Bicycle Mechanics - SPD Cleat Alignment?

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astrapi
07-04-04, 03:29 PM
OK, I just got some SPD shoes and pedals, and love them. But I'm not quite sure how to align the cleats on the bottoms of the shoes. Currently, I have the cleats in the "middle" with every adjustment, but they don't feel quite right.

Is there a way to calculate where the cleats should sit, or is this one of those trial-and-error things where I should just fiddle until they feel right?

uciflylow
07-04-04, 06:05 PM
The best advice I can give is.

Try to place them under the ball of your foot

I like to keep my shoe as close to the crank as possible, so I usually move them to the outside of the shoe sole.

Even though SPD cleats have "float" they do like to be centered. Once I get the for and aft setting down, I only slightly loosen the inside bolt and losen the outer bold so I can rotate the cleat. I find it helpfull to take a sharpie marker and make a line on the shoe sole and the cleat for reference, You always know where to go back to if things don't feel better.

After you get things like you want, trace an outline around the cleat, they sometimes slip. Some times you think everything is a-ok untill you ride 10 miles or so, cary an allen key with you on the first few rides.

Good luck! ;)
madpogue
07-04-04, 08:08 PM
One thing I've heard, wrt the "angle" of the cleat, is to walk in sand or snow and look at your footprints (I s'pose you could do this with some dye and butcher paper or some such). If you see either or both feet pointing outward or inward, you should angle the cleat to match that position. The idea is to put each foot in as close to its "natural" standing/walking position as possible, without any twist to the ankle. This doesn't necessarily mean that both feet are pointed straight ahead.

stric
07-04-04, 11:32 PM
I can't really desribe it in technical terms but I usually try the new shoes and cleats for a few short 1-2min rides. I usually bring the allen wrench with me and during the "test" ride I try to find the best position for my feet on the pdals. If it feels right I leave it that way. It it doesn't, then I get off and try to readjust the cleat again. I usually repeat thw whole thing a few tiems until I get it right.