Beach Bob

Anyone have thoughts on why I would be getting pain in the Achilles tendon? Only having pain on the left tendon. Nothing has changed on the bike in well over a year.

rumrunn6

only connection I ever had between Achilles tendon & cycling was when I started running. I over-did it with the running (trying to increase my stride & pace) & therapy was cycling. & there was no discomfort on the bike. are you only having Achilles discomfort while on the bike? if not, is it possible you strained it elsewhere?

prathmann

I started getting pain in that area many years ago. I only felt it on rides of over 50 miles and eventually realized that it had started after I replaced my toe clips. I checked them and determined that the new ones were a few mm shorter and therefore placed my feet farther back on the pedals. Longer clips cured the problem and once cleated shoes became available I've been careful to mount the cleats back in the slots.

Carbonfiberboy 

It's rare but it happens. Don't know why. I'd look at physical therapy - stretching, strengthening. Try riding at a higher cadence (lower gear), especially on hills. Relax your ankle, feel the heel cup.

rumrunn6

I made some extensions out of tubular plastic collars that push my mini clips forward. I have them on all 3 bikes

can kind of see them in this cropped zoomed edit


so that the wide part of my foot, where that 1st big toe knuckle is, lines up w the pedal axis

Beach Bob

All interesting comments. I am using SPD clips, set well back towards the heel. I'm almost at the point of replacing the shoes (and clips).

Thoughts on moving to Speedplays or SPD-SLs?

prathmann

For myself I found that positioning the SPD cleats at the rearmost position in the slots was sufficient. But I know a couple people who drilled new holes in their shoes to place the cleats even farther back. If you like the shoes and pedals in other respects I'd try that approach first before going to a different system.

Carbonfiberboy 

My guess is that different shoes would only make a difference if they were stiffer. Around here almost all long distance cyclists use Sidi Dominators with SPD. I doubt that a different pedal system would make any difference. Google "cycling achilles tendonitis". Then off to your gym and talk to a trainer.

Iride01 

I agree that changing the cleat type won't do anything for your pain issue. IMO.

Some people wear their shoes out in a years worth of riding. Maybe you just need new ones.

I'd experiment with fore and aft positions and things like heel in or heel out angles.

Do you mash or spin? Since I got old, I always favor spinning now. Any time I get soreness in knees, feet or legs, during the ride and ask myself if I've been keeping my cadence high. If I have not, then increasing my cadence usually stops the soreness before it becomes anything. The other thing I ask myself for those and other situations is have I been hydrating frequently.

Beach Bob

I'm trying to be more of a spinner (i.e. holding 90 or so), but more naturally a masher....

In experimenting a bit, it seems that it may be related to having the cleat alignment off a bit, forcing the heel out seems to reduce the symptoms quite a bit.

Beach Bob

Fresh pair of shoes and a lot of judicious tweaking...and no pain, no swelling....

Stormsedge

Shoes being too small have caused me issues, as has too long a stride when running.

fivefootnine

Having snapped my right Achilles twice, all I can say is listen to your body. If it hurts, STOP! You do not want the pain, you do not want to be in a cast for 3 months and you do not want to be off your foot for 6 months. This was by far the the most absolute worst injury I have ever been through... and I’ve broke my neck as well!!!

lear60man

Stretching and small cork lifts in your walking shoes. Thats all I got sorry.