Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Cleat / Foot Alignment

Search
Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Cleat / Foot Alignment

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-15-12 | 09:12 AM
  #1  
Thread Starter
Reasonably Slow...
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 628
Likes: 1
From: Middle of Oklahoma
Cleat / Foot Alignment

Having a little knee pain on the left side. Seat height seems to be ok (within normal angles--146 max, 73 min), so I'm thinking it may be cleat-related.

I've been playing with the toe-in / toe-out adjustments, trying to see if it helps. I'm thinking maybe I need to be a little toe out, to mirror the natural resting position of my feet.

How do your feet line up when you are clipped in? Are they straight ahead? A little toe-in? A little toe-out?
laserfj is offline  
Reply
Old 02-15-12 | 10:08 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 386
Likes: 0
From: NJ

Bikes: 2009 Specialized Allez 105

I definitely ride toe-out. It may also be how you pedal. Make sure your knees are not bowing out or fluctuating in your cadence.
blcknspo0ln is offline  
Reply
Old 02-15-12 | 06:19 PM
  #3  
Looigi's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,951
Likes: 14
Somewhat toe out for me.
Looigi is offline  
Reply
Old 02-15-12 | 09:09 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,204
Likes: 1

Bikes: Colnago C59 Italia Di2

Toe in or toe out is totally dependant on Q for me. Narrow is better which causes toe in however my natural walking stance is toe out. Varus / Valgus wedging will also change what is comfortable
lazerzxr is offline  
Reply
Old 02-15-12 | 10:28 PM
  #5  
MrTuner1970's Avatar
Underwhelming
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,263
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Mississippi

Bikes: Lynskey R330 Ti, Dean El Vado Ti, Trek 4300

I'm a little bit toe-out.

Also check your cleat position on the shoe (side-to-side).
MrTuner1970 is offline  
Reply
Old 02-15-12 | 11:24 PM
  #6  
Lexi01's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
From: Geelong, Australia

Bikes: Cannondale Supersix Hi-Mod / Scott Spark 930 / Scott Sportster 20 / Jamis Allegro 2.0

What sort of cleats?

If they're Shimano SPD-SL I'm assuming you're onto the yellow (floating) cleats already...if not try those first. I think they give about 6deg of float (someone correct me here). But that should be plenty to correct a toe in/toe out issue. If not I'd be looking elsewhere...
Lexi01 is offline  
Reply
Old 02-16-12 | 02:41 PM
  #7  
Paul Y.'s Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 912
Likes: 0
From: kennett sq. pa

Bikes: 2008 Lynskey R220 2005 Lemond

Take a couple of steps and stop to look at positioning.
Thats usually your resting position. Check which way your
feet look. +1 on the yellow Shimano cleats. Alot of float there.
Paul Y. is offline  
Reply
Old 02-16-12 | 03:52 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
IS it both knees? Have you ever been fitted on your bike?

I had a few knee issues only to discover when I went in for a fitting that one of my legs was longer than the other.
Had my cleats on the longer leg adjusted, and it solved the problem.
deyendznyr is offline  
Reply
Old 02-16-12 | 05:27 PM
  #9  
fstshrk's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,843
Likes: 5
From: WA State
If you are using Keo, I much prefer the red cleats. Lots of knee saving float.
fstshrk is offline  
Reply
Old 02-16-12 | 07:06 PM
  #10  
Thread Starter
Reasonably Slow...
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 628
Likes: 1
From: Middle of Oklahoma
Thanks for all the comments. I am using speedplay zero cleats, and the pain was in both knees, but was worse in my left knee.

I tried adjusting them to be a little more toe-out, and that seemed to help. I am going to go even a little more toe-out to see what that does. To accomplish this, though, I think I'll need to move the cleat slightly inward on the shoe.
laserfj is offline  
Reply
Old 02-17-12 | 01:59 PM
  #11  
datlas's Avatar
Should Be More Popular
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 46,297
Likes: 11,812
From: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)

Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix

Your foot should be in its natural position, whether that is toe-in, toe-out, or straight.

In the good old days of slotted cleats, you would just put the cleats on with the screw finger-tight, go for a spin around the block, and come home and tighten them up. Worked PERFECTLY!

Now you can't do that because the unclipping process will make the cleat move.
__________________
Originally Posted by rjones28
Addiction is all about class.
datlas is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
McBTC
Fifty Plus (50+)
14
04-02-18 07:14 PM
Colorado Kid
Commuting
8
12-27-13 09:36 PM
garethzbarker
Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling
3
10-24-12 04:28 PM
curdog
Fifty Plus (50+)
29
08-21-12 03:36 PM
otis66
Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs
0
07-24-12 09:51 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.