Cleat adjustment?
 

Hi,

I have two main questions regarding cleat adjustment, which I will list below. I have also included a background of the issue in case further detail is needed to answer the questions, very grateful for any advice!

1: Is it OK to have the two cleats set at different amounts further forward and back?

2: Is it alright to have one cleat slightly twisted and the other neutral, or am I storing up problems for myself?


I've been cycling a road bike with mtb pedals & shoes for over 4 years with no problems.

After a recent back injury I had a bike fit done, and was advised to switch to road pedals & shoes.

I got the Look Keo Classic 2 pedals & some Specialized road shoes. Since then I have been getting a calf pain in my left leg only, at the top of my calf on the inside of my knee. It begins after only about 5/10 minutes of easy cycling and gets worse.

I've had lots of physiotherapy and done all the suggested foam rolling and calf strengthening exercises, to no avail.

I googled my problem and many suggest moving the cleats back, which I experimented with today.

1: My right leg (which has never had any problems) didn't enjoy the new position and it felt like it was overworking my hamstring, so I the cleat moved it back to its original position (further forward). Is it OK to have the two cleats set at different amounts further forward and back?

2: My right cleat has been and is currently set in a neutral position. After examining my old mountain bike cleats I found that they were turned inward slightly (meaning that my feet would be turning outward slightly when pedalling). I have adjusted the left cleat so that this too turns inward slightly so that my left foot turns outward slightly. Is it alright to have one cleat slightly twisted and the other neutral, or am I storing up problems for myself?

Thank you for any thoughts!!

Could you clarify the timeline of events for me please? Did you ride after the injury but before getting fitted and switching pedals/shoes without issue? Also, which cleats are you using (how much float)?

It's OK to have the cleats positioned and angled differently if that's the best way to accommodate your physiology. Everyone is asymmetric to some degree, and depending on how and how much, it may be best to adjust bike fit accordingly. You can read up on the topic and try things yourself, or seek the services of a bike fit specialist.

As everyone else has said: Yes, different is ok. My config on SPD-SL even shims each foot so right tilts out and left tilts in. Painless knees for years now.

Just to add that you don't just have the ability to adjust the rotation and fore-aft positioning but also the roll of the ankle in the event you need to do so.

1. Yes.

2. Yes.


It is the rare person who is completely symmetrical. I have always known that my hips are crooked, but it was when I started riding with a Brooks saddle that I could really see just how crooked. The sitbone divots are both crooked and different depths.

My hip crookedness also makes me more comfortable on a saddle that points ever-so-slightly left.

And my hip crookedness no doubt also contributes to the difference in my foot position when I stand.

Stand up. Stretch a bit and maybe walk around a little bit, then stand up straight in a natural stance for you ... like how you might stand while waiting for the bus. Not something that's forced. Just let your feet point in a comfortable direction and let them be placed wherever is comfortable for you. Now look at where your feet actually are. That is approx. the position your feet should be in when they are on the pedals.

So if your feet point out a bit, you'll want to adjust your cleats so that your feet point out a little tiny bit. If one foot points out and the other is relatively straight, that's how you'll want to adjust your cleats. Don't go overboard with it ... small adjustments. And if something still doesn't feel quite right ... make another small adjustment until it does.