How to Adjust Cleats on Cycling Shoes
Welcome to our blog post on how to adjust cleats on cycling shoes in some easy tips! Whether you are new to cycling or have been riding for years, proper shoe and pedal cleat alignment is key to having a comfortable, efficient, and safe ride.
Keep reading for our top tips on how to best adjust your cleats.
- The first thing you want to do is get your cycling shoes and pedals. Make sure you have the right size shoes- too big and your feet will slip around inside, too small and your toes will be cramped. Once you have the right size shoes, it’s time to start thinking about pedal cleat position.
- Your saddle height should be set so that when you pedaling, your knee is slightly bent at the bottom of the stroke. This keeps your pedal stroke smooth and avoids joint pain. Once your saddle height is set, place your heel on the pedal so that the ball of your foot is over the center of the pedal axle.
- While still keeping your heel on the pedal, use an Allen key to loosen the clamp bolts until they are lose enough to allow movement of the cleat side-to-side and forwards and backwards on the shoe sole. Rotate the cleat until it is positioned so that when you clip in, your foot naturally wants to go straight ahead (parallel with the top tube of the bike frame).
- Once you have rotated the cleat into position, tighten down the clamp bolts finger tight first, then use an Allen key to give them a final snug down (don’t overtighten as this can damage both the pedal and shoe). Test pedaling around slowly to make sure your foot feels secure in the pedal without being too tight- you should be able to pull your foot out without too much effort if needed.
- If everything feels good, congratulations- you’ve just fine-tuned your cleats! If not, go back and readjust according to steps 2-4 until everything feels comfortable and efficient.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our tips on how to adjust cleats on cycling shoes! Remember, proper alignment is key for a comfortable ride so take some time before heading out on your next adventure to make sure everything feels just right. Thanks for reading!
