bikecommuter13

Hi,

I have never had clipless pedal before. I just bought a Forte Boulevard pedal. And I am confused about the installation.

I have put my questions on the images. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Raiden

Much easier to show than try to explain how to mount them- check youtube for how to's on mounting/using cleats. Here's just the first one I saw. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLSxmaQeEIM

When you mount the pedals to your bike, I suggest a little grease and make them nice and tight.

Andrew R Stewart 

Some of the answers depend on the shoes you have and their mounting points situation.

Most shoes already have what's called the dog bone, the stamped plate with the two threaded holes in it. This is usually trapped inside the shoe sole, between the insole and the bottom. So if this is the case with your shoes then this dog bone and the sheet steel with the two slots can both be put aside.

Next up it the configuration that the cleats need to be set at (on the shoe bottom) so that the screws line up with the mounting holes and also with the pedal's clasp/jaws. Your second photo has the cleat rotated 90* off for this to be.

So in order from the shoe to the screws the order of assembly is. The shoe with the threaded holed dog bone within it's sole. The cleat, the thick piece with the tabbed front and rear ends. The rear end usually has a centering nub on it. Next is the top plate which nests inside the cleat and has the two counter sunk screw holes in it. Then the two screws.

A few pointers. First is that you can do harm to your knees with badly aligned cleats. So finding out how to locate them on the shoe is VITAL. Not to pick on the OP but I don't think you have the awareness of what this means or how to figure it out. So at this point I STRONGLY suggest that you get help in doing this from a qualified person. Again failure to get the cleats in the proper location on your shoes can cause knee damage. Who ever does mount the cleats needs to use some sort of lube or anti seize on the screw threads so future screw adjustment can happen, so the eventual corrosion will be slowed down. Who ever uses these cleats (and shoes) needs to understand that the screws need periodic maintenance. First shortly after the initial install. The plastic shoe sole will slightly compress with initial use and the screws will need retightening soon. Do one screw at a time to not cause the cleat to shift from the position that was determined prior. Then every few months to year (dependent on the conditions the bike is ridden in) these screws should be loosened and then retightened to insure any corrosion is kept at bay. Again one screw at a time. If the screws are very hard to loosen this corrosion has started and the screws need complete removal and possible relubing or replacement.

Then there's the actual riding aspects. I strongly suggest the pedal clasp tension is reduced in the beginning to make entry and release easier as you learn the technique to do so. Mount the bike on a trainer stand so your balance isn't needed and practice entry and exiting a number of times with both sides. Only when both entry and exit are a smooth one fluid motion are you ready to go outside and ride. I suggest that the first time user release from their foot that is placed on the ground when stopping a number of pedal strokes before actual touch down is needed. MANY riders have fallen over at a stop because they forgot to release from their pedal and now can't. You'll find it's easier to enter and release with the pedal on the lowest portion of the stroke. A straight leg id FAR easier to get the foot rotated around enough to release the pedal clasp then with a bent leg. And placing one's weight on the pedal while entering is needed, hard to do with the pedal on the top of the stroke.

Again from the Op's post I suggest you seek out help. Andy.

HillRider

In your first picture:

The item you ask "this one on top" goes inside the shoe's under the insole and is the plate the cleat's mounting bolts thread into. Your shoe is likely to have a mounting plate already installed so that one isn't needed.

The "this one in the middle" goes into the cleat and the mounting bolts go through it, then the cleat and then thread through the shoe into the mounting plate noted above.

The "what does this do?" is a reenforcement for the mounting plate inside the shoe. Often not used.

Your second picture has the cleat placed 90 degrees from it's proper orientation on the pedal. Turn it 90 degrees clockwise to get it aligned properly.

fietsbob

Yup, 2 of 2 is 90 degrees out. , you need the leverage of your shoe to engage and release .

many of the pieces are redundant with those already in the shoes.

bikecommuter13

Thanks for the tips!

bikecommuter13

Thanks guys. I think it's simpler than I thought. I didn't need all pieces. Here is how I have it set up. Please let me know if you see problems.

I have been using toe clips for over a year, I am hoping transitioning into clipless won't be too much of an issue...

Andrew R Stewart 

Looks about right, excepting that we can't tell if the cleat position is right, only your knees know for sure. And to repeat what I said before. Entry/exit with the foot at the bottom of the stroke. many toeclip riders will do this at the top of the stroke. This difference can get one into trouble as the need to stop grows quickly... Andy

HillRider

As Andy said, the installation looks proper but you can refine the fore-and-aft and rotation of the cleats to find the most comfortable position. Plan on a couple of awkward releases and near falls until the release motion becomes second nature.

Looigi

Lube cleat screws with grease to prevent them from corroding and getting stuck. Torque them to 4-5 Nm so they don't come loose which can make it impossible to clip out.