Road Bike Pedal Position
Cages work by providing a metal or plastic form that fits over your foot and the bike pedal.
Road bike pedal position. Proper body position on a road bike how to ride with proper body position on a road bike. With the cleat over the pedal. Saddle position proper bike fit especially saddle height and fore aft adjustment is a prerequisite for a smooth pedal stroke. Specially designed biking shoes can clip or snap onto your bicycle pedals.
Road bike frames are typically sized either by their top tube length or as a t shirt sizing. You need to adjust them properly to align the ball of your foot with the pedal s axis. A plumb line from the centre of the knee joint should be vertically above or just behind the axle centre of the crankarm. As a final step sort out your pedal and cleat position.
The heel on pedal method then seems to be the best option for those looking to ride a road bike in comfort. While some cyclists find positioning the center of their cleat behind the ball of their foot the big bump on the foot behind the big toe 1 is comfortable others place the center of the pedal spindle even closer to the bump back from the pinky toe 5 on the outside of the foot. To check this hold the pedals in a horizontal or level position. Fore aft cleat position has changed over the years as cycling shoes have become stiffer.
The position of the knee relative to the bike pedal also needs to be taken into consideration. You should be able to easily reach the tops and brake hoods on a road bike. Adjust the cages forward position and the tension on your foot to ensure proper alignment. Riding with a balanced and relaxed body position may seem like a basic skill for a road cyclist but it is something that even experienced riders struggle with and can cause frustration for beginner roadies.