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Assioma pedals with Look cleats

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Assioma pedals with Look cleats

Old 07-14-19, 03:37 PM
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nick_m
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Assioma pedals with Look cleats

I've been riding with Look pedals/cleats and recently purchased the Assioma Duo power meters. The Look cleats clip into the Assioma pedals, but do they provide the same axis location under the ball of the foot? I've used them without adjustment on rides up to 65 miles with no problems, but on yesterday's 125 miler, I started to experience pain in my big toes and I wonder if it's due to incorrect cleat placement.

Thanks for any insights,
Nick
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Old 07-15-19, 01:37 AM
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Usually I notice pain in my knees if the cleats aren't set quite right. If there's pain anywhere in my feet or toes, it's a shoe fit issue.

For example, with my Scott Road Pro summer weight shoes (they're like sandals in breathable fabric and comfort, but full coverage), the fit is so precise that I can't wear anything more than the thinnest socks. Anything else cuts off circulation to my toes and makes the smallest and biggest toes ache.

Ditto, tension of straps, velcro, buckles, etc. On some hotter days I need to loosen them just a bit to accommodate swelling during a long ride. On shorter rides it's less critical, but by around 50 miles I often need to loosen the straps a bit.

Where was the pain? If the bottom of the toes at the joints, you might try a different insole. I'm a big fan of the very affordable Profoot Miracle insoles. Only $8-$10 at pharmacies. Thin but dense foam, not gel, ultra-lightweight, durable. One set of shoes is going on almost 18 months with the same set. My newer Fizik shoes are going on three months with a fresh set of Profoot Miracles. Wouldn't have anything else, and I've tried many from custom orthotics to Dr Scholl's.

If the front of the toe, like it feels stubbed, your feet may be sliding too far forward (assuming the shoes fit). A bit of Moleskin or something similar on the tongue might help. Check for heel slippage too. My Scott and Fizik shoes have textured material inside the heel counter to prevent slippage, but that stuff wears with age. Again, a bit of Moleskin is pretty safe to try to correct minor fit issues.

Toenail length can be critical too. My toes are almost as long as fingers, and nail length is crucial to comfort in snug fitting shoes. If I let mine grow too long it'll cause enough pressure over a long ride to make my big toes feel bruised. But if I cut them even a tiny bit too short, they'll feel raw and achy. And I'm talking nths of a centimeter difference. Sometimes I'll just use files instead of clippers to keep the big toenails the right length.
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Old 07-15-19, 08:35 AM
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It could well be cleat placement. I have bunions, and I suffered from foot pain for years, trying to figure out the cause. Riding for more than an hour or two was very painful. The first podiatrist said I needed surgery, but it's a painful ordeal, and I would have needed to be totally off my feet for several weeks. The second podiatrist I saw said, "I know these feet," as if he was talking about a year, make, and model of a car. He told me to ride with stiff shoes and to move my cleats back. Now my pain is 90-95% abated. My cleats are very far back, putting my arches over the pedal spindles. It was weird at first. I had to lower my saddle to accommodate this.

But everyone is different. Seek the help of an expert or several experts. A fit expert at a bike shop might be able to help.
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Old 07-15-19, 10:04 PM
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canklecat, noglider;

Thanks for the ideas. Favero did respond and confirmed that the axle placement is the same for both cleats. That seems to leave training as the only variable: I started using TrainerRoad this year (and bike, shoes, cleats and socks are the same as last year). I think it might have been due to a breakdown in form after having gone out too hard on the first four passes (of the Death Ride). The pain did abate somewhat when I focused on technique. I'm familiar with bunion pain; I resolved that 5 years ago by removing excess, overlapping material from my old shoes, and my new ones have never been an issue.

The good (and bad) news is that next year's Death Ride will be 29 miles shorter - they're closing Carson Pass and making it a century ride.

Thanks again,
Nick
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Old 07-16-19, 01:06 PM
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Yep, trainer workouts and road workouts differ just enough to present new physical challenges. I encountered that last year when I was out of commission for a few months after being hit by a car. I mostly used the indoor trainer. While it maintained my cardio fitness, it took awhile to adapt to getting back on the road.

With the indoor trainer I never coasted. In the real world we coast a lot, if only a moment here and there. But those brief respites may aid circulation and recovery just enough to minimize injuries.
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