Cycling UK Forum

I have a slight tech problem with my SPD-SL shoes. They are Shimano RR170. I would prefer to have the cleat a little further back on the shoe but they are already as far back as they will go. Looking at the shoes the rear screw holes are in slots fore and aft and the front hole is also in a slot but with what appears to be a plastic insert . Does anyone know if the position of the screw holes can be moved further back. It looks as if they should but I can't get them to move.

Usually the plate will slide for and aft with the choice of two screw positions also. I can't find a pick of your shoes have you got a link?

I think if you use the road type cleats (three bolts) then the slots are in the cleat itself. If you use mountain bike type cleats (two bolt holes) then all the adjustment is in the two bolt plate within the shoe.

the usual position of the cleat should be so that the ball of the foot is over the pedal spindle. As noted above the threaded holes in the shoes generally don't move; all the adjustment (which is not much) is in the cleat, via the slotted holes.



If you must move the cleat further (why...?) then you may be able to modify the slotted plates and then use a screw with a slightly smaller head. This will give you a few mm more adjustment. It isn't much but it is pretty much all you will normally get with that system, barring major surgery to the shoes themselves.

Edit; Unusually, the SH-R170 model shoes do have a little adjustment in the shoe; however there is no guarantee that this can be extended by altering the slots in the shoes. Did the shoes come with instructions?



BTW standard SPDs (with two-bolt cleats) very often have more adjustment fore and aft; about an inch is normal. You can get adaptor plates that will allow fitment of a standard SPD cleat to a three-bolt shoe. If you shop around you should be able to get pedals and adaptor plates for about £40; this might be a good way to get set up with a cleat that goes further back.

cheers

.

Thanks for the advice. I though that it would not be possible to move the shoe part of the arrangement. It seems strange that the shoes have fore and aft slots rather than just holes if the screw holes are not meant to move.

The reason I want the cleat further back is that I don't feel that the pedal, particularly the right one, is under the ball of my foot. It feels liking it is forward of the ball. When standing on the pedals, it feels like I am pressing down on the pedal with my toes.

Edit: Just seen your pic, they are my shoes. You can clearly see the slots in the shoe sole but the screw holes don't seem to move.

Try and mark on the outside of the shoe where the ball of your foot is and use that as a guide. Use a piece of tape as a marker.

There's a little notch in the cleat, which lines up with the joint of the second Metatarsel and its Proximal Phalange.

To get this correct, you use a shoe box and a 5mm packer.

The rest, as they say, is 'Trade secret'.

cycleruk wrote:Try and mark on the outside of the shoe where the ball of your foot is and use that as a guide. Use a piece of tape as a marker.

Normally good advice but the cleats are as far back as they will go and it still does not feel as though I am pedalling with the ball of my foot.

Ayesha wrote:There's a little notch in the cleat, which lines up with the joint of the second Metatarsel and its Proximal Phalange.

To get this correct, you use a shoe box and a 5mm packer.

The rest, as they say, is 'Trade secret'.

Can you say this in English Not sure what you mean by the "shoe box and 5mm packer

All the road shoes I've ever had have had the screw holes moveable a small bit. Not just fore and aft, but a little side-to-side too, so there's "waggle room".

My Campag cleats - basically a Look system - have slots 18mm long, so they can go at least 9mm to the rear from the mid position.

How far do you reckon you have to move your cleats?

Mick F wrote:All the road shoes I've ever had have had the screw holes moveable a small bit. Not just fore and aft, but a little side-to-side too, so there's "waggle room".

My Campag cleats - basically a Look system - have slots 18mm long, so they can go at least 9mm to the rear from the mid position.

How far do you reckon you have to move your cleats?

The SPD-SL cleats also have slots in them but I am already at the limit. What I need is to move the screw points in the shoe sole. If I could use the full extent of the slot in the sole, that would solve the issue, I think. I will try and see if there is any access to the anchor plate and see if it can be moved. I know this can be done on some MTB shoes as I have done it in the past.

The Mechanic wrote:

Ayesha wrote:There's a little notch in the cleat, which lines up with the joint of the second Metatarsel and its Proximal Phalange.

To get this correct, you use a shoe box and a 5mm packer.

The rest, as they say, is 'Trade secret'.

Can you say this in English Not sure what you mean by the "shoe box and 5mm packer

With feet naked, make a mark with a felt tip pen right above the joint of the Second Metatarsel and its Proximal Phalange.
Put one foot in the shoe box with the 5mm packer held between heel and box end wall.
Make a mark on the base of the shoe box in line with the mark on your foot.
Remove foot and put shoe on its side in box with heel pressed up against same end wall.
Make a mark on the shoe’s sole in line with the mark on the base of the shoe box.
Write ‘Left’ or ‘Right’ near the mark on the box base appropriately.
The mark on the shoe’s sole will be where the little notch should align.

For Q Factor adjustment, measure the width of you hip ball centres, and get the second Metatarsel / Proximal Phalange joint at the same measurement.

Thanks A. I will give this a go. Am I correct in assuming that the mark is where the first bone in the second toe meets the second bone (starting from the foot end)? Looked it up on Wiki

The Mechanic wrote:Thanks A. I will give this a go. Am I correct in assuming that the mark is where the first bone in the second toe meets the second bone (starting from the foot end)? Looked it up on Wiki

Yup.

You could of course go to a shop with cleat adjusting/fit kit? Check on line for shops offering Bike Fit in your area

The box method might work but seems to still have quite a bit of potential error.

foxyrider wrote: ...The box method might work but seems to still have quite a bit of potential error.

No kidding....talk about making something simple rather complicated.... you just need the ball of your foot over the pedal spindle.

It doesn't have to be exact (especially with rigid soled shoes), and many people move it slightly from there anyway, because they prefer it that way.

cheers