Fitting cleats to your feet?

After all this rain and wacky weather I went out for my first ride using the new shoes and the cleats. My left outside knee area aches really bad after about 15 miles so I know my attempts at fitting are off.

My cleat/shoe fitting "fitting" two weeks ago ended up in a disaster and truthfully I've had enough of bike shops to last a lifetime whether I'm the one coming across as a jerk or they are. Is there a way to do this yourself or is it more trial and error as you go along?

I've got the Eggbeater Candy pedals if that helps.

Despite the knee pain, I love the pedals and had a great time out on the road until the wind picked up suddenly to point where even going downhill was just as much as an effort as going up. Thank goodness for a cell phone to have DH come and get me as at 5-7 miles an hour, it would be another hour before I'd make it home.

Note to self: The weather can change at a moments notice and even if you are only a few miles away from home, cold is still cold.

First off, whenever I get a new pair of shoes - really, even whenever I replace cleats, since matching the outline of the old one isn't necessarily identical to the millimeter - I make sure I have the tool to adjust them accessible in a jersey pocket for the first few rides. If I know I'm going to have to dig in my seat pack for my multi-tool and put it back again - turning a three minute operation into a ten minute one - it's much less likely I'll take care of a problem right away. Don't let it go 15 miles.

When you're pedaling, pay attention to where your knees are getting torqued, and rotate your cleats accordingly. Fastening your shoes loosely will help you feel which way your feet want to track inside your shoes, also.

Also the height of your new shoes, pedals and cleats may be different from your old ones. You may need to change your seat height. Pay attention to how much your knee is bending at the top of your pedal stroke.

If it were my own knees, lateral knee pain (like, right in the notch between the bones) would mean either my foot is toed-in too much or my seat is too low. But that's my own experience, not any kind of expert opinion.