How to Set Up your Cleats - BikeFitTuesdays

[@kristofvero7972]

Even after 4 years, this video is incredibly helpful. I’ve just bought a more serious bike and got my first pair of clipless shoes, and I had no idea how to set them up correctly. Thanks to this, I now have an excellent starting point. I adjusted them all the way back, as many others suggested, saying it eliminated their pain. If needed, I’ll fine-tune later, but honestly, a huge thank you-it’s been a game changer!

[@brianstevens8390]

Holy buckets, James! I moved my cleats back on Shimano S-Phyres and it’s night and day better. No more knee pain. Unreal.

[@jimkarthauser]

@Elian Milan dude, that’s awful.

[@jameshancock18]

I’ve got sphyres and have right posterior knee pain, I’m going to try this

[@lakemaniac]

Slap-bang!!

[@c.wagner7482]

by far the best free advice EVER. moved my cleat position from full forward to all the way back and took it for a 10k zwift ride. felt awesome. no pain anywhere. taking it for a longer ride tomorrow, outside. thanks again.

[@richardkemp4144]

A few weeks ago I bought my first 'serious' road bike. I decide to get my first clipless pedals and road shoes also. The bike is great but something wasn't right and after two weeks, my left knee began to play up. I initially positioned the cleats completely centrally, but yesterday, after watching this, I adjusted them all the way back, as suggested. Today, I absolutely smashed my normal route, no pain what so ever, and it felt like I was riding a completely different machine. I'm absolutely gobsmacked how much difference 8mm can make. Great advice, thanks a lot, and stay safe.

[@Cade_Media]

Great stuff, that's what we like to hear

[@69pslim]

Man I truly thank you guys for the advice, because my cycling shoes were killing me. I made the adjustment of pushing the cleat far back because I have large feet and also making sure I didn't have too much of an angle on the cleat. I put it to the test in a 3 hour ride and I felt no discomfort. I truly thank you guys for bike fit Tuesdays. Much respect form the Sunshine State of Florida.

[@Bikefitjames]

69pslim I’m coming your way in a couple of months!

[@Bikefitjames]

(Super pleased to hear we’ve helped!)

[@arvinbp]

Love this episode. I seriously just bought my first cleats shoes today (Shimano RP4 with yellow attachments) and this is very timely and very helpful. Sending love from cyclists here in the Philippines. Free lessons from Bike Fit James. :D

[@janstegmann9207]

"Take the cleats back as far as they go" - definitely the single best piece of bike fitment advise I ever had. Solved my foot pain and toe numbness plus gave me a feeling of more power. Thanks!

[@wilfredoandaluz5571]

That's true, because it absorves also the power of legs when pushing your pedal.

[@Akiraownz]

This video is just on time, received my first clip pedals/ shoes 24 hours ago so will be settings them up this weekend :)

[@benboddy515]

Followed the advice in this video and moved my cleats right back. My right foot numbness that I have be experiencing was much improved. Love bike fit Tuesdays and looking forward to the next one.

[@willisix2554]

Glad to hear that, I have the same problem that was my left foot, I'm moving back hope it works as well for me as it does for you

[@timsparkes8606]

I've just moved my cleats back and in on my shoes and what a difference. Other videos on here suggesting on the balls of your feet but really wasn't working for me with numb feet being the biggest issue. Thank you, great video.

[@pauldeaks1212]

Watched this last night moved my cleats this morning to back and then a session on the wattbike , oh my god how comfy , thanks so much

[@jamesbearpark3794]

So many bike fit Tuesdays lately. Not that I'm complaining

[@johnnydoe66]

I set my cleats all the way back when James had mentioned something back when you started BikeFitTuesdays. It helped alleviate pain I was having in my toes of my left foot. I tend to pedal slightly toe in with my left foot and angled my cleat accordingly, plus my cleats are set as far inboard as possible on the shoe. I have made these adjustments due to watching and adhering to James' advice and I have no pains whatsoever when riding. Also I would like to thank James for helping my self esteem, I guess I am not Fat after all, just a squishy human lol 🤣 (Truthfully I am just a little " squishy ")

[@Cade_Media]

So glad to hear it helped John!

[@johnnydoe66]

@@Cade_Media Yeah, BikeFitTuesdays is a really great way to learn how to set up your own bike if a Professional Bike Fitter isn't available. I referred several cycling friends to your channel, not only for BFT, but your regular content.

[@stutrigg]

Every time I watch the Bike Fit Tuesday video's, it always makes me smile with the skeleton waving in time to the music 😊

[@nedt]

I'm new to SPD (clipless) got some shimano xc7 and slammed the cleats all the way back (after having seen your bike packing SPD cleat setup) I have ridden about a month of riding on the trainer and outside and it's worked great. Thanks!

[@sebastianko6758]

I would love to hear James' opinion on saddle fore and aft position! Great video as always!

[@davidsimpson87]

Yes!!! 👌🏽

[@markrushton1516]

have a look at Phil Burts channel - all the info is on there

[@sebastianko6758]

​@@markrushton1516 Not really, he only talks about about power transfer, but I'm more interested in weight distribution on the bike. I felt that when I get the saddle to where I can produce the most power the handling of the bike changes a lot.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks, James and Francis, you took this issue down to the bare bones. And I grin and I would add that while, yes, I have a quality pair of clipless pedals and shoes, I prefer day-to-day to ride with flat pedals. And I am very comfortable and very nimble on them. I grew up on them, of course, riding a Schwinn Sting-Ray throughout my childhood, and I am fine with toe-clips, too, and I might install a Seventies pair of chrome Christophe clips on my commuter this year. And it's all fun.

[@mikekaras1502]

Perfect timing for this video! Getting new cleats/pedals in the mail today and I was unsure about the positioning.

[@markboast2867]

Great guidance and provided reassurance on getting it right with cleats. By the way, my wife suffers from feet hot spots. She uses walkers wool inside her socks which gives her a lot more time before problems arise.

[@SandyW4196]

Brilliant explanation

[@markreams3192]

I’ve moved the cleats back on my shoes because your videos as well as other reading I’ve done. I find much better foot comfort as well as the absence of sore calves after hard efforts and it hasn’t effected my power output at all. Centering the first metatarsal head over the pedal axle is a complete myth! By the way, I started cycling with wood sole Italian shoes with toe clips and straps and cleats nailed to the sole with the metatarsal head centered over the axle of my Campy nuovo record pedals! It’s a long held myth!

[@sivelo5021]

Great, now I’m going to have to go and reset all of my road shoes (x2), cx shoes (x2), and winter boots. All hell is gonna break loose! Top vid both btw 👍🏻

[@ShinSuri]

James, very pleasantly surprised, took your advice, moved my cleats back and found the following. Pain/soreness from feet alleviated, less pressure on my arms and generally a much more comfortable ride. Only an initial 15k ride but will monitor to see how it fares. Thank you.

[@duiliopaterno3780]

The Most Helpful channel for Cycling on KZbin 💯👌🏻 Wish you guys were in Oz ! Thank you

[@markl2815]

Bust my back many years ago ... rugby ... bed .... cast ... wheelchair .... and then had to effectively get back to even walking after full body cast for so long. Net result, well, shoes and position 30 odd years later make a difference. I’m certainly what you’d call “unreasonably active” and run an outdoor company in France I’m not a mad arsed million km per day guy on a bike being older, built like a brick privy and essentially knackered but I just did the first half of the French Chemin de St Jacques from Le Puy (350 km) on my bike ,.. and only have another thousand plus or so to go to Santiago. I admit to being sceptical but have found cleats to be surprisingly handy on my bike. Only have one set of spd based shoes as the rest is just flats on the other bikes. Which is fine. I’ve been wondering and obviously researching advice on this as I get used to them. Reality is that there’s a hell of a lot of “advice” out there so you end up just trying shit. I do however trust what James said here because he is bloody obviously a bloke who knows his subject. Were I to be anywhere near him and not in SW France, I’d pay for him to actually just set it up properly for me. I’d advise others to do the same if they can and are closer. A day spent doing that is worth a lifetime of messing about ... get someone who actually knows what the issues are to help you. You’d not try to guess how to fly a helicopter even if you had one so why guess when there is an option. Cheers

[@montellanojavelosa6249]

never understood the concept of settling the cleats at the "ball of the foot" tried that and it didn't feel right. moved it back and feels a lot more comfortable. going by "feel" if you have a good sense of your own body mechanics is a good thing rather than going with an "expert" advice. on that note, there are a lot of crap advice on cleat location on KZbin from these major cycling organizations. James is spot on again proving everyone else wrong.

[@veloman59]

Very good - very true I slammed my cleats right back as I had saddle issues. Made a fantastic improvement! From a personal point a view I would most certainly recommend trying it..

[@adamm7001]

Thank you for this. I was struggling to find the right cleat adjustment for my new Shimanos. Nothing was comfortable and I was persisting with the received wisdom of positioning the centre of the cleat beneath the ball of my foot. I took your advice and pushed them right back and much to my surprise the shoes are now comfortable and pedalling is way more efficient.

[@IanB17]

Really interested to hear James talk about shoe brands / choices.

[@PhilB303]

general rule, based on years of experience, Lake/ Shimano are excellent, S works are good but not great value. Fizik are really odd as they often cant allow for your cleats to go far enough back... Sidi are very nice though their heel support is awful on some models. thats just me of course...

[@IanB17]

Philbcycling Using Fizik at the minute but I find the sizing really odd & they’re a little too narrow at the toe box therefore my toes are getting squashed slightly so looking for alternatives. Used Shimano before so might go back to them, keen to try Lakes as well but they aren’t as widely available as other brands.

[@yannickokpara4861]

@@IanB17 Definitely try on Lake first. They are very low volume in the forefoot compared to Shimano, so even if you have a wide foot, you might not even be able to get your foot in ;)

[@IanB17]

Yannick Okpara Ordered some CX237 so keen to try them out.

[@ryanwillcocks315]

@@IanB17 I second the LAKE suggestion as I have a wider forefoot. Also been loving my BONT shoes as they are really tailored for the people with a wider toebox.

[@vs92384]

Again, he's literally brilliant. He gets it.

[@colinfurmston3672]

Already have the 4mm out moving my cleat back! I have suffered with nortons nerome for the past 6 months. This is the first time I've heard about cleat placement in relation to it. Everything else I have read has been about foot inserts. Thank you in advance for foot pain free riding.

[@fefo107]

Hey! Thank you for those tips. I have a question though: Should I lower my saddle if I take the cleats all the way back? Is there a ratio or a tip for doing that?

[@runna138]

Thank you a lot! Was really confused by most of the other vids on YT and worried about setting my cleats (Just changed from SPD to SPD-SL). Just followed your tips and it feels awesome so far!

[@jarvezwilliams4592]

This video changed my cycling journey thanks

[@coeurdelion6582]

I am here to say THANK YOU! I followed this video and moved my cleats all the way to the back, OMG! the difference in feel and comfort is unbelievable. The most comfortable fit I have ever done, I was putting power directly from the legs with so much ease and comfort.

[@Cycling.Bikepacking]

It is really nice to know, that House MD finally found his dream job.

[@Knud451]

This is super! Cleat position is such an intricate topic. It would be very interesting to 1) hear more about how to angle the cleats, 2) troubleshooting, e.g. if you have pain on the outside of the knee, how should "possibly" move your cleats.

[@Bikefitjames]

it's your left knee isn't it...

[@Knud451]

@@Bikefitjames actually, it's mainly the right.

[@Bikefitjames]

Thomas Hemming Larsen you need a bike fit then!

[@Knud451]

@@Bikefitjames hehe, yeah. If it wasn't because it required plane to get to you, I probably would come by :) To be fair, it's a long story that started with an acute injury that manifested into something permanent. So having a good sports masseur has helped a ton with how I feel on the bike as well.

[@robdownes5159]

Good timing as I bought a new pair of shoes at the weekend, I'd heard James talk about cleat position before so my last pair I moved them further back (I was never that keen on them being too far forward anyway) Since I've watched some of these videos I've really managed to get what I thought was a reasonably comfortable position to be even better, thinking about a full bike fit at some point but at the moment I'm very happy with the position. It's all about getting over the ego and remembering you're not a pro, you won't look pro having a massive stem and huge seatpost height, you'll just look like a guy on a badly sized bike!

[@ianw3592]

Love my Lakes - best cycling shoes ever.

[@deebee0712]

This is my 1st time using clip-ins. I've watched several videos because I had a slight hip pain after my 1st short 15 mile ride with the new pedals. I positioned the cleat so my heels would point inward because that's my natural foot position. I mistakenly positioned the line of the cleat to line up with the small bone (pinkie toe) rather than the big bone. I'm gonna make that adjustment and see how it goes. Thanks for the tips.

[@mattjohnson6375]

Would love to see James explain ankling and pedal stroke.

[@Velobetty]

This is excellent; most straightforward explanation I've heard!

[@ITsupportian]

This guy knows what he is talking about

[@1jzboy121]

This video was extremely helpful I was having numbness in my left leg and impingement in my left hip. I made the adjustments that you spoke of in this video and it made my ride much more comfortable

[@Cade_Media]

Nice one, glad we could help!

[@Dralbastaki]

im having right hip impingement, what adjustment i need to do?

[@njm3211]

James is a goldmine of info.

[@montellanojavelosa6249]

your intro, music and cinematography is absolute 🔥 bro 👌

[@patrickbaker6978]

I found this vid helpful because last year while walking down stairs I completely snapped the large tendon above the knee,, it’s called a quad rupture.Before I get back on the bike I have to get my cleat position correct very helpful thanks.I had tendonitus in this area for decades , ignored it then finally my tendon snapped like it was made of straw

[@charlesgraham-dixon2637]

Love this guy

[@blainedubosejr]

You guys are awesome. I loved watching your Vietnam trip!

[@carlowehermosa956]

This will definitely add more insight into adjusting my shoes...Thank you so much!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@chazpilks]

Shoe brand would be interesting. Used Gaerne, no problems. Giro...felt tight. North Wave ok. Now back with Gaerne. Though I do tend to find the back of the shoe can clip the chainstay

[@arcoulant87]

Thanks,moved my cleats right back what a difference thank you !

[@Bob_Betty]

Old and gold, love the video, great advice :)

[@stewartt2054]

Thankyou for clearing up the myths about cleat position.

[@moe-moon]

Francis, James, favourite part of the week. So I thought I'd run my cleats 1-2mm further back from what I currently have, never really had issue with cleats ever. Went on a ride and found my arch on my left foot started to cramp. Impossible to diagnose over the internet with a million other factors, but anything that comes to mind James?

[@Bikefitjames]

Lieutenant Hamburger Dinkles move em further forward again 🤪

[@carlfisherjr.8203]

Thank you for the info on cleat position. Always appreciate your videos and nice seeing Old Glory in the background! You guys planning to visit stateside anytime soon?

[@Cade_Media]

Project USA volume two?

[@SuperAliceFonseca]

So... I wear a size 11 (UK, it's a 46 in Portugal) and it's half a size bigger than it should. I have always put the cleat the furthest to the front of the shoe I could. I rely more on the rotation of the leg rather than pressing on the pedals for acceleration purposes, because I don't have much power. Maybe I've been doing something wrong for the past 20 years. Thanks for the tips

[@TMAB2003]

Taking the cleat too far back can cause arch pain. I have insoles that allow a full contact with my feet and having cleats all the way back caused arch pain/foot soreness after about 20km. So slightly behind the ball of the foot is really the best compromise.

[@adamwright364]

Quality. Off to sort out the mess I've no doubt made of mine

[@mjpsmith87]

Great stuff James and Francis, it would be good to understand the circumstances when cleat shims are required, thanks in advance

[@malcolmbosanko2007]

Thanks so much for this advice. I have a Morton's Neuroma, as well as awaiting a hip replacement. I'm going to move my cleats towards the rear of the shoe to see if this benefits me.

[@scottmcrobb6937]

Always set mine up as far back as possible and go from there. Had a pair of Fizik shoes where having the cleat as far back as possible was still too far forward for me. Ended up with knee problems so they went in the bin. Shimano shoes seem to be best for me.

[@Cade_Media]

Best place for them.

[@Bikefitjames]

what he said

[@stephenmcgreesh3968]

Would love to hear more about different shoe brands fit. I am a taller rider and need a 48EU sized shoe, but even then some brands 48 don't ever fit (ie Sidi) and some do (ie Specialized).i also happen to be looking for new road and MTB shoes

[@Bigkidbird4]

Look up Lake cx/mx237.. best shoes ever! Lake has a self measurement guide also.

[@21cup]

I'm a size 47 and I wear the basic Specialized Torch and they actually run a bit too large I think I got size 12 UK so that might fit you comfortably

[@PeakTorque]

Brilliant. As ever. Question for jim. I'm slightly valgus (knees inwards) but my LAKE size 47 (plug) shoes are so wide i have no option but to move them outboard to clear the crank. Any ideas? Tricky one!

[@rizkiyoist]

Similar problem with mine, interested to see any possible solution.

[@Bikefitjames]

depends on the cause, arch support and some wedging might help if pronation is driving it

[@PeakTorque]

@@Bikefitjames cheers! Next time im in London i want to book in actually.

[@bernardgay6550]

Thanks guys. Very informative and well presented. Good job. Looking forward to the next episode if it’s going to be about shoes. Am looking to get a pair very soon and would appreciate any information with regards to size , brand , price etc.

[@Trainnotstrain]

It's always worth remember that physiology has an impact foe cleat placement. I have very muscular gluts - which means when I sit on my saddle, I am actually further forward that most other people. Hence, I have to run my seat as far back as possible. And then, to allow room for my knees to extend correctly during each turn of the crank, I have to put the cleats as far forward as possible... NB. with stiff shoes, by definition, cleat placement isn't as important as suggested, because the contact force point is spread over the entire sole of your foot. Placement is far more important to define the pivot point. Forward for climbing; backwards for downhill racing.

[@aaronhamlen8215]

James what about Shimano SPD cleats? Similar setup?

[@Cade_Media]

Same suggestionsapply

[@mattatkinson3450]

Great video. Any tips for those who walk with feet at the ten to two position \/. Sometimes I find the heel of my shoe hitting the pedal arm. Presumably the tip to widen the stance might be worth a try.

[@alistairwhite3531]

James! Brilliany video. Just watched all of this series and learned heaps. Just to clarify, when you state middle of metatarsal...you mean middle of metatarsophalangeal joint and then 30mm back from there? or metatarsal head (the bump)? Thanks!

[@josephlund9748]

Cx145 seems a great fit for winter

[@yisraels4555]

What about a "duck footed" individual? My right foot in particular normally wanders out... should I try to duplicate that on the bike or set the cleats straight ahead? Thanks!

[@heyitsmrniceguy]

Thank you so much for this! :) best cleat explanation video EVER!!

[@matthewmcgoon9156]

Informative as always. Love these bike fit Tuesday vids 👏

[@christopherbrown9618]

Very helpful and detailed video.

[@darranmoore]

Cheers guys interesting stuff as ever. I have had ankle surgery after tib/fib smash and dislocation. I have a slight rotation now in the right foot toes out about 10°. Do I rotate cleat to maintain this or try straighten? Worried on effects on knee if get wrong?

[@Arun-goes-ARunning]

Is the recommendation same for SPD?

[@dkj1128]

When moving your cleats back, do you need to lower your saddle ?

[@Cade_Media]

To maintain the same leg extension, yep

[@dkj1128]

@@Cade_Media Thanks man

[@tinobommelino3376]

Taking the cleat further back (as far as possible) was the thing that helped my numbness in the toes, too. But in large shoes (I wear a 47) it seems the holes in the sole fpr the cleats seem generally a bit far in the front. As a result I took the saddle down 7mm as well. That is the perfect match. But in my oppinion everybody makes too much adoo about the saddle hight.

[@matthew-tse]

i dealt with numb toes for like 7 years... just thought it always happens after an hour or two of riding i moved my cleats back today and had no numb toes. brilliant. how have i not done this sooner?

[@edwinrodriguez3935]

Awesome video. Which mtb racing shoe have the more cleat adjustment to put cleats further back?

[@Cade_Media]

Shimano shoes have a very rearward cleat location

[@SwearyCyclist]

Always good info, planning to try road pedals and shoes this summer.

[@julianmojica2719]

Nice vid, My question is, does it work for "flat feet"? Thanks!

[@bikewatcher5428]

Hi, great vlog 🙈😂gone straight over my head. Happy riding👍

[@darinsteele7091]

I got my first pair of shoes and Look cleats, and it seems to be easier to setup than I thought, I prefer them slammed all the way back but have to angle the cleat because my right foot points out more than my left. But if you slam the cleat all the way back then you just have to worry about the left/right tilt which you can keep testing. With the cleat forward it will cause IT band pain, at least for me it did.

[@djsugarfiend]

I would love to hear a discussion on dealing with leg length discrepancies. would you shim the cleat or use a wedge under the heel of the foot? I have one leg that is marginally shorter and tend to have ankle pain depending on the shoes I wear.

[@shewh0rn]

I'd love to hear about how cleat position interacts with saddle height, and setback.

[@Xantulle]

He answered this in the latest Francis Cade video. If you move your cleats back all the way, you probably have to lower your saddle by 5- or 10mm, because the extension of your legs changes when changing the cleat positions.

[@shewh0rn]

@@Xantulle thanks for the heads up, I haven't watched yet. I'll give it a watch before I go to bed. Thanks! :)

[@simonedebortoli3371]

Do the general suggestions good for MTB cleats, too?

[@Cade_Media]

Yes!

[@alstuart8801]

yup, I had James set up my 5/10 shoes. cleats moved backwards :-)

[@5891jonathan]

This makes sense! Thanks. I wear a size 43 shoe and set the cleat back about 20 mm. Is that a good starting point? Feels good.

[@padraiccallanan3717]

Love all this info! Speed plays and cleat position? Same? I get burning toes so will throwing cleats back help out? Thanks guys

[@tobiasteeuws]

Awesome video, superb information about cleats!

[@dean5053]

My cleats are currently all the way forward, if I was to move my cleats all the way back would I need to adjust saddle height? Great vid.

[@alanxxx8736]

Hi im currently doing the same thing cleats were all the way forward now bringing them all the way back , did you figure out if saddle needs to come down and if so by how much ? cheers

[@gardnercalibuso]

Awesome, I just leaned valuable lessons here. My foot fingers numb and hurts after a few hours of riding, would this may mean that my cleats are placed way to forward? Thanks for your help

[@Pratalax]

Great episode. Find myself beatboxing along to the BFT intro music now. As for cleat rotation/float, is it at all common for a rider to prefer to have their feet sorta pushing or aligned against the limit of the float and is that a symptom of a potential issue? Also, what happens when there is "too much" float? Much love!

[@jamesdean2704]

Nice watch

[@ggmoney7052]

One question. BFJ said that you should place the cleat 10-20mm behind the first metatarsal/ball of the foot. What exactly should be this distance behind the ball of the foot? Top very top of the cleat? The top bolt? The back two bolts? Looking for some clarification - thanks!

[@Cade_Media]

The middle of the cleat which is marked, quite hard to spot though

[@NewGenAV]

sometimes i find my self at my desk just listening to james talk about cleats lost in his voice haha

[@scottthorpe1601]

Great Bike Fit Tuesday and full of information. James mentioned about white tape and marking up your foot position and he generally moves the cleats back 20-30mm. Where would this measurement be taken on the cleat? Is it as simple as the centre?

[@Cade_Media]

Yep the centre, which should be indicated by a small marker - we tried to show it in this video but it's really hard to see on the black plastic of the cleat!

[@scottthorpe1601]

Thank you for responding so quickly. Time to check my cleats

[@MPSwimAcademy]

Wow, You are an awesome mentor. Big like

[@theguzziman]

Interesting videos these bike fit ones. Here's a question on cleats. I've nearly a size difference between one foot size and the other. If I set the cleat on each foot relative to the ball of the footmy pedalling feels different one leg to the other. Should I set them the same position relative to the shoe instead so that it puts them in a similar postion relative to rest of the leg and joints?

[@AndrewJames-ms3wi]

That was super interesting, many thanks 👍

[@francescoferrarese1386]

Love the bike fit tuesdays, I have a fizik Infiniti r1, clear position pretty much same on booth feet, but on 60+k rides I get a sever numbness on my right big toe and the next 2 toes. Is it a matter of just re arranging cleats?