The cleats are the link between your feet and the pedals. Through the pedals, your energy is transferred to the bike so it can move. That’s why it’s essential, if you use clipless pedals, that the cleats are properly adjusted to your pedaling posture. Otherwise, several problems will arise. The first is that some of the energy you put into the bike will not be used efficiently. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, you will excessively strain the muscles and joints in your feet and knees, causing discomfort or even injuries. It is especially important to make a good adjustment of the cleats for practicing road cycling. In this discipline, having an effective pedaling posture and cadence is key to performance. The adjustment we are going to show you is very simple and effective. You’ll only need a sheet of paper, a pen or marker, adhesive tape, a tape measure, and an Allen key (usually size 4, although it depends on the type of screw on your cleats).
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Step 1: Draw the outline of your foot
Stand barefoot against a wall, with your heels touching it. Place the sheet of paper under your left foot and use the pen or marker to draw the outline of your sole. Then, make two marks (left and right sides) at the height of the base superior of the metatarsus, the group of bones located just after the toes.
Step 2: Locate the cleat axis
The outline and marks drawn on the sheet will serve as a template to locate the cleat axis and make the adjustment. Place the left shoe over the drawn outline. Stick a strip of adhesive tape around the shoe, aligning it with the left and right marks of the metatarsus. This way, we’ll mark the line on which we should place the cleat axis. You can also use an elastic band to mark this line.
Step 3: Center the cleat
As a general rule, the cleat should be installed centered, in line with the vertical axis of the sole, making sure to leave the same space on both the left and right sides. Many cycling shoes have horizontal and vertical lines as guides, which can help you. However, with cleats that have little float or foot movement freedom (such as Shimano's blue or red ones), you need to be more precise with centering. To do this, you must take into account the float distance, meaning the distance from the center of the heel to the crank arm. You can take this measurement by clipping the shoe into the pedal, turning it over, and using a tape measure to measure from the outer edge of the crank to the center of the heel. Then, you should check the float distance recommended by the brand and move the shoe and cleat left or right to match this recommended float measurement. This Global Cycling Network video on cleat adjustment shows how to perform the operation correctly, as well as the recommended float distances for Shimano cleats and Look:
Step 4: Tighten and Final Adjustment
Once you have the cleat centered in distance (vertical axis) and float (horizontal axis), all that remains is to secure the three mounting screws with an Allen key in a clockwise direction. Tighten them firmly, but not excessively, using a torque between 4 and 6 Nm. Repeat the operation with the right foot shoe. You can speed up the process by measuring with a ruler the distance (length between the bottom of the cleat and the tip of the shoe) and the float (from the side to the center of the cleat). Then, place and adjust the cleat using these measurements as a reference.
Discomfort from Incorrect Cleat Placement
Knowing the proper distance and float is essential for a correct cleat adjustment on your shoes and to avoid muscle pain. If you feel any of these discomforts while pedaling, you should readjust the position of your cleats:
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Cleat too far forward: if the cleat is too close to the toe, you will pedal on your tiptoes. This can cause calf overload and pain in the sole of the foot.
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Cleat too far back: the opposite case, having the cleat further back than normal, can cause hamstring overload and tingling in the sole of the foot, as well as a subsequent loss of pedaling power.
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Short float: if your foot is clipped in very close to the crank, the overload will occur in the quadriceps and you may feel discomfort in the inner part of the knee.
- Long float: if, on the other hand, your foot is too far from the crank, the discomfort will shift to the outer side of the knee, as well as overloading the calf when climbing hills. https://tuvalum.com/blogs/novedades/tipos-pedales-bicicleta/
Taking a few minutes to adjust the cleats to the shape of your foot is a simple way to improve your pedaling efficiency and, at the same time, avoid discomfort and injuries to your feet and legs. When making adjustments, we recommend consulting the characteristics of your cleat model (there are manuals available on the brands' websites), what float angle it offers, or what torque should be applied to the screws. You can also use a specific cleat adjuster from the brand; a kind of calibrated cardboard template that will allow you to fine-tune the position even more.