The Rationale | Canting of the feet | Lateral adjustment of the cleats | Cleat forward and aft position | Cleat rotation | Other aspects

PowerFoot® Cleat Alignment – The Rationale

The cleats are technically the component that separates the shoe from the pedal. It is here where the power generated from the lower limbs is transferred to the cranks. It is also here that a significant amount of power is lost due to improper alignment.

Canting of the feet

Over 90% of the population has the inner side of the fore foot canted (tilted) slightly upwards. The concept behind cant wedges is to accommodate for the natural twisting of the forefoot (varus or valgus). This is very normal! The pedals, however, are designed for the cycling shoe to sit parallel to the ground when mounted. By drawing a straight line from the centre of the knee cap to the centre of the pedal, you will inevitably find that the straight line will bypass the centre of the ankle, hence there is no intersection and the power transfer is somewhat disrupted.

It is primarily at the ankle where power is lost. Some of us, in trying to rectify this discrepancy, will subconsciously lock the ankles and continue pedaling. Over time, the outer side of the foot will come under “pain attack” and continue to be sore for many hours after the ride. For other riders, the ankle is allowed to fold inwards and this will result in pain coming from the knee.

Lateral adjustment of the cleats

During pedaling, the rider’s feet should be in as natural and straight a line with the hips as possible. Feet that are set wider or narrower than a rider’s natural stance, can diminish power output while putting strain on the knees, ankles and hips.

Cleat forward and aft position

Everyone has got to know where their ball of their foot is. In the pedaling down-stroke, the torque generated by the legs will be transmitted via the ball of the foot to the pedal. Hence it is imperative that the ball of the foot be placed directly over the spindle of the pedal. This relationship is not cast in stone and is relative also to the length of the foot.

Cleat Rotation

Cleats that are too far internally rotated may cause increased stress to the IT band

While the “keep adjusting the cleat angle until it does not hurt any longer” technique is still popular, you can minimise the risk of injury and optimise efficiency from the start with the help of a qualified technician and specialty tools like the R.A.D. (Rotational Adjustment Device) that help eliminate the guesswork.

Hence by having an experienced bike fitter access your situation, insert the necessary number of wedges to correct the tilt, you will enjoy the ride. These wedges are patented and research has gone into the material to allow for consistency and reliability.

Other Aspects

Cyclists with leg length discrepancies may develop knee pain as only one side is correctly fitted to the bicycle. This leads to increased stress inside the knee and hip joints on the improperly fitted side. The wedge system allows for insertion onto the sole of the shoe on the shorter side of the leg.

The take home message – Get Professionally Fitted!!

Please download the PDF file for more of the Professtional Fit Details.

Bike Fit Details & Pricing Structure