sorry!
> >I'm not sure of exact technical descriptions).

This "socket" will be the end of a bolt with an allen-key head

>
> You've probably got an A head type headset and stem. This unfortunately means that raising the
> height of your handlebars is likely to mean buying a new stem with increased rise. An A head type
> arrangement doesn t have the same kind of adjustment available as the more traditional quill type
> stems you are familiar with.
>
> You can confirm this by undoing the allen bolt at the top of the steerer column. If it's A head
> this will allow you to remove the circular cap at the top revealing the star fangled nut beneath.
> Nothing else should move at that point because the bolts of your stem are holding things in place.
>

And if its a quill stem and threaded headset [1], you'll have just taken out a long (~6")
allen-headed bolt, which you can have the entertaining job of screwing back into the expander at the
bottom of the stem.

A-head type headsets/stems have a couple of clamp bolts to clamp the stem onto the steerer, or
rarely a a wedge inside the the stem. It's probably best to look for allen bolt heads NOT at the top
but on the side of bike end of the stem. If there's anything there, it'll be an A-head stem, if
there is only the allen bolt head at the top of the steerer, it'll be a quill stem.

Height adjustment:

A-head stems. There may be spacer rings either below the stem, or between the stem and the top cap.
These can be moved above/below the stem as required to give a small amount of adjustment - low = all
rings above stem, high = all rings below stem. If the angle between the stem and the fork steerer is
not 90 degrees, you can turn the stem over to get a difference in bar height. The bars are normally
clamped on with a removable end cap, so you don't have to remove the brake levers etc. If neither of
these is possible, or does not give the required handlebar position, you will have to buy a new stem
that has a different angle to the fork steerer.

To move: take off the top cap, loosen the clamp bolts, lift off the stem and spacers, replace as
required, replace the top cap, carefully tightening until the bearings are correctly adjusted,
tighten the clamp bolts

Quill stems: These are the same as you remember, just with an allen bolt head instead of a hex bolt
head. Undo the allen bolt 3 or 4 turns, and give it a good hearty whack to knock the expander bolt
down (you may have to hit the allen key if the bolt head is still recessed). You should now be able
to adjust the bar height and re-tighten the bolt. A common problem is that the quill corrodes into
place inside the fork steerer, so a considerable amount of force can be required.

[1]Headset = the bearings Stem = the bit that holds the handlebars