Fit issue

[goldfinch]

I recently put speedplay pedals on my Madone. The set up was done by the LBS at my northern home and I was fitted with these pedals on the bike. But I took them off and used my power grips. I was comfortable on the bike with the power grip pedals on rides up to my longest, 57 miles. Nothing hurt.

Now I finally bit the bullet and went clipless. It turns out that I have no problem clipping in and out. But, things just don't feel quite right. Yesterday was my second ride with them. I went 12 miles and the outside right of my right knee bugged me a bit, especially for the first 2/3 of the ride. I also felt like I was sliding forward on my saddle. My saddle is level. I've always been happy with this saddle and have about 1200 miles on it.

Ideas? Is my saddle placement a bit off? Or the cleats on the shoes? Anything that I can try before trying to hunt up a bike shop?

[Koronin]

It could be the positioning of the where your foot is on the pedal. My husband had an issue with the first set of clipless pedals he tried. He had a lot of issues with his feet. Bought another set, different style and he hasn't had any issues with those. So that could be part of it. I haven't had real issues that way, just a semi fear of having my right foot clipped in so I use the type that has clipless on one side and platform on the other.

[OakLeaf]

Try moving the cleats farther forward on your shoes (farther away from your ankles - may be the reason you're being pulled forward). You can probably tell by feel which direction your knee is being torqued and make an adjustment in the cleat rotation. Bring whatever tool you need to adjust your cleats with you on your rides - have it easily accessible in a jersey pocket and be prepared to make tiny tweaks every five or ten miles until it feels right.

[goldfinch]

Okay, I'll experiment. Thanks.

[OakLeaf]

I thought about this a little more ... I've been doing it for so many years it's kind of natural and I don't think about it much.

When cleat rotation is off, the feel is as much in my foot inside my shoe, as it is in my knee. I might not notice it until I get knee irritation, but if that happens, it's my foot as much as anything I'll be paying attention to.

Fasten your shoe slightly loosely, get on the bike and clip in, relax everything and let your knee and ankle track the way they want to, and feel which side of your shoe your toes are pressing against. Then rotate the cleat so that your foot naturally wants to center inside your shoe.

[goldfinch]

I thought about this a little more ... I've been doing it for so many years it's kind of natural and I don't think about it much.

When cleat rotation is off, the feel is as much in my foot inside my shoe, as it is in my knee. I might not notice it until I get knee irritation, but if that happens, it's my foot as much as anything I'll be paying attention to.

Fasten your shoe slightly loosely, get on the bike and clip in, relax everything and let your knee and ankle track the way they want to, and feel which side of your shoe your toes are pressing against. Then rotate the cleat so that your foot naturally wants to center inside your shoe.

Great idea! I'll try that today. Looking at my cleats they already are adjusted so that they bring me as close to the crank as possible, so I can't move them inward any more than they are. So I hope that I don't need to!