Roger Zoul said:gds <[email hidden]> wrote:
:> My rec is that you pay the LBS to fit the cleats. If you are not
:> experienced it is likely you will not get it right.
:> Unless the nes shoes are similar enough to what you have that you can
:> place thenew cleats on the new shoes similarly to the old cleats on
:> the old shoes.
:> Another unless is--if you never have knee problems you may be able to
:> place them approximately and then tweak them.
:> But when I buy new shoes I always get a FIT Kit cleat placement at my
:> LBS.
I hear what you're saying and that's probably what I'll do, but in the
meantime, how do I gain experience? I really don't like depending on the
LBS for stuff I feel I can do....
A couple of ideas.
First, I think that experience is just that, so as you indicate you can
only get it by doing it. But most cleat fitting is done on a trainer
for the obvious ease of stop/start, on/off and safety. You indicated
that you don't have a trainer so you are starting out with a big
disadvantage in getting going.
Once you have a set of cleats fit correctly you can mark their location
on your shoes with nail polish or some other type of marker. Then you
can play with fine tuning from that start point and always be able to
return to the base position. Such markings will also aid you in getting
a start point on a new pair.
The trainer also minimizes the chance that you will mis fit your cleats
and find yourself far from home and needing to risk a knee injury to
get back. So, I guess my major rec if you want to learn to do this is
have someone who is experienced show yo how and get yourself access to
a trainer. I do think it is a matter of experience rather than
complicated science.
My cleat position is quite unusual on one side as an old hip injury
results in a foot position that works well for me but is far from
"normal." Almost all bike shop folks look at my old shoes and tellme
they are going to "cahnge that funky right foot." Of course, thye wind
up seeing that it actually works.
And when you get really experienced even the help of a FIT kit becomes
less necessary. There is a local racer/ bike shop owner who fits
clients purely by watching them ride (on a trainer). His fit is the
best I have ever had. That said he was really fine tuning an already
fitted pair.
Good luck!! But don't risk getting hurt.
