daniell

On my road bike I recently switched to platform pedals. I have always ridden with platform pedals on the mountain bike. Currently I am using Five Ten mountain bike shoes. The soles are very flexible. I think that the flexible soles is a major factor causing my foot pain. Before spending another $100 + on new platform shoes, I would appreciate recommendations.

ofajen

How recently did you make the change? What kind of pain? Is it just sore foot muscles because you are working your feet more and longer? That should sort itself out. Or is it more like specific pressure points getting sore from pressure coming through the shoe?

Otto

canklecat

Try a set of ProFoot Miracle insoles. I have narrow, bony feet with high arches and needed orthotics and insoles since I was a kid. These are the best I've found. Lightweight, resilient, easy to trim to size and shape, inexpensive at around $8-$10 (I buy 'em at Walgreens), and durable. Mine usually last up to a year. I use 'em in almost every pair of cycling shoes, walking and running shoes. It's not memory foam or gel, but a resilient foam that takes a set and conforms under the toes, but keeps the full cushioning support under the arches and heels. They're really remarkably good and a bargain compared with most insoles.

You can use them to replace the original insoles, or add them over or under the existing insole, depending on how the shoe fits. In some cases I've trimmed them back from the toes, and the heel cup to avoid fit problems, keeping only enough of the custom insole for the metatarsals and arches. Even after the flatten out I'll keep the old set for other shoes that might need a double insole but not too much thickness.

Most cycling shoes I've tried -- clipless or platform types -- have insoles that are way too firm, or not thickly padded enough. I almost always replace them after giving the original a try for a few rides. My Fizik and Scott clipless shoe insoles are in a drawer or box in the closet, probably never to be used again. I tried some Five Ten Freeriders in a shop a couple of years ago and while they were good the insoles felt too firm to me.

In some cases metatarsal pain, arch pain, etc., is temporary so you might not need custom insoles for more than a few weeks or months. When I resumed running about 8 months ago, after a 30+ year hiatus, my arches were so weak I needed to double up on the insoles in my Adidas, Under Armour and Atreyu running shoes. But after about six months I was able to use just the ProFoot Miracle or, in some cases, just the original insole.

Iride01 

I'd go along with the idea that the flexible shoe soles are a problem. It's an easy thing to remedy and see if that's the cause. There are plenty of shoes made specifically for cycling that aren't intended for cleats. And the mtn bike shoes I use with my road bike all came with a cover plate to use if cleats were not desired.

Also foot position on the pedal can be an issue. So maybe change that. It feels funny at first but for me, with cleats, moving my foot forward on the pedal so far has always produced better results once I got over the funny feel. I have them almost as far back as they will go. But it might be a while before I go further back. Maybe next year. I'm not in a hurry.

Rick

I ride with tennis shoes. I use MKS Lambda Platform Pedals. There is also a version with pins in them for more grip. They are longer front to back so you put your foot further forward on the pedal. They are made for soft shoes.

PeteHski

Which FiveTen shoes do you have? I ask because they usually have pretty stiff soles. I use their Freerider Pros and I wouldn’t describe those as very flexible.

rsbob 

How far is your usual ride? Do you do prolonged hill climbs? What speed do you maintain? When do your feet first start hurting?

daniell

Mine are not the Pro version. They flex more than sneakers. I would not have bought them if I knew that was the case.

Miele Man

I once rode around thirty kilometers with what was a fairly flexible shoe sole. I had lost something valuable somewhere on that route and had to go back to find it. So my total distance that day was sixty kilometers and before the end of it my right foot was in agony. I then bought a pair of stiff smooth sole MTB shoes that I use with the exact same pedals, toe-clips and straps and can now ride all day without foot pain.

The shoes I bought.



Cheers

PeteHski

Something is not quite right here. Fake perhaps? You say not the Pro version. So are these Freeriders or some other model? Because I know they make more flexible trainers and climbing shoes too. But their mtb shoes are nice and stiff on the soles as you would fully expect. I've owned several pairs over the last 5 or 6 years.

daniell

These are the shoes that I have.
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...bike-shoe?sg=3

Iride01 

Might be the difference of how long and how much power you put into your pedals. Longer rides with more power will require stiffer soles. So two different people might have two different experiences with them.

Too many want to use the "Fake" word to blame things that don't turn out like they wanted.

daniell

My usual ride is only 20 miles. I am willing to cut my losses and buy a different pair. I need to find one with a stiff sole.

Iride01 

If they are comfortable enough to walk a hard surface like a concrete sidewalk, then they probably are not stiff enough to ride with if you put a fair amount of power into your pedaling.

daniell

I am considering purchasing these shoes. Being that they are designed for cleats, the sole would be stiff. I just don't know whether these would be suitable for platform pedals.
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/1257...1&csp=a&pos=13

Iride01 

X-alps are what I've been riding for quite a while with SPD cleats and pedal. However there are so many versions of X-alps now. And they don't even make an X-alp shoe that looks like mine anymore.

Mine had more mesh material in them that allowed great cooling when riding in the hot weather. Also dried out quick while riding after being soaked by rain along the way. However very cold in the winter. Don't know what those will be like.

I just replaced mine with some Sidi's that fit my foot wonderfully. Worried about the heat retention and that I'll be feeling like I'm constantly stomping on water after a rain, but like any new purchase, I'll try them and see if I chose poorly or not.

You can also buy direct from Pearl Izumi and they have all sorts of X-Alps, other shoes and other cycling clothes as well. Usually when they have a sale, the others drop their prices too, but sometimes PI is just a little better deal. Other times the other vendors win out.

https://www.pearlizumi.com/US/en/sea...vance&show=All

rumrunn6

you might try lacing them differently

daniell

From what I read, I can use these for platform pedals with the option of using clipless. I am between sizes. Should I go up or down?

Iride01 

As always, that depends.

There is no standardized foot that the manufacturers base their lasts on. Pearl Izumi's tend to run narrow which is good for my foot. Other cycling shoes tend to run wider for a given size and others even narrower. Few even give you a width selection. Some do, but that is rare now even for a shoe that is just a shoe.

I'll probably always try shoes on before purchase. Even the Sidi's I just bought yesterday I tried on. I didn't get to try on every cycling shoe I wanted to as inventory is low at all the LBS's here. I called other nearby cities and was willing to drive a couple hours, but none had any that I was interested in. I even thought of waiting till I go to Denver in a couple weeks and trying the shops there. But I was way to late replacing my old spd shoes. I needed shoes now. So I got what I could try.

If you can't try locally, then I'd consider what the return policy is for each online vendor you look at. Shoes many times are a different policy than other things they sell.