Bicycle Pedal Adjustment & Foot Pain

Cleat positioning on the bicycle pedals determines how pressure is distributed throughout your foot as you pedal. Improper cleat position may not manifest until after several hours of riding, when it may cause pain in your feet, legs or back.

  1. Proper Cleat Positioning

    • Mount your cleats so the ball of your foot lies directly over the pedal axle. Cleats that are too far forward cause Achilles' pain. If your leg feels like it's "twisting" as you pedal, adjust the side-to-side cleat position.

    Imbalances

    • Listen to your body and adjust each cleat individually. If you have a leg length discrepancy, use a wedge or orthotic to correct the imbalance.

    Shims

    • If you have high arches, flat-soled shoes can cause knee or foot pain. To correct this, install a wedge or "shim" under the cleat to lift your big toe higher than your baby toe.

    Numb Toes and Burning Feet

    • Pressure on the sole of your foot from pedaling can pinch the nerves between your metatarsals. If loosening your shoes doesn't relieve this, try moving your cleats 2 mm toward the heels.

    Float

    • If you are pigeon-toed or duck-footed, then you may need more "float," or freedom of heel rotation. Speedplay and Time road pedals allow for a greater degree of float than other brands.

    No Cleats

    • If you are riding without cleats (e.g. with platform pedals and tennis shoes), you can rearrange your foot position on the pedal as much as you want, since your shoes are not bound to the pedals. If you have foot pain, the problem is not in the pedal--the seat may be too high, the handlebars too low or the frame may be too big.