porky Posted March 19, 2009 Share .............I usually have my cleats set on my shoes at a shop with a little machine which apparently measures the correct position in relation to your shoe, then when I change cleats I just use that little sticker and its all easy. Now, I have a new pair of shoes and cleats lying in my cupboard since May last year which I would like to get set up - my issue is the shop I bought them from and who usually sets the cleats was a fairly well known one who was at that meeting and I refuse point blank to support them further - my question is can I set the cleats myself? How do I know where to position the cleats or is it just trial and error?? Bear in mind I am not very technical and have only an old screwdriver (I last used it for stiring paint but I can scratch it off though ) and a hammer in my tool box. If I cant do it, is there a suggestion for a shop who can help me who WASNT at that meeting. I use the older LOOK type cleats if that matters. porky2009-03-19 09:14:02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlek Posted March 19, 2009 Share Porky there are many different things to worry about here but from my personal experience i find that if you have floating cleats (the red look ones) then have them as far forward as possible and in the middle of the foot if you ride with non float cleats then i would suggest going to someone like arran brown from cycle fit or richard lee from customised cycling solutions to get them set up correctly arran can be contacted on cyclefit.co.za and richard on 0728585287 hope that helps you out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtbreath Posted March 19, 2009 Share The spindle of the pedal should sit directly below the middle of you big toe big knuckle. Take that as the centre line of your cleat (cleat bolts) making sure that your foot is parralel to your bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted March 19, 2009 Share The spindle of the pedal should sit directly below the middle of you big toe big knuckle. What? Are you nuts? "Toeing" the pedals will not do you any good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Bornman Posted March 19, 2009 Share I'm not an expert here as I sommer ride with sandals. But back in the days when I still had racing aspirations (and street cred) the rule was to have the pedal axle right under the ball of your foot and the rotational position so that you have some play for free rotation left and right. Only if that didn't work for you did you start moving the cleats forwards or backwards until the pain went away or at least retreated for a while. I honestly don't think that you need a bike shop to set your cleats. A screwdriver (with some of the paint scraped off the tip) and a trainer is all you need. Today, there's too much science (much of it phoney) involved in bike setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#Pete# Posted March 19, 2009 Share I've moved mine to the back of the ball of the foor (1st mcp joint) and prefer it. Not quite a smuch as this: http://www2.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2007/01/cleat-position.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtbreath Posted March 19, 2009 Share The spindle of the pedal should sit directly below the middle of you big toe big knuckle. What? Are you nuts? "Toeing" the pedals will not do you any good... No. Not toeing. Take off your shoe and have a look at your foot. That big bulge off your big toe. Is it the ball? I dont know. I'm not really into feet. I'm a personality guy. This is where I had a black dot from Arran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutt Posted March 19, 2009 Share This is all good and well but what should Porky do with the Hammer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted March 19, 2009 Share This is all good and well but what should Porky do with the Hammer? ? Maybe use it one these guys who want him to go to a shop and spend money on one of the easiest and most basic things you can do yourself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissVan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Porky ? Put the shoes on and make a mark on the side of the shoe that marks where the centre of the ball of your foot is, this mark should be visible while you are clipped in and sitting on the bike. (See below on how to find the centre of the ball of your foot) <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Popular belief is that the centre of the ball of your foot (hereafter referred to as CBF) should be directly above the centre of the pedal axle and that your feet should be parrallel with the centre line of the bike while you are pedaling, this would be a basic starting point. I prefer to use Steve Hogg?s method, which requires that you position the CBF slightly forward of the pedal axle, based on your foot sizeShoe size 36 - 38: centre of ball of foot 7mm in front of pedal axle.39 - 41: 8mm 42 - 43: 9mm44 - 45: 10mm46 - 47: 11mm 48 - 50: 12mm. To move the CBF forwards you need to move the cleat towards the back of the shoe. The Lateral adjustment of the cleat (toe in or out) should be set up so that your feet can position themselves in a natural position within the free float arc of movement. In other words while pedaling with a moderate to hard effort note which position your feet tend to want to point (toe in, toe out or straight) and adjust the cleats to accommodate this. Finding the CBF'Ball of the foot' is a layman's term for the 'first metatarsophalangeal joint' which in turn is more commonly known as the 'first metatarsal joint'. What each of these terms refer to is the large knuckle at the base of the big toe. By comparison the joint at the base of the little toe is the 'fifth metatarsophalangeal joint' or 'fifth metatarsal joint'. The others in between are numbered depending on proximity to the first. What you need to do for positioning the cleats is to put your cycling shoes on and locate by feeling for them, the front and rear edges of the first metatarsal joint and the top and bottom of the joint.. One you have found these use a reasonably fine marker pen to put a dot at the midpoint. The Lateral adjustment of the cleat (toe in or out) should be set up so that your feet can position themselves in a natural position within the free float arc of movement. In other words while pedaling with a moderate to hard effort note which position your feet tend to want to point (toe in, toe out or straight) and adjust the cleats to accommodate this. Above info has all been obtained from Steve Hogg?s various articles posted on the internet and cycling news.com which I have tried and used over the years. http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2008/letters04-30 http://www.cyclefitcentre.com/pdf%20final%20docs/SHOE%20AND%20PEDAL%20ARTICLE%208_final.pdf http://www.cyclefitcentre.com/pdf%20final%20docs/THINGS%20YOU%20MAY%20NOT%20HAVE%20KNOWN%20ABOUT%20BIKE%20POSITION_final.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted March 19, 2009 Share Cool, thanks fellas, I am gonna give it a bash this weekend, after I buy a new screwdriver.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky Posted March 19, 2009 Share I'm not an expert here as I sommer ride with sandals. Today' date=' there's too much science (much of it phoney) involved in bike setup.[/quote'] Haa,Haa, sandals indeed.! - it must be "street cred" that keeps me in shoes, cos I aint gonna win any races soon - agree on the phoney bike set up issues though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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