Welcome, Guest. Please Login.
rbent - Recumbent Bike Enthusiasts of North Texas
Mar 29th, 2024, 6:41am
News: Want to join the rbent Forum? See this thread.
Home Help Search Login


Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Moving cleat to near mid-foot (Read 5738 times)
Rat Rider




Recumbents Across
Texas

Posts: 147
Re: Moving cleat to near mid-foot
Reply #15 - Dec 27th, 2017, 12:01pm
 
I seem to recall Kent Polk was an advocate of the mid shoe cleat. I might try it myself, except it would require too much effort to customize (and probably destroy) a pair of Sidi's.
Back to top
 
 

Metabike Mystique
Lightning Phantom II
CruzRocket indoor recumbent Zwift trainer
Ranger
Dakota

Need dependable wheels?
Email   IP Logged
reever




rbent member

Posts: 459
Re: Moving cleat to near mid-foot
Reply #16 - Jan 10th, 2018, 12:24am
 
As I have been riding, my mind has been drifting back to this old sadistic teacher I had in 5th grade. He made me spend many recess periods inside with him holding dictionaries out at arm's length--perfectly horizontal. I found it much easier to hold the heavy loads closer to my body when the son-of-a-b*#@ch was not looking.  
The same concept holds true with our cleats and ankles. In 5th grade the pivot point (joint) was my shoulders and the load (dictionaries) was either far away (straight arms) or nearer the pivot point (when I bent my arms). With us bike riders the pivot point is our ankle. The load is the force supplied by the pedals. We can either move the cleat farther away from the ankle (that would be the straight arm thing) or move the cleat nearer the ankle (moving the dictionaries in closer to the body). Having the cleat out further towards the toe may result in an increase in speed under low loads quite like the whip of a lure at the end of a fishing rod. It can be zipped through the air very rapidly (if it is not too heavy). But increase the weight of that lure and the fisherman doesn't have the power to make the lure move at all. The lever is too long.
I like to take things to their ridiculous extreme when considering an argument. Picture riding a bike with a pair of super-oversized clown shoes with the cleats on the very tip of the shoes. Okay, I know on some recumbents your heels would be scraping the ground, but let's ignore that. Riding a bike in that situation would be like trying to lift a bar bell using the full length of a pole vaulting pole. You could be the incredible Hulk and still couldn't lift 50 pounds that way.
Yes, I'm still learning lessons from that b@#^*rd, Mr. Hidalgo. He did have a way of making those life lessons stick with you for life.
Back to top
 
« Last Edit: Jan 10th, 2018, 12:28am by reever »  

Adults should have fun so kids will want to grow up!

For every mile of road there's two miles of ditch.

I'd rather be sorry for something I did than for something I didn't do.
Email   IP Logged
jrob_bent
Five Star Member
*****


rbent member

Posts: 952
Re: Moving cleat to near mid-foot
Reply #17 - Jan 14th, 2018, 10:31am
 
I tried moving my cleats forward as Kent Polk says he does. All I got out of it was a torn calf muscle from over use. I have my cleats back as far as they will go and will leave them there. I keep wiggling my toes as I ride to help against hot foot. Seems to work for me.
Back to top
 
« Last Edit: Jan 14th, 2018, 10:32am by jrob_bent »  

I get about 15 miles per honey bun!
Email   IP Logged
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print