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Shoe comfort?
Hi All
I just thought I'd get a second opinion rather than living with something I don't have to (let's face it, we've all done that before)
Is it normal to get numb and uncomfortable feet after only 30km or so? Loosening off the straps and wriggling a bit helps but it's still there. It's been the case across 2 pairs of shoes so I doubt it's that. Could this be related to cleat position or is it normal and I should just HTFU?
thanks in advance
danny
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I don't get any discomfort from my shoes. Sidi Dominator 5 (the wide version). Even if it happened across two pairs if they both didn't fit you correctly then you would have an issue.
i've had the same issue and the last time i had my road bike fitting done, the physio therapist said to me that it was an issue with the position of the cleats and the allowable side movements of my feet when clipped in.
the cleat should sit under the front bal/heel bit which should be more stable and take on more pressure
play around with it or get yourself fitted
Is what your getting and its caused by your shoes being to narrow, I had a similar thing with my Shimano shoes previously and yeah my feet would go numb from them.
I switched to Northwave shoes as they are pretty wide and have yet to have a problem since.
That feeling can be due to circulation / nerve system issues which may not be related to your shoes, especially as you get it with different shoes. I get the same if I sit and pedal for extended periods. Less of a problem the more techy the track gets as I am up and down and moving about on the seat more. I put it down to my poor circulation compounded by pressure points in the seat. I lose circulation in my fingers / toes easily when it is cold and have some varicose vein issues.
Could also be lower back issues?
I have a very high arch (and short wide feet). As a result I get a sharp pain down my foot on longer rides. But this is not specific to riding, but also other sports and particularly skiing. Worse when skiing was in my race boots (super tight and stiff). So I put it down to the nerve or blood supply getting crushed by the top pressure of the offending foot ware (both these run along the top of the foot). Therefore for me the wider and more spacious the shoe the better (Northwave’s as mentioned above), and not too stiff – no carbon for me. Plus a dose of HTFU.
But if anyone has a similar problem and has fixed it – let me know!!!
I had a wide size sidi ordered into the shop for me, but after 5-10 km I would get saw feet, I've moved my cleats around each ride trying to find the ideal spot. I now have my cleats nearest to the heal and can manage 30-40km before I get saw feet.
Thanks for the input, looks like I'm not alone on this one. I'll start by moving the cleats foward and also trying some thinner socks and take it from there.
A few years back I spent some big coin on top of the line Specialized carbon shoes for racing. I found I'd get really numb toes about half way into a 100km enduro and suffered badly. I originally bought them just for racing but as they hurt so much I made them my training shoe. After a while they stopped hurting and I completely forgot about my problems and use them as my training and racing shoe.
Now a plug for Specialized: I've been doing 8-10hrs off road riding per week for the past 4 years or so in these shoes and they just won't wear out! I replace cleats once a year but that's it! While initially the cost was not too far shy of $500 they have probably cost me less than 50 cents a ride.
its quite common i think, i can get numb toes during a spin class! Yet i've ridden 8hr events and not had a problem and then on the weekend I rode a 4hr and had a lap where i really noticed it, took my time on the open sections to take my feet of the pedals, give them a shake, wiggle the toes and then no problems for the rest of the day.
I must admit i notice it if i go for a road ride, where you just sit and grind away most of the time!