Kendeathwalker

Im suffering from knee pains in my right knee. Im looking into making sure my bike is fit to me correctly. Ive been told that my cleat is probably no positioned correctly. What methods do you guys use to figure out where it should be? One person has suggested putting the shoes on with the cleats loose, getting on a trainer and pedaling and allow the cleats to settle into your natural position, then gently remove your feet from the shoes and tighten the bolts. I dont have easy access to a trainer, so I cant use this method currently. Any suggestions would help.

Im also looking into kneesavers if my problem is toeout. And seriously considering swithcing from the spd to speedplays, because of the increased amount of float.

born2bahick

Assuming you have yet to tap the unlimited rescources of the internet. Here are some good articles. If you have already read these and used the information to no avail, I suggest a different pedal.
Link #1
Link #2
Link #3
Link #4

mcoomer

I put my shoes on and use a sharpie to mark the point of the sole where the ball of my foot is resting. Then I mount my cleat so that it is straight from heel to toe and just slightly to the rear (1/4 to 1/2" max) of the ball of my foot. After that, go on a few rides and don't change it unless your body tells you it is obviously not positioned correctly. Once you've got a few rides in you can tweak the cleat position a bit but I find that I usually end up only moving the cleat to the inside of the shoe a bit to provide some clearance for the crankarm. Depending on your pedals you will generally have enough float to prevent doing damage to yourself.

One other thing to consider is using a footbed with wedges that allow you to adjust the varus and valgus angularity of your foot. Sounds complex but it isn't really. Varus and valgus angularity refers to the alignment of your foot and leg. If your foot is rotated in or out in relation to your leg you are placing strain on your knee. When we're young we can generally deal with this (ah, those were the days) but as we age our knees let us know when the feel good and when they don't. Do a google search and you can learn more about this. For me, I had similar trouble with my left knee and after experimenting with several options I found that one wedge in my left shoe with a footbed to support my arch (I also have bad feet, thanks Mom) did wonders for me. I can ride all day now and be pain free afterwards.

Good luck to you.
Mike

Kendeathwalker

Thanks for the help guys.

MY cleats I feel are in the right place now. Unfortunately Im a dumbass. I bought a bike that is too small for me. Whatever, I always have to learn the hard way. I got lucky and my LBS is giving me full credit and after some debate and a little more money Im ending up with the bike I almost bought the first time around. Switching from a Cannondale F4 29er to a Specialized rockhopper expert disc. My freakishly long legs require a 23" frame.

born2bahick

Just a little feller aren't ya?

Kendeathwalker

Oh yes, Of my 5'1" height 4'11" is all leg.