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Could Fixed Cleats Actually be Good for your Knees?

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Could Fixed Cleats Actually be Good for your Knees?

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Old 03-31-16, 12:09 PM
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Like many here, I started when all cleats were fixed, whether slotted or Looks or whatever. Getting cleats right generally amounted to riding with an adjustment tool and stopping every so often until one "felt" they were right. Occasionally, I'd get knee pain a hundred or so miles later.

FF to float cleats and adjustments are quicker and easier. Mid ride adjustments are fewer and knee pain is non-existent. Float for me.

Anecdotal? Sure, but like @rpenmanparker, I've got 34 seasons with a logged mileage of 209, 974 miles as of this morning and I'm not going back to fixed cleats.
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Old 03-31-16, 01:45 PM
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My knee issues went away when I went to zero float cleats (SPD-SLs).
That's a sample set of one though.

I see a lot of riders, many in full kit with expensive bikes, that have their knees flapping like chicken wings. Zero float would probably either cure them kill them.
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Old 03-31-16, 02:16 PM
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"knee niggles" ? lol
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Old 03-31-16, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Trsnrtr
Like many here, I started when all cleats were fixed, whether slotted or Looks or whatever. Getting cleats right generally amounted to riding with an adjustment tool and stopping every so often until one "felt" they were right. Occasionally, I'd get knee pain a hundred or so miles later.

FF to float cleats and adjustments are quicker and easier. Mid ride adjustments are fewer and knee pain is non-existent. Float for me.

Anecdotal? Sure, but like @rpenmanparker, I've got 34 seasons with a logged mileage of 209, 974 miles as of this morning and I'm not going back to fixed cleats.
nuthin but respect to you sir...
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Old 04-16-16, 09:26 AM
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I'm going to experiment with fixed cleats. I've been using spd mountain bike cleats which (with my pedals at least) have a fairly loose float. My knee flaps about all over the place when under pressure and it is giving me some discomfort. This particular issue never happened when I used toe strap/cages which kept the foot more or less in the same place.

Phil Burt (bike fits for GB cycling and Team sky) in his book on bike fit more or less agrees with the fella in the video, stating that in some cases 'float will actually cause knee pain' due to having to control excessive movement.
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Old 04-16-16, 09:28 AM
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What issues were you having?

Originally Posted by TGT1
My knee issues went away when I went to zero float cleats (SPD-SLs).
That's a sample set of one though.

I see a lot of riders, many in full kit with expensive bikes, that have their knees flapping like chicken wings. Zero float would probably either cure them kill them.
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Old 04-16-16, 09:32 AM
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Yes. There is a subset of riders who do better on fixed cleats. Only way to find out if you're in that set is by trying them for a while.
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