Giving SPDs another try.

[Brandane]

Must admit, I have never been a fan of SPDs. I tried them about 3 years ago and didn't get on with them. Not because of any clipless moments; I just didn't like having my foot welded to the same spot on the pedal all the time. For example, I prefer my foot slightly further back on the pedal for climbing than when on level ground.

Anyway, to the point of the post. A cycling buddy has nagged me into giving them another try. So I bought a pair of Rockrider XC7 shoes from Decathlon, to go with my existing double sided Wellgo pedals. Have now done a few rides with them and the jury is still out. I haven't seen any increase in my average speed, and I haven't noticed hills becoming any easier. What I have noticed is pain on the tops of my thighs after a ride (i.e. now, after a 47 miler this afternoon), but this is probably down to me consciously using my legs to pull up on the pedals as well as pushing down.

Am I just needing to persevere with them to develop the muscles on the tops of my thighs, and then I will suddenly be flying up hills like Wiggo? Or am I kidding myself on? PS - I'm approaching 51, so have no aspirations or desire to become super fit; just being able to tackle hills and reasonable distances (usually 30 - 50 miles, the very occasional 100) is ok for me. If SPDs are likely to make things easier then I will stick with them. If not, I won't.

 

[Ningishzidda]

SPDs will be crap if the cleat is not in the correct position.
The guy in Decathlon should have explained where to position the cleat.

 

[kerndog]

SPDs will be crap if the cleat is not in the correct position.
The guy in Decathlon should have explained where to position the cleat.

What s the correct position? I'm just about to switch to spd's (mtb 2 cleat jobies) and would like to know... Thanks

 

[BimblingBee]

What s the correct position? I'm just about to switch to spd's (mtb 2 cleat jobies) and would like to know... Thanks

The position is what feels right! Obviously you need to work within the confines of the slots in the shoe. There is no easy way to set it, if it feels wrong then it probably is. Trial and error is the way for your first set.
To get started try and position the cleats in a way that roughly mirrors your foot set up when not using them. Also make sure the saddle set up is correct too if you are doing high mileages as this will have a big impact too. Bit of googling should see you put in the right direction.

 

[slowmotion]

My two cents...
Put your bike shoes on and note the widest part of your foot by squeezing to find the bones. That is the front-back location of the ball of your foot. The middle of the cleat should usually be on that line.
Fix the cleat there but don't tighten up the bolts. Now sit on your kitchen worktop and dangle your feel in the air below while you relax. Which way does each foot point? Straight ahead, inwards, or a mixture, like most people? Each foot should point in the same direction when you are clipped to the pedals. Experiment a lot and fiddle with the angle of the cleats to give them the same direction as your dangling feet. It's not a perfect solution, but it could be a good start.

Good luck!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Another tip: don't try to pull on the pedals with every upstroke. Just push on the downstrokes like you would with platform pedals, and try to keep your legs relaxed while pedaling. You'll find after a while that a certain amount of pulling on the pedals will occur, but trying to consciously pull on them is not recommended.

SPDs will make cycling easier if you do reasonably long distances, because they hold your feet in position on the pedals. Without SPDs, your ankles are doing some work keeping your feet on the pedals, which can cause Achilles tendon problems if you do long distances. At least, it did for me: my Achilles tendons were starting to give me grief several years ago, and the pain disappeared once I switched from platform to SPD pedals, because my ankles could now be more relaxed on my rides.

 

[Globalti]

You pedal action should be circular not up and down. This will stop you from bobbing and looking like an amateur cyclist!

 

[Banjo]

You may find that the shoe/cleat is raising your foot a bit higher than it was on the flat pedal.This would account for the thigh pain as you will now not be extending your knee joint as much as before. Just raise the seat a few millimeters to get the leg extension the same as before.

I use flat pedals and trainers quite a lot for the convenience .My overall times on 200 km Audaxes dont seem to vary much wether clipped in or using flat shoes.You do need to get a good grip on the pedal in flat shoes slippy pedals are dangerous,

I have some Shimano double sided pedals and have drilled the edges of the flat side and fitted some short bits of stainless steel spoke which protrude a couple of mm.These grip into the sole of my shoes and eliminate any slipping.(Im sure there are good flat pedals available),I was just improving what I allready had.

 

[Ningishzidda]

http://www.bikedynamics.co.uk/fit01.htm

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

I've never been a fan of SPD's. My 3 bikes all have traditional clips & straps. I've ridden LEJOG and audaxes up to 300km and had no problems, and have kept pace with my cycling buddies. To me it's more about fitness than "fancy dan" gear

 

[Eribiste]

What s the correct position? I'm just about to switch to spd's (mtb 2 cleat jobies) and would like to know... Thanks

Sheldon Brown's website has some useful advice on this very matter. I followed the advice given and did end up with less aches. A very small tweak of the position can make quite a big difference to how the pedals feel.