Bicycle Mechanics - Adjusting SPD

The beautiful Sandra (my wife) has recently bought spd pedals so she can get used to them, before her new bike arrives. I've fitted the cleats to her shoes etc but she had a bit of a problem in that she feels her right foot is not in the right place on her pedal. i.e, the cleats need adjusted.

is it trial and error, or is it possible to put the cleats on slightly loose, ride about for a bit and then mark the shoes on the pedal to ensure you keep the right position.?

As a retro guy, I'd appreciate your help.

If you put them on loose, clip in and then try and unclip,they will move.You can't unclip either. Fall down.Hurt!

Thanks, but I meant if she rides arround, I can hold her up while she undoes her shoes, leaving them attached to the pedals. Just want to know how everyone else did it.

Originally posted by chewa
Thanks, but I meant if she rides arround, I can hold her up while she undoes her shoes, leaving them attached to the pedals. Just want to know how everyone else did it.
Uhm, Chewa, most people clip out of the pedals before
removing their shoes, or did I totally misread your post?
For me(us) it was trial and error till we (I) found optimum
postion for the cleats.
Hint, a football field (or cricket pitch) is idea to practice on
falling hurts less than on pavement, just have to watch out
for the ball and avoid all the players. . . :lol:

Marty

I put the cleat on loose, move my foot around until it is cormfortable and then look at the angle that the shoe is lined up to the "straight of the bike".

Remove the shoe, set the cleat to same angle to the "straight of the bike", and tighten.

Chewa? did this make sense?

Originally posted by lotek

Uhm, Chewa, most people clip out of the pedals before
removing their shoes, or did I totally misread your post?
For me(us) it was trial and error till we (I) found optimum
postion for the cleats.
Hint, a football field (or cricket pitch) is idea to practice on
falling hurts less than on pavement, just have to watch out
for the ball and avoid all the players. . . :lol:

Marty

I think you may have. I'm trying to get the ideal relationship between shoe and pedal, and thought that if I can get her out of the shoe while it's still attached to the pedal, I can mark the shoe on the pedal with tape. Then release it and tighten the cleats to get it back to the original mark.


I think :)

This may help? 1: get on the bike with normal shoes, cycle round and watch the position of the feet on the (normal) pedal.

2: Now try to copy this position on the cleat / shoe, and ride again.

It`s possible that you have to repeat step 2 several times :D


Good luck :beer:

D'oh!

I still have to chuckle thinking about removing the shoes every
time the missus wants to put her foot down.
Off topic there was an interesting discussion of Flying Scott
bikes on the Classic Rendezvous mailing list not to far back.
the group was very favourable,which given the members
is quite impressive.

Marty

Originally posted by toolfreak
This may help? 1: get on the bike with normal shoes, cycle round and watch the position of the feet on the (normal) pedal.

2: Now try to copy this position on the cleat / shoe, and ride again.

It`s possible that you have to repeat step 2 several times :D


Good luck :beer:

Mark, having seen Sandra you know how small her feet are :)

i can barely see them when she is cycling, but I'll give it a try.

Did you use SPD on your winter tour?


Lotek, have you got a URL for the Scot discussion?

Chewa,

try this for starts:
Flying Scott (http://www.flying-scot.co.uk/) although
I'm betting you have this.
The discussion was in the Classic Rendezvous mailing list
I'll check the archives and get back to you with URL if I
can find it.
I've been over on CR and I can't find the Archives so it
may take a while.

Marty

Those are cool looking bikes

Marty, how about "MID2LOTEK"??

You have to be careful about putting the cleat on loose and trying to find the right spot. I have tried this and not only is it very difficult to keep the loose cleat in the same spot before marking it, there will be difficulty getting the loose cleat to disengage.

Chewa
your suggestion makes perfect sense to me.
I always adjust my cleats the same way.

Beg borrow or steal a tayx type cycle exercise trainer and stick you bike in it so the rear wheel is off the ground

Its no good trying to follow Sandra around measuring her feet as she cycles ,your likely to get your head run over that way!

Tighten cleats until there is just some movement using quite a lot of ankle force. Then Sandra can peddle away for hours while you sit and watch, no seriously if you keep making little adjustments of the shoe eventually Sandra can remove her feet from shoes and you can spray mark with an aerosol or whatever to permenatly mark the setting and tighten cleats
As a guide you need to make sure you get the centre of the ball of the foot over the centreline of the axle for it to `feel right' but the angle of the shoe varys with each ifoot of each individual
good luck

Mark, having seen Sandra you know how small her feet are

Mmm, yeah :)


Did you use SPD on your winter tour?

No, i had flat pedals with mountainshoes, i had no space for both mountainshoes & SPD`s :D

If you need info about SPD & wintercycling, you can check ->
icebike (www.icebike.com)