None
July 15th 03, 01:05 PM
By the ball of the foot, you refer to the First Metatarsel head. Actually,
a good starting point is halfway between a line drawn perpendicularly
(across the shoe) through the first metatarsel head (find the center of the
joint or knuckle) and a line drawn perpendicularly through the center of
fifth metatarsel head (the knucke of the small toe). With your shoes on,
use a pen to place marks on the shoes at the appropriate spots, then use a
straight edge to mark the sole of the shoe. Split the difference.
Depending on pedal technique, you can move the cleat from there slightly
forward or aft (in small degrees).
Keep in mind that it is normal for your feet to be different lengths and
sizes, and it is unlikely that, if set up correctly, your cleats will be in
exactly the same position relative to each other.
If your knees are bothering you, saddle height and fore/aft position may
also be a problem.
"asqui" > wrote in message
...
>
> I bought a new touring bike around 6 weeks ago and got the shop to do the
> whole fitting shindig, including cleat alignment. I haven't had any major
> problems so I guess things must be pretty good.
>
> My question is about the cleat positioning. If I recall correctly the
> procedure used to mount the cleats was as follows:
> I placed my bare feet on a plexiglas platform with a rectangular cut-out,
> with my heels against an adjustable backplate.
> The plate was adjusted such that the balls of my feet were exactly aligned
> with the bottom edge of the cut-out.
> I put on the shoes and placed my feet once more on the platform, and a
mark
> was scribed on the bottom of the shoe. (Using the bottom of the cut-out as
a
> straightedge)
>
> The cleats were later mounted such that the bolts were centred at this
mark.
>
> As far as I can tell no rotational adjustment was made at any stage, and
the
> cleats are simply pointing dead ahead. Fortunately this seems to be just
> fine with my feet. (I can't actually see how such adjustment would even be
> possible -- I'm using Shimano MO37 shoes and the black cleats that came
with
> the PD-M515 pedals)
>
> My question is thus, and I'm not really sure why it took this long for me
to
> realise this:
> If the backplate was adjusted to have the ball of my (bare) foot at the
edge
> of the cut-out, then with the shoes on and up against the backplate in the
> same position, the balls of my feet would be forward of the edge of the
> cut-out they were previously aligned with. (because the backplate was
> adjusted with my heel directly against the backplate, whereas now there is
> the back of the shoe between my heel and the backplate)
>
> I therefore draw the conclusion that the cleats are positioned behind the
> ball of my foot.
>
> I've been thinking more about this since I got a bit of a sore knee about
a
> week ago, though I'm pretty confident that it was just the result of going
> too hard for too long -- I had a 40mi route planned and set out going
quite
> hard... by the time I had demonstrated exceptional navigational skills by
> getting on the B4009 in the wrong direction and pounding away for about 10
> or 15 miles before noticing, the ride became a 65 miler instead. The sore
> knee went away within a couple of days and only traces of soreness were
> apparent after 55miles on Sunday. Apart from that I have had no problems
> with my knees (or anything else!) and I've done about 500mi on the bike.
>
> In yesterday's ride I felt like the right cleat was so far back that I
> thought it might have actually loosened and slid back to the furthest
> position. I stopped and inspected the shoe to see that the cleat was still
> aligned with the mark, but on closer inspection just now I see that the
> right cleat is about 1mm behind the left!
>
> I can't adjust them easily because there is a waterproofing sticker on the
> inside of the shoe which is holding the plate in position, so I will have
to
> sacrifice my waterproofing if/when I start playing with the cleat
> positioning.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> asqui.
>
>
>
a good starting point is halfway between a line drawn perpendicularly
(across the shoe) through the first metatarsel head (find the center of the
joint or knuckle) and a line drawn perpendicularly through the center of
fifth metatarsel head (the knucke of the small toe). With your shoes on,
use a pen to place marks on the shoes at the appropriate spots, then use a
straight edge to mark the sole of the shoe. Split the difference.
Depending on pedal technique, you can move the cleat from there slightly
forward or aft (in small degrees).
Keep in mind that it is normal for your feet to be different lengths and
sizes, and it is unlikely that, if set up correctly, your cleats will be in
exactly the same position relative to each other.
If your knees are bothering you, saddle height and fore/aft position may
also be a problem.
"asqui" > wrote in message
...
>
> I bought a new touring bike around 6 weeks ago and got the shop to do the
> whole fitting shindig, including cleat alignment. I haven't had any major
> problems so I guess things must be pretty good.
>
> My question is about the cleat positioning. If I recall correctly the
> procedure used to mount the cleats was as follows:
> I placed my bare feet on a plexiglas platform with a rectangular cut-out,
> with my heels against an adjustable backplate.
> The plate was adjusted such that the balls of my feet were exactly aligned
> with the bottom edge of the cut-out.
> I put on the shoes and placed my feet once more on the platform, and a
mark
> was scribed on the bottom of the shoe. (Using the bottom of the cut-out as
a
> straightedge)
>
> The cleats were later mounted such that the bolts were centred at this
mark.
>
> As far as I can tell no rotational adjustment was made at any stage, and
the
> cleats are simply pointing dead ahead. Fortunately this seems to be just
> fine with my feet. (I can't actually see how such adjustment would even be
> possible -- I'm using Shimano MO37 shoes and the black cleats that came
with
> the PD-M515 pedals)
>
> My question is thus, and I'm not really sure why it took this long for me
to
> realise this:
> If the backplate was adjusted to have the ball of my (bare) foot at the
edge
> of the cut-out, then with the shoes on and up against the backplate in the
> same position, the balls of my feet would be forward of the edge of the
> cut-out they were previously aligned with. (because the backplate was
> adjusted with my heel directly against the backplate, whereas now there is
> the back of the shoe between my heel and the backplate)
>
> I therefore draw the conclusion that the cleats are positioned behind the
> ball of my foot.
>
> I've been thinking more about this since I got a bit of a sore knee about
a
> week ago, though I'm pretty confident that it was just the result of going
> too hard for too long -- I had a 40mi route planned and set out going
quite
> hard... by the time I had demonstrated exceptional navigational skills by
> getting on the B4009 in the wrong direction and pounding away for about 10
> or 15 miles before noticing, the ride became a 65 miler instead. The sore
> knee went away within a couple of days and only traces of soreness were
> apparent after 55miles on Sunday. Apart from that I have had no problems
> with my knees (or anything else!) and I've done about 500mi on the bike.
>
> In yesterday's ride I felt like the right cleat was so far back that I
> thought it might have actually loosened and slid back to the furthest
> position. I stopped and inspected the shoe to see that the cleat was still
> aligned with the mark, but on closer inspection just now I see that the
> right cleat is about 1mm behind the left!
>
> I can't adjust them easily because there is a waterproofing sticker on the
> inside of the shoe which is holding the plate in position, so I will have
to
> sacrifice my waterproofing if/when I start playing with the cleat
> positioning.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> asqui.
>
>
>