Nofx

Any Reason why my feet would be going numb on rides...... I am wondering if it is seat position or shoes.... or am I just strapping those things in to tight.....

Thanks....

Joe Gardner

Welcome to the forums Nofx, I have that problem when my shoes are too tight. Try loostening them up just a bit. I tighten my shoes as much as possible before practicing my sprints for better power to the pedals.

bac

If it isn't the tightness of the shoes, and if you are running clipless, you may want to experiment with moving the cleats around a bit. I had a similar experience, and I got the cleat closer to the ball of my foot (I moved it back just a touch), and it fixed the problem.

Good luck!

WoodyUpstate

While riding your feet will swell. If you're shoes are tight at the beginning of a ride, they'll be too tight after a half-hour on the bike.

I like my shoes a little loose when I start out and let my feet fill them out as the ride progresses.

I've also moved cleats around looking for the sweet spot.

princebaal

I have moved my cleats around and put inserts in my shoes and I still have numbness problems after a while. I have just learned that it's part of riding and I can't do anything about it. It is annoying, but until I get new shoes, I will just suffer.

mjrohnso

I noticed that mine start getting numb after a couple of hours. But I attribute that to the fact that my pedalling technique is lousy (all pushing, too little pulling). I never thought to try moving the cleats around.

pat5319

If you have "straps" try loosening them a bit particularly the one over your instep
( I'm assuming your have a good "fit")

Very often a better footbed will help- like the type made by "Superfeet"

Ride Awake
Pat

Rowan

I think the problem is called Morton's neuroma and/or metatarsalgia, or more commonly "hot foot". I know a little bit about it through research after suffering a bad case of it in my left foot at the end of an 800km four-day ride from Melbourne to Canberra last year.

It occurs because the nerves that run through the ball of your foot are getting all squeezed up between and under the many little bones there (the metatarsals). It is a common problem for long-distance cyclists. There are remedies:

1. Loosen the laces/straps on your shoes. You should be able to arch your toes inside the shoes.

2. Wear thinner socks. This is especially so if the shoes are a snug fit in the first place.

3. Get new shoes that are a half size larger and if need be use a second pair of thin socks to bulk up. Your toes should *not* touch the front of the toe box at all. Take off the second pair of sock if your feet swell. Long-distance riding results in this and the larger shoe size helps. I am about to try sandals as another option because the straps are infinitely adjustable.

4. The favourite trick for long-distance riders using clipless pedals is to move the cleat backwards from under the ball of the foot. Now, using the foot near the arch rather than the ball may go against what many think is good pedalling technique, but Race Across America (RAAM) riders found out very early on that moving the cleat back -- even to the point of extending the slots -- took the pressure away from the bones and nerves in the ball of the foot. Move millimetre by millimetre until you find the most comfortable position. If you have toeclips and straps, use spacers to between the clip and pedal so your arch moves forward and nearer the pedal spindle.

5. There are pads available from pharmacies that go at strategic locations on the soles of the fee that spread the bones on the ball of the foot and supposedly relieve the problem.

6. Some cycling shoes (all my three paris of Shimanos, for example) have thin, relatively soft sole linings that compress and I can feel the underlying hard plastic. I replace them with quite hard sports inserts.

7. If you are using clipless pedals of the Shimano variety, I think you can get clip-on plastic platforms that can help spread the pressure across the sole of the shoe. Time Attacs now come with a platform MTB pedal. If you use Look or Time pedals with the big cleats, there isn't much more that can be done. I don't know much about other pedal types

I've tried all but the fifth solution, and am now a happy long-distance pedaller foot-wise. See a podiatrist who knows about the dynamics of pedalling if all else fails.

R

Revenig

Welcome Nofx. I see you're from Cedar Rapids. I grew up in Dubuque and graduated from the Univ. of Iowa. Let's hope those Hawkeyes can have another great football season like last year.

Rowan did a great job in explaining the specifics on this issue. For me, it ended up being the socks. Once I went with the thinner socks, I no longer had this problem.

dexmax

I had that problem before.. I adjusted my cleats back a little bit and the problem went away...

After 1-2months, a readjusted the cleats forward for more efficiency but the problem didn't come back.. Perhaps my shoes needed a break in.. Or the foot...

Roadlearner

I have a thread about the same thing, only it's my right foot. I'm going to adjust my cleat tonight and see what happens.

Nofx- Fat Mike fan I take it. My favorite band.