Guides
Setup guide
Updated · Independent guide
Short answer
To install clipless pedals, grease the threads, screw the R pedal clockwise into the drive-side crank and the L pedal counterclockwise into the left crank, then tighten firmly (Shimano specifies 35–55 N·m). To install cleats, put the cleat's center under the ball of your foot, match its angle to your natural foot angle, start it centered side to side, and tighten to the maker's torque: 5–6 N·m for Shimano SPD and SPD-SL cleats. Test on a trainer before you ride in traffic.
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Best for: Pedals with 15 mm wrench flats
A 15 mm pedal wrench with a thin head that slips between the pedal body and the crank, and a handle long enough for normal fitting and removal. Hex-only pedals need a 6 mm or 8 mm hex key instead.
Best for: Pedal threads and cleat bolts
A thin coat on the pedal threads stops a steel spindle seizing in an aluminum crank and helps the pedal seat fully.
Most of this is already in a home toolbox. Pedals and cleats usually come together in the box; if not, check the pairing in our cleat compatibility chart.
Clipless pedals fit exactly like any other pedal: the right pedal has a normal thread and the left pedal is reverse threaded.
Use the pedal maker’s figure. Shimano specifies 35–55 N·m for its pedals, much more than a stem bolt, so a small torque wrench will not reach it. Without a torque wrench, tighten firmly with a full-length pedal wrench and a steady push, not your body weight.
Pedals that are fitted correctly stay tight on their own, so there is no need to over-tighten them or use thread-locker. For stuck old pedals and thread repairs, see which pedal is reverse threaded.
Your shoe’s bolt pattern has to match the cleat before position matters at all.
Not sure which system you have? SPD vs SPD-SL vs Look Keo explains them side by side.
Set the cleat in three directions (fore-aft, rotation, side to side), then torque it. Work on one shoe, then copy it to the other.
The standard starting point puts the ball of the foot directly over, or just in front of, the pedal spindle. Line the cleat’s center up with your ball-of-foot line, or a little behind it. Many road cleats have a mark on the side that shows where the pedal axle sits.
Bike fitters often move the cleat slightly back for riders who get hot spots or numb toes. Make changes a couple of millimeters at a time.
Sit on a table with your legs hanging and look down: most feet point slightly outward. Angle the cleat so the shoe points the same way on the pedal. If you are unsure, start with the cleat straight and let float absorb small errors.
After a ride, check where your heel sits. If it keeps pressing against one end of the float, rotate the cleat so your foot rests in the middle. Our guide to cleat float covers how much movement each cleat allows.
Start with the cleat centered on the sole. Moving the cleat toward the inside edge of the shoe moves your foot outward on the pedal, and the reverse. Adjust if your heel or ankle brushes the crank, or if your knee tracks well inside or outside your foot.
Measure from the tip of each shoe to the cleat, and compare the angles from below. Unless your feet differ, both sides should match.
Check the setup on a trainer, or with the bike against a wall, before any real ride.
New to clipping in? Practice the technique in how to clip in and out before your first proper ride.
Small, persistent discomfort usually points to one setting. Use this as a starting point, not a diagnosis.
| What you feel | Common cause | Try |
|---|---|---|
| Hot spots or numb toes | Cleat too far forward, or tight shoes | Move the cleat back slightly; loosen the shoe |
| Heel or ankle rubs the crank | Stance too narrow or heel angled in | Move the cleat toward the inside of the sole, or rotate it |
| Pain on the inside or outside of the knee | Cleat angle fighting your natural foot angle | Recheck rotation; try a cleat with more float |
| Clipping out by accident | Tension too low or worn cleats | Raise tension a little; replace worn cleats |
| Clicking or creaking | Loose cleat bolts or dry pedal threads | Re-torque the bolts; re-grease the threads |
If pain lasts more than a few rides after small adjustments, see a professional bike fitter.
Yes. A thin film of grease stops the steel spindle corroding into the aluminum crank, helps the pedal tighten fully and prevents creaks. Use anti-seize instead for titanium spindles.
It helps but is not essential for pedals: 35–55 N·m (Shimano's range) is a firm push on a full-length pedal wrench. A small torque driver is more useful for cleat bolts, because 5–6 N·m is easy to overshoot and small bolts strip.
On 2-bolt shoes the usual causes are a sole cover plate left in place or tread that stands taller than the cleat, so the pedal body hits rubber before the cleat engages; a cleat shim fixes that. Also check the cleat is the right way round and the release tension is not wound right up.
Start with them mirrored, measured from the toe of each shoe. Change one side only if your feet differ, for example one foot naturally points out further, and make small changes one at a time.
After the first ride, then every few weeks. A loose cleat rotates with your shoe, which makes release unpredictable. Replace cleats when they show wear; see when to replace cleats.