Why not place the cleats further back on the foot? I've found a number of articles saying there is no advantage in having the cleat under the ball of your foot as opposed to further back towards the arch. The reasoning is that the calf muscle is not suited for endurance efforts and shouldn't be overused while cycling.


  Most of a cyclist's power comes from the quads, glutes and hamstrings - the lower leg only connecting to the pedal and stabilising what happens above. It doesn't contribute enough to justify its energy expenditure. The idea is there will be more oxygen/fuel left for the bigger muscle groups. Side benefits include a reduction in the overall height on the bike for better aerodynamics and hopefully the elimination of my recurring Achilles tendinitis. 


This really resonates with me, as I often get sore calves, even when I have positioned the cleat as far back as possible on my shoes.

Is anyone aware of any research or information supporting a more forward location for the cleat?
First off, i question why anyone thinks the calf muscle is not suited for endurance. Its a very active component of running, biking, jumping and so on. 

The ball of your foot can take hours of running, biking and other activity with high pressure. The arch of your foot is soft, and where tendons stretch across. A cleat in your arch would cause massive pain over time. 

Additionally, the clipped in pedal motion for ideal power is a triangle. Push down, scrape back. This backward pull would be difficult from the arch, and not very fluid feeling. Also likely causing other injuries. 

I am not a doctor, medical professional or trained in physical therapies. Just an avid cyclist that pushes 4500 miles a year, 2 - 3 centuries on a road bike and several other mountain bike events annually.