Need cleat advice...
 

I have been using SPD pedals for the past for years. Lately I switched to SPD-SL pedals and new shoes in hopes of relieving some hot spots on the side of my left foot. I've now developed some pain on the inside of my left knee. I've tried pointing the cleats inwards and also moving them to the outside of the shoe, but I've had no relief. The pain isn't bad while riding, it usually flares up later in the day or the next day.

Any advice would be appreciated! I'd hate to go back to the old pedals after investing in new pedals and shoes.

Pay attention to how you want to place your foot on the pedal. Then move the cleat to suit. I.e. if you feel your heel pressing on the outside of the shoe you need to adjust the cleat so the heel of the shoe is farther out. Move in small increments.

You may need a fitter if you can't find the problem yourself. Hot spots on the side of your left foot with smaller SPD cleats. Then a sore left knee with larger SPD-SL cleats. The cure might be as simple as a slight saddle adjustment. Or you might need inserts to take care of a leg length difference

inside of knee could be an indication that your feet are too close together and you need to move it outward.

generally, your feet should be parallel to eachother throughout the entire stroke and should not point at or away from each other at all.

Also double check to make sure your saddle height is not too low.

yet another thing might be that you need a cleat wedge, but this is the last option, after you correct the first two.

That is not necessarily true, AEO. Some people, such as myself, do not have their feet parallel to each other. My feet point slightly outwards (left more than the right).

OP, you need to place your feet how they naturally want to go. I used to think that I had to have both feet pointing straight forward, and my knees suffered for that belief. I would do what ericm979 says, and duplicate with your cleats the position your feelt want to go when you place them on the pedal.

It looks like the SPD-SL cleats make my foot sit higher in the pedal. Would raising my seat help with the knee pain?

that's why I said "generally"

my feet point outwards for my regular shoes, I can tell because my heel is worn on the outside, but when cycling they are parallel to each other.