The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted Shimano a US patent for a wireless electronic cleat system for cycling shoes. As you ride, the changes the shoe's position in relation to your pedals. With the use of inputs from rider and bike sensors, it enables lateral and fore-aft positioning. These produce data that finds the ideal shoe position and moves there automatically. It is also possible to change manually.

Typically, a pedal, cleat, and shoe connect a rider to their bicycle. An "adjuster" on the sole of the shoe is present in this instance. This is equipped with the cleat, and the shoe attaches to the pedal using the conventional method. With the help of rails, this adjuster's reversible electric motor may move the shoe from front to back and left to right, reports New Atlas.‍

The system's primary battery is located in the pedal, and the shoe, cleat, and adjuster are all powered via a wireless system.

But why such adjustability? Because bicyclists adapt their body position to the many terrains they ride on, including varying uphill and downhill grades. This can alter the legs' pivot points and angles; if the foot's contact point can adapt to compensate, there may be mechanical benefits and improved performance.

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The possible performance advantages of Shimano's adjustable shoes are not yet supported by scientific data, despite their technological promise. “adjusting the anterior-posterior foot position on the pedal does not affect cycling economy in competitive cyclists pedaling at a steady-state power output eliciting approximately 90% of VT [Ventilatory Threshold],” according to a study published in 2023. The results of this study, which was probably carried out in a controlled laboratory setting, imply that the advantages of adjusting foot position may be few, or at the very least, insignificant enough to have no effect on overall performance under steady-state settings.