Look Keo, can't get comfortable

[Janosh]

The left side is perfect but I just can't get comfortable on the drive-side.

The problem seems to be lack of lateral adjustment. If I move the cleats to point far enough outwards, the inside of my shoe catches on the chainstay or crank.

I've been thinking about modifying the cleats to allow for more lateral adjustment, or should I go for some speedplays which seem to offer the adjustment in the directions I think I need?

[khushy]

go and either get a "Keo Pedal Fit" (yes they have a special gadget for it) or a proper Bike Fit - sounds like you have a problem with your right leg - cleat position is possibly the most important adjustment for a comfortable and efficient ride - a simple adjustment from an expert might help a lot!

khushy

PS - or cut your toes off and use smaller shoes BIG FOOT!

[Markp13]

I bought look keo's last year (grey cleats) and I've just ordered the red cleats as I sometimes get sharp pains in my knee that I've never had before I used the clipped in pedals.

It may be I havnt set them up properly?

But being new to being clipped in its hard to tell what's right and what's not.

[Uriel]

I don't understand your issue, exactly. If you can already adjust the cleats far enough that your foot is hitting the chainstay, then what are you hoping to get by modifying the cleats? Surely more adjustment just means that you'll be able to hit the chainstay by a larger margin?

Unless you mean you want to ride with a toe out foot position and adjusting the angle of the cleat moves your heel inward and your solution would be to move the foot at the point of the pedal outward, away from the frame? In which case with Keos, you can throw in some washers to space that pedal out a couple/few mm. Failing that, look at Speedplays which have the option of a significantly longer pedal spindle as there isn't anything else you could do with the Looks.

[bigsillyV10]

If you stand, then walk for half a dozen paces or so in a relaxed manner then stop naturally, look down at your feet and see if they are pointing in or out. You may find one of your feet points out more than the other hence the imbalance.

I had the same issue and ended up putting and extra washer under one of the cleat bolts, it relieved the pressure and solved my problem.

Hope that helps.

[itsnotarace]

Uriel said:

In which case with Keos, you can throw in some washers to space that pedal out a couple/few mm.

This.

From the Look website

• Q-FACTOR ADJUSTMENT

By using a 14mm long axle thread, the new LOOK axle permits adjustment of the Q-Factor by 2mm by adding a specific washer available as a spare part. This allows Q-factor adjustment from 53 to 55mm.

[Janosh]

Perfect - a couple of spacers to increase the lateral adjustment should fix things! To be clear, my right foot just needed a little more 'toe out' which meant my heel caught on the chain stay or crank arm.

I don't walk particularly funny, so I'm somewhat surprised that its not a more common issue.

Thanks for all the ideas...

[Saddle bum]

Put the cleats on and adjust so that when you hang the shoe by the cleat on the edge of a table the mid points of the toe and heel are in line and vertical. That's the start point.

If anything, the heels should be pointing out a smidgeon so that the knees dont' go out at the top of the rotation. If that gets painful your ITs are tight and you need to remedy that with stretching and static exercise.

[Janosh]

Good news - i fitted a washer on the driveside pedal axel to give a little more heal clearance and went for my first comfortable ride yesterday!

Now i can start cranking out some serious k's!

Thanks for all the replies..

[Markp13]

Red cleats was my solution. Simples.

[Saddle bum]

Janosh said:

Good news - i fitted a washer on the driveside pedal axel to give a little more heal clearance and went for my first comfortable ride yesterday!

Now i can start cranking out some serious k's!

Thanks for all the replies..

Be careful!

How thick is the washer?

Not enough thread engagement can end in catastrophe. Some manufacturers specifically warn against spacing washers.

[Uriel]

Look specifically provide washers with their pedals for this exact purpose and for the last however long have been making the threaded part of their axles a little longer to allow more scope for spacing.

The actually sell special Q-Factor adjusting washers ( http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/p/21543/adjustable-q-f... ). Though these are NOT what are included with their pedals. The ones that come with the pedals are regular flat washers; nothing special about them at all.

Edited by Uriel on Wednesday 28th March 19:29

[Janosh]

Saddle bum said:

How thick is the washer?

Its only about 2mm as per the look washer you can buy, but its just enough to allow my heel to clear the chainstays.

Based on the clearance issue, i wasnt convinced that having more float would have helped..