Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - SPD Clips and torqued knee

How do I know how to adjust the cleat? Is there a method to this?

Do you have the floaty cleats or the non floaty cleats? (I think the floaty ones are yellow, the nons are red)

Alternately, just get a pedal system that actually really floats. SPDs don't seem to have much.

How do I know how to adjust the cleat? Is there a method to this?
If they are SPD then you have to look to the pedal that you have as the cleat itself doesn't have any adjustment / options for degrees of float. Some pedals have up to 6 degrees of float others somewhat less. My SPD pedals have 6 degrees of float with no adjustment from that number available.
As far as I know there aren't any SPD cleats available offering various float options, just release options.

You might be able to adjust the cleat on your shoe, fore/aft/left/right and such, but, whether that helps you out or not is another question.

Do you have the floaty cleats or the non floaty cleats? (I think the floaty ones are yellow, the nons are red)

Alternately, just get a pedal system that actually really floats. SPDs don't seem to have much.

Red ? Yellow? Let me know where you get the red, they'll match my bike. :D

I set my cleats so that my knee feels natural while riding with no side stress. I like the ball of my foot on the pedal spindle.


I install the cleats as straight as possible, then ride feeling for stress on the knee. then adjust accordingly.

Easy for me is to outline/trace the cleat on the sole of the shoe with a marker as a starting point. Then I twist the front/back to align straight and slide fore and aft as needed while using the outline as a reference.

red: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SM-SH10-SPD-SL-Cleat-Float/dp/B001CDUAOU/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1335330591&sr=8-15

yellow: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SM-SH11-Road-Pedal-Cleat/dp/B0009FTIH2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335330616&sr=8-1

"Choose your level of Shimano SPD-SL clipless road pedal engagement with the SPD-SL Cleat Sets. Yellow allows a bit of side-to-side play or float when clipped in, saving your knees from too much stress on long-distance rides. Red is the no-compromises, zero-float cleat for racing.

The yellow cleats barely float either, for that matter. I tried my wife's out on her spin bike.

red: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SM-SH10-SPD-SL-Cleat-Float/dp/B001CDUAOU/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1335330591&sr=8-15

yellow: http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-SM-SH11-Road-Pedal-Cleat/dp/B0009FTIH2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335330616&sr=8-1

"Choose your level of Shimano SPD-SL clipless road pedal engagement with the SPD-SL Cleat Sets. Yellow allows a bit of side-to-side play or float when clipped in, saving your knees from too much stress on long-distance rides. Red is the no-compromises, zero-float cleat for racing.

The yellow cleats barely float either, for that matter. I tried my wife's out on her spin bike.

Ah, SPD-SL? I thought the OP was talking standard SPD's.

Heck, I don't know. Those are the only SPD pedals I've ever seen. I prefer speedplay because... they're lighter. :roflmao2:

Heck, I don't know. Those are the only SPD pedals I've ever seen. I prefer speedplay because... they're lighter. :roflmao2:

SPD mountain bike pedals/cleats. I use them on my roadies.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1033413_-1___400048

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1033535_-1___400264

Hi everyone.

I have dual sided campus pedals with the MTB SPD on one side.

I dont know what "floating" is?

The cleat itself has 2 different positions and that DOES float within the sole of the shoe so I can move towards and away from the toe.

This is not debilitating, I feel it off the bike rather than on. Perhaps Mr Beanz is right about being straight as possible. Simple enough to try :)

thanks.

float means your hell can move from side to side without unclipping you (or being locked in place.) You can generally tell when the release spring tension starts to build up.

Hi everyone.

I have dual sided campus pedals with the MTB SPD on one side.

I dont know what "floating" is?

The cleat itself has 2 different positions and that DOES float within the sole of the shoe so I can move towards and away from the toe.

This is not debilitating, I feel it off the bike rather than on. Perhaps Mr Beanz is right about being straight as possible. Simple enough to try :)

thanks.

A sucky diagram of float :D


If a pedal says it has 15 degrees of float, that means it rotates 15 degrees. If I have a few degrees of float, I still try to set my pedals straight so that my knee is comfy. That way I have a little play to the left and a little play to the right for comfort.

If you move your heel to the right, the toe will go left and vice versa (check color arrows)


--------------------

If it has zero float, that mean it is fixed in the position where you set it. So you better get it just right or your knee will be locked into that position. At first I like the float because I was unsure how to set the pedals. Now that I know what I like, I have no problem with zero float as I can pretty tell exactly what I am wanting to feel in my foot position.:D

The 15 degrees is exaggerated so that you get the idea. ;)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7245/7117611201_c32d7fe7a0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/40913998@N06/7117611201/)
float (http://www.flickr.com/photos/40913998@N06/7117611201/) by gulpxtreme (http://www.flickr.com/people/40913998@N06/), on Flickr

Knee pain from cleats is usually pretty straigh forward, at least in my (limited?) experience. Pain on the outside of your knee means your two is pointed too far in (or to straight, if your natural foot position leaves your foot slightly splay-footed). Loosen the cleat and adjust it SLIGHTLY so your foot points just a little bit "out", ie not straight forward.

If you adjust your cleat and get stress or pain on the INSIDE of your knee (rather than the outside), you've adjusted the cleat too far: straighten it out more.

You want the angle of the cleat (see Beanz's most excellent diagram) to agree with the natural angle of your foot as you are pedaling. Most have some foot rotation through the pedal stroke or a slightly different foot angle when standing, thus the need for "float". If you set the tension low and you'll be able to identify whether the cleat angle is correct; with the correct cleat angle you shouldn't experience unexpected clip-outs. Once you have the angle correct you can up the tension on the pedal to the point where you can still clip-out reliably. As far as fore/aft cleat position, ball of foot is the usual advice. Too far forward can bother your Achilles tendon. Too far aft probably doesn't do much for efficiency.

You want the angle of the cleat (see Beanz's most excellent diagram) .

Thanks! That took a lot of hard work and thought! :D

Thanks! That took a lot of hard work and thought! :D

Hey Beanz where can I get a set of those crayons you drew that picture with?

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Hey Beanz where can I get a set of those crayons you drew that picture with?

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Dude, this at 49 y/o, you should have seen my kindergarten stuff! :D

Dude, this at 49 y/o, you should have seen my kindergarten stuff! :D

I thought for a minute that you did draw that in kindergarten, until I remembered that they didn't have clipless pedals or float issues way back then :roflmao:







For the record I thought it was a pretty good description of float.

:eek:.....:roflmao2:

Shopping with your money solution,
Invest in Speedplay Frog pedals they are a different mounting scheme shoe to pedal.
so float is the basis of their design [a bayonet rather than a stomp down engagement]

for the non clipped in side Winwood Decksters [QBP] and a second set of the same cleats
will give you a second side to ride on with regular shoes ..

Holy crap!! ANOTHER injury directly linked to the use of clipless pedals!! :crash::crash::crash:

And these devices are supposed to be oh so safe! :rolleyes:

Yeah right...:notamused::notamused::notamused:

not really a major injury, Im just sore....I do sit at my desk obesessively with that foot tucked under the other as well which doesnt help. Never considered them 'safe' really anyway? I like them for a standing sprint out of a traffic light while spamming my gears.

+1 for the most excellent diagram. Im in a cheap set of Performance bike pedals, no float.

ColoradoClark that is exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks so much everyone!

Hey Dude ..........

As always ............... Rock On ! :thumb:

There is a big difference between the SPD and SPD SL in how much float you get and whether or not you can make adjustments... the original spd has a 10 degree exit angle and is non adjustable and the spring tension in the jaws will hold the cleat straight although the spring also allows for lateral movement of the foot so it is a little passive. It is a forgiving system as it will allow you to shift your foot and if you feel resistance while riding it may mean you nee dot adjust your cleats.

A lot of folks like to bash Shimano's spd but I feel it is a good design for many riders and only the most serious of riders will want a fixed cleat that has minimal float... I use these on my road bikes as well as my commuters and although I have road shoes I prefer mtb shoes for those times I am off the road bike and would like to be able to walk. I have balance issues and road shoes are a recipe for disaster unless I have no plans to get off the bike or pack my five finger shoes for when I need to stroll more than 5 feet.

My mtb shoes are quite a bit stiffer than my touring shoes (spd) and are not quite as comfortable to walk in but offer better performance while the road shoes are very rigid and very comfortable and cool while on the bike.

Road bikes have double sided spd pedals while the more utilitarian and touring bicycles have spd / flat pedals which I find very comfortable when I ride with a more flexible riding shoe as they have a better platform for support and allow for regular shoes to be worn.

ya

I'm, in a specialized mtb shoe with recessed cleats - Im a commuter. Once I get where Im going, I have minimal clicking on the floor while Im walking :)

My pedal:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1033468_-1_1589016_1586500_400265

Holy crap!! ANOTHER injury directly linked to the use of clipless pedals!! :crash::crash::crash:

And these devices are supposed to be oh so safe! :rolleyes:

Yeah right...:notamused::notamused::notamused:

Very insightful and on topic.