Feet Length Discrepancy - How to set up my cleats?

Training
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Hi there…I have a feet size discrepancy left/right, which is about 1 cm (left is smaller then right).

So this make me troubles with my riding position and cleats setup… When i buy my shoes i alway buy size for my bigger feet (right one), and left is always big size for my feet…

So is there any way which dont add two pairs of shoes?

I tried custom insoles, and helped a little bit.In same time i add some foam material in front of left one (smaller one), to fill the empty space, and this way i made best results ever, but after a while not comfortable :frowning:
Now trying to adjust this discrepancy without that foam material (to leave it and just tight the BOA’s a bit tighter), but adjusting cleats differently left/rigth…

Im trying to put a bit more forward on right (bigger one), and more rear on the left (smaller). Since no leg length discrepancy as i can feel at least, and with moving cleat more rear on left one that will add some length vs right one… Should i go this way, but put some wedges on right one to compensate this ?

Any other ideas (without buying a two pair of shoes different size)? Im riding with Favero Duo, and my left/right is about 50:50 on high efforts ride and 52:48 on lower effort ride… I feel that maybe im not sitting even always, so maybe this compensate somehow to have almost 50:50 power …

Thanks in advance…

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I would put the cleats so that they are in the same place respective to each foot, not shoe. So for example if you had them directly under the balls of the foot, do that for both, even if your foot is in a different place inside the shoes. You can feel where the ball of the foot is by feeling the bony bit below your big toe from outside the shoe. (I would put my cleats further back then the ball of the foot, this is just an example. Go with what feels right for you).

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I would find a well reviewed bike fitter in your area and have them address it. Feet are one of our major contact points on the bike, getting this wrong could potentially set you up for issues down the road. A competent bike fitter should be able to get this sorted for you pretty easily, and then you’ll have an awesome bike fit as well!

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I use method 1 in this article:

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Very unique information from Neill: A Reoccurring Pattern With Elite Cyclists | Georgie Whitehouse Real World Bike Fit - YouTube . In general - try to position your cleat a bit forward on the longer foot.

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@Jarek Thanks for the post and the link and sorry for late reply, im not very active on forums so did not see it.

After a lot of experimenting that is what worked for me, putting cleat a bit more forward on longer foot and more back on shorter one.

Or i’ll write a bit more detailed, so maybe my experience can help to others as well

After experimenting with different size shoes first and convinced my self that that will work, then experimenting with different types of insoles in same time, i realized that shape of the shoes i had in different sizes did not worked for me (Gaerne are wide heal and narrow front opossite of my feets). .

So decide to get back and to try same size shoes left/right but to be as much fit to my feet shape as possible (where i live there is not so many choices of shoes to try so have to mail order most of them without a chance to return them back if they dont fit). That why looked like good idea experimenting with different shoes from brand i can try locally…

So i realized that my old S-Works 5 worked better to my feet (narrow heal and wider in the front) and based on that i order S-Works 7 lace and in same time with chance to return them back if they dont fit i did not hesitate to do that.

I like S-Works 7 even more than S-Works 5 for few reasons:

  1. They look better quality build and that will last longer

  2. Even narrower clamp type heel and wider in front (great for my feet shape)

  3. Better ventilation

Sizing wise right feel a bit tight but got brake in to dont be painful, and left just a tiny larger so somehow like good compromise left/right (on Gaerne if i go 43 right one is perfect, but left one too big so had to go there 42 1/2 and 43), so S-Works 7 shape worked well and even better with some insoles (green Specialized on Left, Blue on right)

Then based on this experience i also ordered regular Boa S-Works 7 and just confirmed my experience that maybe this is best i can have for my feet shape without going ultra expensive and custom.

Also on S-Works 7 shoes i have chance to move cleat even more on rear which i done on left shoe, and that helped even more.

And based on this i stocked some more S-Works 7 shoes (and good thing they were on huge discount since new model was already on market) since im not sure i’ll have a nerves to experiment again in the future :slight_smile: when there wont be chance to find them on stock (new version of S-Works are already different shape which i dont like and think wont fit me)

BTW, back in the past i had back problems, which i realize probably is from my leg/feet discrepancy, so considered this with cycling and beeing fixed in same position as chance to rewrite my habit :slight_smile: of bad left/right balance of whole body and maybe to use left feet more for walking not just cycling (and that way to fix my issue).

Even more helpful in this my experiment is that i have left/right power meter stats which i can follow if something is changing or not…

So i hope my journey ended here :slight_smile: and wont have to spend more time on searching for different shoes etc… :slight_smile:

And hope this thread will help to someone else as well…

If there is anyone else having similar problems please share it as well how u solved and what worked for u.

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