spd cleat position?

[Brian]

Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted onto my
specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set the cleat to?
At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of my foot.

Any suggestions / hints on placement?

thanks in advance

--
Brian

 

[David Martin]

Brian wrote:
> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted onto my
> specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set the cleat to?
> At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of my foot.
>
> Any suggestions / hints on placement?
>

Sounds spot on to me. Now tighten up the bolts and go and play with them
on the bike, somewhere quiet. Practice unclipping and clipping in many
times before you ride. It is a good idea to do this seated on the bike,
leaning against a wall or some such.

Then go for a ride somewhere quiet where you have time to concentrate on
unclipping before stopping.

Have fun.

...d

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Brian
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted
> onto my specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set
> the cleat to? At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of my
> foot.
>
> Any suggestions / hints on placement?
>
> thanks in advance

Under the ball of the foot is right. You also need to make sure that
when you are clipped in your feet are at a comfortable angle to the
centreline of the bike and that the bolts are *tight*. One thing I know
from bitter experience is that if you leave the bolts loose thinking
'I'll tighten them later when I'm happy with the position' it will
be /impossible/ to unclip.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; when in the ****, the wise man plants courgettes

 

[Paul - xxx]

Brian composed the following;:
> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted
> onto my specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set
> the cleat to? At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of
> my foot.

That sounds spot on, and certainly the optimum start point for any
possible adjustments you might need.

From personal preference I prefer the cleat to be very slightly, maybe
5mm, further forward so more of my foot 'hangs off' the back of the
pedal. It may only be psychological but I also fancy this allows a
little more float and seems better for my knees. I have cruciate
ligament problems with both knees.

I'd say make sure they're bolted up tightly and try them out, but take
an allen key with you to vary the position and angle of the cleats so
you might feel what variation suits you and your riding style.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A ****** is a ******, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

 

[Brian G]

Brian wrote:
> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted onto my
> specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set the cleat to?
> At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of my foot.
>
> Any suggestions / hints on placement?
>
> thanks in advance
>

One very good tip I was given is to position the cleats so that your
feet sit on the pedals at much the same angles as they take when you
walk. I.e., if you walk with toes pointing out, adjust the cleats to
point slightly towards the big toe part of the shoe sole and v.v. if you
walk toe-in.

Also, if your sole plate has two sets of bolt holes, I like to use the
forward set, so my foot sits back a little on the pedal.

Of course, what works for me might not work for you.

--
Brian G

 

[Mark McNeill]

Response to Simon Brooke:
> One thing I know
> from bitter experience is that if you leave the bolts loose thinking
> 'I'll tighten them later when I'm happy with the position' it will
> be /impossible/ to unclip.
>

And I thought that was just me. The other dumb thing I did when I first
got 'em was to try to fit just a cleat into the pedal, succeeding, and
then being unable to get it out again without a screwdriver and a hammer.

--
Mark, UK.

"If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome; if you
believe the theologians, nothing is innocent; if you believe the
military, nothing is safe."

 

[Brian]

Brian <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted
> onto my specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set
> the cleat to? At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of my
> foot.
>
> Any suggestions / hints on placement?
>
> thanks in advance
>

Thanks for the replies. I have the M520 pedals fitted (they seem a little
stiff, then don't spin freely?), and I have got the cleats fitted on my
shoes.

Now time to go for a spin and hopefully not fall over!

cheers

--
Brian

 

[Paul - xxx]

Brian composed the following;:
> Brian <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> Got my Shimano M520 SPuDs in the post today, got the cleats fitted
>> onto my specialized taho mtb shoes. Just wondering where I should set
>> the cleat to? At the moment the cleat seems to be under the ball of
>> my foot.
>>
>> Any suggestions / hints on placement?
>>
>> thanks in advance
>>
>
> Thanks for the replies. I have the M520 pedals fitted (they seem a
> little stiff, then don't spin freely?)

They can take a while to bed in.

> and I have got the cleats
> fitted on my shoes.

Have fun, and remember to twist out of the pedals _BEFORE_ stopping ..


> Now time to go for a spin and hopefully not fall over!

Good luck, good fun ..

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A ****** is a ******, no matter what mode of transport they're using."

 

[Brian]

"Paul - ***" <[email protected]> wrote in news:35s8pjF4p798oU1
@individual.net:



Well, just back from a 16mile ride. No problems at all unclipping, I made
a point of saying to myself "Unclip when you go past that sign", so I
practiced a lot of unclipping.

I did feel I was getting more power through the pedals.

Now to work on my "spinning" technique...

regards

--
Brian

 

[Paul - xxx]

Brian composed the following;:
> "Paul - ***" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:35s8pjF4p798oU1 @individual.net:
>
>
>
> Well, just back from a 16mile ride. No problems at all unclipping, I
> made a point of saying to myself "Unclip when you go past that sign",
> so I practiced a lot of unclipping.

Way to go ..

> I did feel I was getting more power through the pedals.

A good technique is to pull on the up-stroke too .. it's a little
awkward until you get used to it, especially as it also uses and abuses
muscles other than those normally used whilst cycling.

> Now to work on my "spinning" technique...

Heheheh, a steep learning curve.

--
Paul ...
http://www.4x4prejudice.org/index.php
(8(!) Homer Rules ...
"A ****** is a ******, no matter what mode of transport they're using."