I've got some new shoes that the cleat position is "enduro" and the fore aft cleat position can go more rearwards than my previous shoes.
By my estimation the more foreward position would utilize the calf muscles more and the rearward the quads.
What's the effect on handling / riding / feel, what's the advantages, pros & cons.
Ta
fore better to ride
aft better to descend
I did a lot of reading on the subject trying to fix foot pain. Moving them back fixed the pain.
What I read suggested that forward can offer a bit for sprinting but back puts less stress on your feet for endurance without any downsides.
Thigh muscles are much bigger than calf muscles - look at where most people's feet end up on flat pedals without being constrained by clear positions.
The calf muscle is mostly used to stabilise the foot/ankle joint. The only reason you need to stabilise them is because the cleat is so far forwards on the shoe.
Move the cleat back and you don't need to use the calf as much.
The actual loss in usable power for 99% of riding is unmeasreably small. As it comes from the thigh mucsles.
You should also suffer (slightly) less from fatigue, as you will be slightly more efficient (not burning energy just to stabilise a joint.)
I've been running cleats as far back as i can for ~10 years. You can feel the difference.
The only downside is a very very slight loss in full bore acceleration at the very very limit of what you can do. But you may gain in absolute peak power.
There's loads of research, almost all of it shows back is good, forward is bad. Oh, too far forward can give you shin splints and other issues. 😳
Bit like the old pulling up on the pedal myth, good science debunks it pretty thoroughly.
erm.... I'll just delete what I was going to say then as it was pretty much what Ghostly said, so "Ghostlymachine +1"
I've read lots, then just thought sod it - I will experiment.
Moved them back a bit - rode for a month and found it felt good. Slightly more control, no bad effects. Then moved them back all the way. Rode round for another month and found it was all good.
Easier to ride heel down on the descents, no noticeable affect anywhere else. Perhaps felt less tiring.
Given its so easy to do, just try it for a few rides.
Interesting. Will experiment on my ride home tonight and put the cleats back a tad.
You may have to adjust your release technique. I found that I couldn't unclip quickly enough if I needed to. I eventually went to flats.
I have just gone back to spd on the mountain bike after a good 5 years on flats. Dug my old shoes out to use rather than buying new in case I didn't like it.
Foot position felt awful! I could really feel the pressure on my calf & Achilles, felt like I was having to put loads of effort into supporting my foot. God knows how I rode like that since the '90s.
Moved the cleats as far back as I could and it's so much better. Feels more stable, less effort when hovering over saddle and my legs definitely feel less tired after a ride. It's made being clipped in feel more like being in flats, but with the same foot position every time.
[url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mid-foot-cleat-position ]Im still using midsole cleats after 10 years, here's an older thread about it.[/url]
Cheers all for your input, I'm gonna roll with it for a bit.
LM - that's some pretty extreme positioning 😯