I've never been able to understand when my pedals are too loose or too tight. I know that when you tighten your pedals you seem to get less lateral (side-to-side) movement of your shoes (thus making it harder to clip out). Too stiff and I feel like sometimes I get ankle pain.

What exactly are you shooting for with pedal tension adjustment, both in theory and practice? Please don't tell me whatever feels right. :rolleyes:

What kind of pedals do you have? With most adjustable pedals, the tension adjustment affects only one thing: how easy it is to get out. It's not supposed to affect the float or anything else, and it shouldn't affect ankle pain or anything else when you're riding. It only matters when you clip out.

The "right" tension is tight enough so you never pull out accidentally (like when you're sprinting or doing other hard efforts), and loose enough so you can always get out when you want to. That's it.

The "right" tension is tight enough so you never pull out accidentally (like when you're sprinting or doing other hard efforts), and loose enough so you can always get out when you want to. That's it.

Really? I feel like an idiot now. I have Look Keos and I probably have them way too tight. Thanks for clearing that up!

Really? I feel like an idiot now. I have Look Keos and I probably have them way too tight. Thanks for clearing that up!

And you certainly shouldn't feel like an idiot. Everybody doesn't know something. The idiot is the guy who doesn't have sense enough to ask a question.

Don't go overboard when you start adjusting. If you're having trouble clipping out now, loosen them a little, and see if it helps. Just go until you can get out comfortably and reliably. Pulling out accidentally when you stand up to sprint or power up a hill can be hazardous, and it's hard to test for.

There's a famous bit of video from the Tour de France a few years ago of Erik Zabel sitting on the top tube of his bike, feet splayed out, after he lost both pedals at the start of the sprint. Remarkably, he did not crash, but it looks painful. Cyclingnews.com referred to it as Zabel's "nut-crunching incident."

I have riden my Look Keo's for 2,700+miles this season on the lightest tension (factory default) I have not inadvertantly come unclipped. Granted, I am not a sprinting beast but I do stress them climbing. I would start as loose as possible and then tighten only if necessary to remain clipped in.

I have riden my Look Keo's for 2,700+miles this season on the lightest tension (factory default) I have not inadvertantly come unclipped. Granted, I am not a sprinting beast but I do stress them climbing. I would start as loose as possible and then tighten only if necessary to remain clipped in.

Hmm...I'd like to restore mine to the factory default. How can I do that?

I'm not sure you can. You can try contacting Look via their web site, but I'd be surprised if they actually knew the setting. I have Keos, too, and I'm certainly not afraid to "tweak" them from time-to-time. Try tightening them by turning the screws in all the way. Then back each of them out one complete turn. Try that for awhile. Too tight? loosen each peda exactly the same amount. Too loose? Well, ....you get the idea. Personally, I like mine a bit on the snug side. Pulling out of a pedal accidentally can have painful & potentially disastrous consequences.

CT, I'm with 99 in that I have left my Carbon's on the default which is the least resistance on Looks.
I'm very new to clipless and fell twice last Saturday. However, I haven't been able to find out what the default is or how to get back to it. The setting works for me as of now.

Trial and error is your only bet right now I think.

On second thought, I could see how many turns it is from my default factory setting in turns from the least or most tension and you could work back from there, unless there is no end point which leave us SOL. I'll try that during the day and post back. Here's hoping Look's default is the same for all their Keo's.

I have a fishing scale that I use to get 9-11# measured from the heal and pulling away from the bike. It seems to work for me and friends.

Versatile, I think my Dura Ace pedals are cool in that, at the lowest tension, I never have the problem of accidentally unclipping whether it be mashing or spinning ridiculously high cadences. Maybe different cleats/pedals are designed a little differently in this aspect of how tight is too tight or so.

OP, like the others say, start either at the lowest maybe, then fiddle with them but make sure they're the same tension on both pedals. Don't fret too much on it.

Thanks guys. I reset them to the lowest setting and then upped the tension from there. Ended up with them at about a 3 o'clock position (two clicks) from the minimum setting of about 7 o'clock. Does that sound right to other Keo Carbon Ti owners? Probably not a bad thing every so often as I found that over time my right pedal had become tighter than my left...

CT,
Just had a look at my carbons and the setting was about 1 click from the end, maybe not even as I didn't really feel any noticeable click position. Anyways never had them release unexpectedly though.

I have riden my Look Keo's for 2,700+miles this season on the lightest tension (factory default) I have not inadvertantly come unclipped. Granted, I am not a sprinting beast but I do stress them climbing. I would start as loose as possible and then tighten only if necessary to remain clipped in.

I disagree. I'd rather have trouble clipping out while practicing than sprint out of my pedals on accident because i started too loose. I've done that before. It hurts. A lot.

I disagree. I'd rather have trouble clipping out while practicing than sprint out of my pedals on accident because i started too loose. I've done that before. It hurts. A lot.

Since I don't race, hard sprints are not an issue for me. Clipping out quickly when cars appear at intersections is more of a concern for me.

The beauty is that they are adjustable so recreational riders like me and clip out quick or can be cranked down so the sprinters can remain clipped in.

I think my point was that being clipped in tighter than you would ever pull out of at your performance level is not necessary. It does not make energy transfer any better.