First Time Using Clipless Pedals?

Should my feet have side to side movement while clipped in to the pedal? They are shimano p520 mountain bike pedals, brand new. The movement is not dramatic, maybe an inch or two to either side.

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Anonymous said:

You should be able to move your heel side to side a little, it’s called float.
It means the amount of rotation you can do with your foot before you start to engage the release mechanism. Since we’re talking rotation, float is in degrees. Generally speaking, float is limited by the release springs in the pedal mechanism.
The reason float is used is that the body doesn’t spin the cranks like a machine. There’s an interplay between your hip, knee and ankle that allows you to use your many muscles efficiently. So as your knees go up and down, the complicated system of muscles and tendons is constantly adjusting. For most people, this translates into some foot rotation as the crank completes a revolution.
It’s related to individual body mechanics – that’s why no one can tell you how much float you need. Shimano SPDs with,standard” cleats have 4 degrees of float, Time ATACs offer 10 or 15 degrees. Warning signs of inappropriate “float” for you are usually knee pain (barring seat height issues) and a feeling of not being comfortable/clipping out unknowingly. Skill only plays a role regarding float in the acclimatization stages of learning to use clipless pedals.
If you’re happy with your pedals, you don’t have to concern yourself with float. If you’re having pain, test ride a pair with more (Time ATACs, for example) to see if it alleviates the problem.

# 31 January 2010 at 2:54 pm

phalkon3 said:

The answer above is excellent, so I don’t want to steal his show. Just wanted to comment that I just got clipless pedals a week ago (shimano SPD) and noticed the same play. Coming from toe clips it was a bit unnerving, but reading around that’s a feature not a bug
One other thing to keep in mind when setting them up, some people naturally have a little bit of duck foot, where their heels want to naturally go outward from the toe. I had to adjust my clips so that my feet sat bowed slightly outward to make them comfortable.

# 31 January 2010 at 4:02 pm

McG said:

There is a few degrees (check the Shimano site, I believe it is 6 degrees) of float with Shimano clipless pedals. I presume you mean the inch or two is in travel of your heel side to side.

# 31 January 2010 at 7:52 pm