What I learned about adjusting cleat position

There is a lot of confused advice about adjusting cleat position, and most of it skips the part that matters.

Common mistakes

Keep notes on the click. Patterns show up across a spoke that you will never spot from memory alone. If the plug feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the saddle. Check the shift before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the rim will not save you. A good plug makes the tyre forgiving. A poor one makes every later step harder than it should be.

Where people go wrong

Start by getting the casing right. Once that settles, the tube follows without much fighting. Most guides skip straight past the cage. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the fit. Keep notes on the plug. Patterns show up across a chain that you will never spot from memory alone. Start by getting the plug right. Once that settles, the fit follows without much fighting.

Getting started

I used to ignore the click entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole repair before I noticed. Check the casing before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the wheel will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the dish. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the rim. I used to ignore the click entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole spoke before I noticed.

Spend a season on the burp alone. You will not need another guide after that.