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Free reversible adjustment tool
Turn a cleat coordinate you record into one exact target for a small 1–5 mm or 0.5–2° move. You choose the side, axis and direction; after 2–3 ordinary rides, the check-in returns keep, revert or stop-and-seek-help guidance without diagnosing a symptom.
Free · no account · no upload · no symptom-to-cleat prescription · calculations stay in this page session
Interactive one-change plan
You choose the side, axis and direction. The tool never chooses a move from pain location, numbness or another symptom. It performs signed coordinate arithmetic and preserves a route back to the position you marked.
Local trial journal
Planned trials and re-checks stay in IndexedDB on this device. A bike profile is optional; the calculator below always works without one.
Step 1 of 4
Required so an SPD-SL torque is never applied to another system.
Step 2 of 4
No account, upload or symptom-based recommendation. Values stay in this page session.
Reproducible coordinates
A coordinate is useful only when the datum and viewing direction stay the same. These conventions make the signed calculation reproducible; their broad input bounds catch unit mistakes and are not ranges for a correct fit.
mm coordinate
Measure from the rear-most point of the shoe sole to the cleat centre/reference mark. A larger coordinate is closer to the toes.
Input guard: 0 to 350 mm. Direction is always selected by the rider, never inferred from discomfort.
mm coordinate
Measure from the inside edge of the shoe sole to the cleat centre/reference mark. A larger coordinate is closer to the outside edge of the shoe.
Input guard: 0 to 200 mm. Direction is always selected by the rider, never inferred from discomfort.
° coordinate
Looking directly at the sole, record the cleat reference line relative to the shoe centreline. Clockwise is positive; counter-clockwise is negative.
Input guard: -30 to 30 °. Direction is always selected by the rider, never inferred from discomfort.
Evidence and limits
Practical setup source
British Cycling describes the cleat as an adjustable contact point and recommends qualified fitting help when needed. OpenBikeFit adds an explicit original-position record and one-axis cap so every self-test has a route back.
Read the British Cycling setup guideManufacturer installation source
Shimano’s official three-hole SPD-SL guide specifies a torque wrench, 4 mm hex bit and 5–6 N·m for those cleat bolts. The assistant shows that number only when SPD-SL is selected. Every other system is routed to its own current manufacturer instructions.
Open Shimano’s SPD-SL installation guideAcute laboratory study · PMID 35129429
Chartogne and colleagues compared the metatarsal-head position with 15 mm anterior and posterior positions in 12 competitive road cyclists. Joint kinematics changed, but the study found no significant advantage in the reported physiology, kinetics, muscle activity, sprint performance or perceived exertion outcomes. It was acute, small and not a dosing study for comfort, so OpenBikeFit does not turn 15 mm into a trial size.
Read the PubMed recordSystematic review · PMID 39285616
The 2024 cycling-position systematic review reported no clear recommendation for cleat position and rated none of its included studies as good quality. Evidence was limited by heterogeneous tasks, mostly male samples and sparse discipline-specific reporting. That uncertainty supports small reversible trials—not power, injury-prevention or guaranteed-comfort claims.
Read the systematic review recordThe 1–5 mm and 0.5–2° caps are cautious OpenBikeFit product conventions chosen to keep the experiment small and reversible. They are not clinical thresholds or proven optimal doses. Read how the project separates arithmetic, directional evidence and conventions in the public evidence methodology.
Severe, worsening or off-bike pain, persistent numbness and recent trauma stop the self-guided workflow and route to a qualified health professional. A damaged mechanism or inability to clip out safely routes to a qualified mechanic or manufacturer guidance. OpenBikeFit does not diagnose, treat or determine whether riding is medically safe.
When no stop condition applies, keep the first ride easy and low-risk. To observe the rest of your position without uploading video, continue with the on-device camera check while keeping comfort self-report separate from movement data.