Effect of shoes cleat position on physiological and biomechanical variables of

cycling performance
M. Chartognea, S. Duca, W. Bertuccia, J.A. Rodríguez-Marroyob, R. Perníab and J. Garcia-
Lópezb
a
University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, UFR STAPS, GRESPI (EA 4694), France;
b
University of León, Department of Physical Education and Sports, Spain.

Keywords: Road cycling, cleat position, biomechanics, electromyography.

1. Introduction

The cleat under the cycling shoe is generally

positioned below the first metatarsal head, directly
over the pedal axis (Silberman et al., 2005). Previous
studies did not found significant change of oxygen
consumption (VO2) when moving the cleat position
backward or forward (Van Sickle & Hull, 2007;
Paton, 2009) although small changes in muscular
activity level (electromyography) in leg and thigh
muscles have been observed (Ericson et al., 1985;
Litzenberger et al., 2008). However, these changes
have been observed with non cyclist subjects and with
large shoe cleat displacements (+ 50 mm). The aim of
this study was to investigate the acute effects of small
variation of cleat position on the energy cost and
pedalling technique (kinetics, kinematics and
electromyography) during submaximal cycling with
amateur competitive cyclists.
2. Methods
2.1 Protocol
Twelve cyclists participated (25 ± 6 years; 69 ± 7 kg;
1.78 ± 0.05 m; Maximal aerobic power: 406 ± 40 W),
being amateur and elite cyclists, according to
previous conventions (Ansley & Cangley, 2009).
They performed three 5-min submaximal pedalling
exercises (35, 50 and 65% MAP) and one 10-s
supramaximal test on Lode Excalibur
electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer (Lode B.
V., Groningen, Netherlands) (Figure 1). Three
different cleat positions were studied in a randomized
order: under the first metatarsal head, 15 mm forward
and 15 mm backward. Power output, oxygen
consumption, kinematics of lower limb joints and
EMG activity (EMG) of six lower limb muscles
(rectus femoris: RF, vastus lateralis: VL, biceps
femoris: BF, tibialis anterior: TA, gastrocnemius
lateralis: GL, soleus: SOL) were recorded during all
the pedalling exercises.
Figure 1: Study design.
2.2 EMG processing
Surface EMG sensors were placed in accordance with
the SENIAM recommendations. A constant 20mm
inter-electrode distance was observed. EMG was
recorded with three amplifiers (PowerLab 26T,
ADInstruments Ltd, Oxford, U.K). EMG signals were
amplified, band pass filtered (20-500 Hz) and analog-
to-digital converted at a 1000 Hz sampling rate. EMG
data were studied only for 65% MAP intensity. The
overall muscular activity was expressed by the root
mean square (RMS). Mean RMS was first calculated
on 30 consecutives crank cycles and normalized
according the reference position (metatarsal cleat
position), and then on 10 consecutives crank cycles
for the pedalling cycle divided in four parts (0-90°,
90-180°, 180-270° and 270-360°). EMG timing
analysis was conducted from EMG linear envelope:
EMG burst onset and offset were defined when
muscular activity is above an arbitrary activation
threshold of 25% of maximum value. This data
enables us to determine the EMG burst duration.
EMG peak was also found and expressed by the angle
where it occurred.
2.3 Statistical analysis
After normality testing using Kolmogorov-Smirnov
tests, one-way ANOVA for repeated measures were
performed to analyse the effect of cleat position on
EMG variables.
If ANOVA results were significant, Bonferroni post-
hoc tests were used to compare all means. Differences
were considered significant when p ≤ 0.05. All
analyses were performed with statistical software
(Statistica, StatSoft, Inc., Tulsa,U.S.A).

3. Results and discussion

No significant differences were found between the

means RMS of the three cleat positions over 30
consecutive pedalling cycles (Table 1) and on EMG
peak timing. Significant increase in TA activity were
found on 0-90°, 180-270° and 270-360° pedalling
cycle areas in backward compared to forward
position. On 270-360° pedalling cycle area RF
activity significantly increases in backward compared
to others positions. Our hypothesis is that a backward
cleat position leads to a forward foot loss of balance
during the pedalling cycle downstroke. EMG linear Figure 2 : EMG linear envelope for the 6 muscles
envelopes enable us to study EMG timing which studied in the 3 cleat conditions in the whole crank
highlights an earlier GL EMG burst onset in forward cycle (0-360°).
position.

Positions Forward Backward Acknowledgements

SOL 84 (26) 98 (31)
This study was conducted thanks to a collaborative
GL 105 (14) 100 (25)
work between the Universities of León (Spain) and
TA 89 (37) 120 (45)
Reims (France). The authors are grateful for the
RF 92 (16) 112 (44) subjects for having accepted to take part in this
VL 95 (27) 96 (49) protocol.
BF 121 (49) 102 (22)
Table 1 : Mean RMS values expressed as a References
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