Road bike cleats

When starting out, always begin with cleats that allow for float (Shimano yellow 6° cleats, Look red 9° cleats). Float refers to the angular freedom of the foot around the pedal’s vertical axis. For beginners and cyclists with sensitive knees, it protects the joints by absorbing the natural micro-adjustments of the leg whilst pedalling. Fixed cleats (Shimano red, Look grey 0°) create significant stress on the joints if positioning isn’t perfect. Start with floating cleats, ride 2,000 km to refine your position, then reduce the float if necessary.

The pedal axle must pass exactly beneath the head of the first metatarsal (the bump beneath the big toe joint) at the moment of pushing. To find this point: press firmly on the ball of the foot; the protrusion that forms corresponds to the head of the metatarsal. Centre the cleat so that this area is exactly above the pedal axle. Align it laterally so that the knee moves straight up without deviating inwards or outwards. Use reference marks: trace the line of the metatarsal bone onto the sole with a felt-tip pen. Incorrect cleat positioning will cause patellar tendinitis or lateral knee pain after 1,000 to 2,000 km.

As soon as the wear indicator line disappears, or every 10,000 to 20,000 km depending on use. Look cleats (plastic) have a wear indicator groove: when this has worn away, the cleat needs replacing. A clip that is too worn will no longer click into place properly and may come loose unexpectedly during a sprint or a climb. Shimano cleats gradually become misshapen and lose their positioning accuracy. Check your cleats after every ride in muddy conditions: cleats that are worn down or warped must be replaced immediately. Cost of a set of cleats: €10 to €15 for Look/Shimano, a genuine safety component.

Yes, whenever you walk in your cycling shoes outside of a strictly cycling context. Three-hole cleats (Look, SPD-SL) protrude from the sole and make it impossible to walk without damaging them. Plastic or rubber cleat covers protect the cleats so you can walk without wearing them down. They are particularly useful at feed stops, on rides involving walking, or when travelling. Without protection, plastic cleats wear down five times faster when walking than when cycling. Some gravel or cyclosportive shoes feature a sole with a walking insert above the cleat, so you don’t need to use cleat covers.

No, the two systems are incompatible despite having identical 3-hole patterns. The 3-hole pattern (Look-compatible) is the same on Look and Shimano SPD-SL, but the cleat lug profiles differ. A Shimano cleat will not engage with a Look pedal, and vice versa. Time also has its own cleat profile, which is incompatible with the other two despite the same mounting pattern. However, the shoes are universal: any shoe with a 3-hole mounting pattern will accept Look, Shimano and Time cleats interchangeably (the profile of the cleat socket in the sole is standardised).

The Q-Factor is the distance between the two contact points of the pedals. Cleats allow you to adjust the lateral position of the foot on the pedal. A Q-Factor that is too narrow can cause the heel to rub against the frame and put strain on the hip; if it is too wide, it can cause knee pain. The lateral positioning of the cleats on the sole allows the effective foot spacing to be adjusted by 3 to 10 mm depending on the available range. Offset cleats (Look Kéo Cleat with adapter, Shimano SM-SH20 shim) allow the feet to be positioned further apart from the pedals for cyclists requiring a large Q-factor.

Yes, the Time ICLIC system is recognised as the most forgiving for beginners thanks to its three levels of release resistance. The carbon blade on the Time pedal is adjustable (tightening levels 1, 2 and 3): at level 1, a simple outward movement of the heel releases the foot with very little effort. This is not the case with Look and Shimano, whose release tension, although adjustable, is less gradual. The downside: Time cleats wear out slightly faster on certain surfaces. For cyclists who are worried about getting stuck at traffic lights, Time remains the most reassuring choice.

No, keeping the same setting ensures postural consistency between indoor and outdoor training. Changing the cleat position between the indoor trainer and outdoor rides disrupts muscle memory and can cause pain when returning to outdoor riding. If your knees only hurt on the indoor trainer, the cause is usually the more static position (no natural movement of the bike) or the slightly different saddle height, not the cleats. Using the same shoes with the same cleats in both situations is the basic rule.

Yes, incorrect lateral or longitudinal positioning of the cleats is one of the main causes of knee pain in cyclists. A cleat positioned too far back (pedal axle behind the head of the metatarsal) places excessive strain on the patellar and Achilles tendons. A cleat positioned too far inwards or outwards causes knee varus or valgus during pedalling. Medial pain (on the inside of the knee) often indicates that the cleat is too close to the bike’s centreline. Lateral pain (on the outside) indicates the opposite. A professional bike-fitting specialist can correct the positioning and relieve the pain in just a few sessions.