How to setup SPDs?

I have Specialized Sirrus Comp 2004 which has a flat pedal on one side and Shimano 505 spd pedal on the other side. I have recently bought a pair of Specialized Body Geometry MTB Sport cycling shoes as I was wanting to go clipless however I can't seem to get these set up right. No matter what I do I seem to get sore knees during my commute. If I ride with normal trainers on the flat part of the pedal I don't get any such problems.





How do you go about setting these things up properly? Any help appreciated as this really starting to annoy me now.

How to setup SPDs?
This sounds like a total pain in the @$$, but it's the best way I've found and it gets easier the more you do it.





Put your shoes on. Feel for the last knuckle where your big toe starts, and put a mark on the sole of the shoe right under the middle of that bone. That's the center of the ball of your foot, and your cleat should be centered at that point. Put some blue Loctite on the screws to keep them from rusting, and snug them down enough to keep them from moving. That takes care of the fore %26amp; aft positioning, but the rest is a little more difficult.





Now look at the bottom of the shoe. You want to position the cleat so that it points a little bit towards your big toe rather than straight out the center. That's a STARTING POINT, but may not be the final placement. Adjust the direction of the cleats so they're both about the same, making sure you don't move them forward or backward from your center mark. Tighten the cleats on pretty good, enough so they won't move when you clip in.





Add a drop of chain lube to the front %26amp; back of each cleat, put your shoes on, and ride on a flat surface without clipping in. Take mental notes about how far your heels are away from the frame when you pedal. Where is each foot positioned during your pedal stroke?





Now clip in one foot at a time (the lube makes it easier to feel the neutral cleat position in the pedal) and note the differences between clipped in and not. Do you want to move your heel outward? Does it feel like you want your knee straighter? Does it feel just right? Think about where you want your foot to be at the pedal's neutral point.





Do each foot separately and adjust them one at a time. Unclip yourself and follow these directions:





1. Think of cleat adjustment as how far away from your frame you want your heel to be. This is an easy point of reference. Take off your shoe and look at the cleat.





2. If you need your heel to be closer to the frame (or your knee to bend out a bit), loosen the cleat and point it SLIGHTLY more towards your big toe.





3. If you need your heel to be farther away from the frame (or your knee to be straighter), point the cleat slightly more towards the center of the tip of the shoe.





REMEMBER: It only takes a small adjustment to make a difference, and adjust each one according to YOUR comfort. Each foot may even be slightly different from each other, and that's fine.





Make your adjustment one shoe at a time, then clip in and see how your changes feel. I know this is time consuming, but your knees will thank you for the time you spent.
Reply:You need to adust the cleats so that the ball of your foot sits above the axle of the pedal. I would also check to see if your seat needs to be adjusted. At the bottom of your pedal stroke your leg should almost be fully extended.
Reply:Adjusting the cleat position is a pain...take the other suggestions seriously, it is all good advice. I'm going to add one more thing in case this applies to you.





My right foot actually tweaks outwards a little bit...well, ok, noticeable, for sure, if I'm standing naturally.





If you have the same deal, make sure to take that into account when adjusting the cleat position. Your foot should rest naturally on the pedal, albeit locked in.
Reply:When I went from flat pedals to SPD, I had to raise my seat about 1 inch. During a MTB competition ( I know your bike is not a MTB), I usually lower my seat post somewhat, and notice some knee pain. Try raising your seat post, so on the bottom stroke your knee has just a slight bend in it. You can also adjust the position of the cleat on the bottom of your shoe so your foot feels more or less on the pedal. You should not be experiencing knee pain so you have some troubleshooting to do. If you dont have time for that go back to flat pedals.



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