# Clipless Pedals and Numb Feet



## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

Ola Everyone.

So yeah, for the past month I've been searching this forum like crazy and trying everything everyone has said. So heres my boring story hopefully you can help me out or give me an idea.

Me: 5' 9", 180lbs, I use the bike for DH on weekends, and commuting during the week, my commute is about 10 miles each way and its half dirt. I used to bmx bike growing up but I stopped for about 10 years total. I've never had a problem with my feet being odd shaped with any other shoe or ski boot for that matter. I have a 10.5 foot or 45 in bike shoes.

So 2 months ago I bought one of these: http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/costco-29er-790732.html

and a month ago I bought these: Shimano M324 SPD Pedals - Free Shipping at REI.com 
and these: Shimano MT33L Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com

So ever since I started this setup I've been battling with numb feet, after about 15 minutes in, my left foot starts going numb, then the right about 20 minutes in. I have learned to pedal with one foot so I can shake the other one out for a quick minute and then it is fine for about 5 minutes before it goes numb again. I noticed riding flat land (which their is not really any here) they only get lightly numb which does not bother me as much.

Things I've tried: 
1. 4 different cleat positions in all variations on both shoes, taken tape to see where they rest on my feet without being clipped. 
2. Moved seat up and down in about 4 different spots, back and forth, and also angle. 
3. Stretched for days 
4. Different socks 
5. Swapped my running shoe insoles

So I basically got so frustrated with these I decided to try some different shoes so last weekend I went and bought these: Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek IV Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com

I rode with those today and pretty much the same problem remains, they are not as bad as the Shimano's but still bad enough to irritate me to the point I have to stop.

Anyone have any Ideas before I try a full road shoe? I really dont want to do this but the pain is enough to make me try anything. :madman:


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## tednugent (Apr 16, 2009)

it could be shoe fit... maybe the help at REI isn't that great.....

The shoe may be too tight on the trouble foot... velcro straps is a lot more convenient than laces, imo.

so, head down to a local bike shop and have them help you select an appropiate mtb shoe... tell them the issues you're having.

maybe a bike fit session may be a good idea... but start with going to the bike shop first.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

tednugent said:


> it could be shoe fit... maybe the help at REI isn't that great.....
> 
> The shoe may be too tight on the trouble foot... velcro straps is a lot more convenient than laces, imo.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your post,

I've tried to keep them as loose as possible, i can actually pull out my feet from them without the laces. I got the shoes online, so I never actually got "sized" at rei.

Our bike shops in town have not had the best rep (according to my friends at least, and when I rode bmx) I might try somewhere over in Seattle this weekend.


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## citiznkain (Jun 11, 2012)

my feet tend to go numb if i have the top strap on my shoes to tight. the pivot of my ankle in the shoe cuts the blood flow off for some reason. so if i keep the 2 lower velcro straps somewhat snug, and the top ratchet strap just to where i don't have to use the ratchet i don't have a problem. 

you could also have bad circulation in your feet. it happens and it's a pain to find shoes that work. It took us quite awhile to find snowboard boots for my wife that didn't make her feet fall asleep within a couple of minutes of putting them on.


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

A couple of things:

1) a bike shoe needs to fit snugly with a little room at the toes, similar to a boot fit. Make sure your ankle is as far back in the shoe as possible, and the shoe can't move on your foot when it is laced, but is not constricting you.

2) That shoe (and "touring" style shoes in general) have flexy soles that do not play well with a small cleat interface. Note that your pedals do not have a recessed interface at all; 424s or the like would support your foot better and relieve the numb foot sensation you are feeling. Your only other option would be to get a stiffer soled shoe.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

Is it your entire foot that goes numb or just the toes? 

If it's primarily your toes, you may want to position the cleats back behind the balls of your feet. When they're forward, you tend to mash the pedals with the front end of your feet and that creates pressure from the shoe on your toe box and numbness. With cleats set back, you'll pedal with a relatively flat foot and minimize binding from a scrunched toe box.


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## tednugent (Apr 16, 2009)

Airpoppoff said:


> Thank you for your post,
> 
> I've tried to keep them as loose as possible, i can actually pull out my feet from them without the laces. I got the shoes online, so I never actually got "sized" at rei.


Good thing REI has a generous return policy.....


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

wschruba said:


> A couple of things:
> 
> 1) a bike shoe needs to fit snugly with a little room at the toes, similar to a boot fit. Make sure your ankle is as far back in the shoe as possible, and the shoe can't move on your foot when it is laced, but is not constricting you.
> 
> 2) That shoe (and "touring" style shoes in general) have flexy soles that do not play well with a small cleat interface. Note that your pedals do not have a recessed interface at all; 424s or the like would support your foot better and relieve the numb foot sensation you are feeling. Your only other option would be to get a stiffer soled shoe.


424's? I'm not sure what you mean by recessed interface either, but the cleat is below the tread if thats what you mean.



joeinchi said:


> Is it your entire foot that goes numb or just the toes?
> 
> If it's primarily your toes, you may want to position the cleats back behind the balls of your feet. When they're forward, you tend to mash the pedals with the front end of your feet and that creates pressure from the shoe on your toe box and numbness. With cleats set back, you'll pedal with a relatively flat foot and minimize binding from a scrunched toe box.


I'ts just the toes, but if I let it go long enough the entire forefoot goes numb. I've had them all the way back before, but I'll never hesitate to try something twice. 


tednugent said:


> Good thing REI has a generous return policy.....


No joke!

Thank you all for your posts


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## BikeDestroyer (Jul 25, 2012)

I had this same issue as you and it was my cheap lace-up shoes. Ponied up and got a good pair of shoes with the Velcro and ratchet system and the problem went away. As the poster said above, it could be your shoes.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

I think you should be looking for a more serious mountain bike shoe; any shoe that says "for walking comfort" should be avoided if you have numbness issues. A much stiffer sole may help your issue, since you're familiar with REI: Giro Carbide Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com would be one choice.

Road/MTB shops are frequently poorly regarded by BMXers, I think it's because of the culture differences. The high end crowd tends to look down on BMX like it's something for juviniles, but since you're shopping for clipless shoes you'll fit right in to the bike shop culture. Remember, you're buying shoes not trying to start a lifelong friendship; you can put up with even a crap shop if they fit you with the proper shoe, right? It's worth a try to get in, try some stuff on, and walk out with a shoe that will help your issue. Stiff shoes are key and make sure you get an insole in the shoe. Saddle height and fit may also be causing you trouble, so watch out for that.

I was having some toe numbness with my flat pedals so I switched to the very stiff 5.10 shoes with insoles (just Superfeet ones) and have no numbness with much better pedaling power.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

zebrahum said:


> I think you should be looking for a more serious mountain bike shoe; any shoe that says "for walking comfort" should be avoided if you have numbness issues. A much stiffer sole may help your issue, since you're familiar with REI: Giro Carbide Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com would be one choice.
> 
> Road/MTB shops are frequently poorly regarded by BMXers, I think it's because of the culture differences. The high end crowd tends to look down on BMX like it's something for juviniles, but since you're shopping for clipless shoes you'll fit right in to the bike shop culture. Remember, you're buying shoes not trying to start a lifelong friendship; you can put up with even a crap shop if they fit you with the proper shoe, right? It's worth a try to get in, try some stuff on, and walk out with a shoe that will help your issue. Stiff shoes are key and make sure you get an insole in the shoe. Saddle height and fit may also be causing you trouble, so watch out for that.
> 
> I was having some toe numbness with my flat pedals so I switched to the very stiff 5.10 shoes with insoles (just Superfeet ones) and have no numbness with much better pedaling power.


Thank you for the helpful post. I might just have to step up to the stiff shoe, that makes alot of sense to me.

I got a local bike shop here that a friend suggested to me that was a split off of the other company in town so I'm going to go check them out today. Thanks again.


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## akaHector (Apr 30, 2012)

I'm having the same issue as the OP, but my toes don't get numb in my left foot until abut 40 minutes into a ride. my setup is some old (2001) specializes mountain comp shoes - for those in the know, YES! they are the bright yellow ones! - and some equally old welgo pedals. the shoes seem very stiff, and the pedals very small. could any of this be due to a small pedal surface area? would pedals with the platform around them help? thanks! 

OP, sorry for the semi-hijack!


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

akaHector said:


> I'm having the same issue as the OP, but my toes don't get numb in my left foot until abut 40 minutes into a ride. my setup is some old (2001) specializes mountain comp shoes - for those in the know, YES! they are the bright yellow ones! - and some equally old welgo pedals. the shoes seem very stiff, and the pedals very small. could any of this be due to a small pedal surface area? would pedals with the platform around them help? thanks!
> 
> OP, sorry for the semi-hijack!


If your shoe is stiff enough then it doesn't matter if you have a platform around it or not. Your shoe should not rest on the platform of a pedal while clipped in; the small platforms surrounding pedals are made for non-clipped in riding, and they're pretty abhorrent at that task as well.

My first question would be whether or not you've ever been assessed for insoles. You can't do anything with your feet until they've been stabilized. You have have the stiffest shoe in the world but if your foot is allowed to, say, pronate then you'll always have an inherent imbalance in the pressure to the bottom of your foot. Once you stabilize your foot then you can start to work out where the pressure causing the numbness is coming from. This is also advice for the OP which I just thought of now.

Also, everything wears out, maybe it's time to consider new shoes.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

akaHector said:


> OP, sorry for the semi-hijack!


I'll take anything I can get at this point! :thumbsup:


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Airpoppoff said:


> I'll take anything I can get at this point! :thumbsup:


Push the cleats all the way back in the slots....

Spin don't hammer....

Wear thicker socks to keep pressure off the viens and nerves...if the shoe has room.


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## 006_007 (Jan 12, 2004)

You might want to consider something like the G-form bike shoe gel - in theory it helps eliminate hotspots from cleats that may cause numbing.

Bike Shoe Gel - G-Form LLC

They also do a full shoe insert.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

I went to my LBS and picked up a set of these: Shimano M087G Mountain Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com So I'll see how those do tonight.

Thanks again for all your helps.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Airpoppoff said:


> I went to my LBS and picked up a set of these: Shimano M087G Mountain Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com So I'll see how those do tonight.
> 
> Thanks again for all your helps.


Definitely an improvement, don't forget the footbeds if you need them.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

zebrahum said:


> Definitely an improvement, don't forget the footbeds if you need them.


I'm going to go to those if this still gives me fits. Any word on how long I should allow for a "Break in" of these bad boys?


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## crashtestdummy (Jun 18, 2005)

Airpoppoff said:


> and these: Shimano MT33L Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com


I had a similar pair of Shimano shoes. Very comfortable off the bike, very painful on the bike.



Airpoppoff said:


> So I basically got so frustrated with these I decided to try some different shoes so last weekend I went and bought these: Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek IV Bike Shoes - Men's - Free Shipping at REI.com
> 
> I rode with those today and pretty much the same problem remains, they are not as bad as the Shimano's but still bad enough to irritate me to the point I have to stop.


I solved the problem by going with the X-Alps. I love these shoes, but I did end up with a size larger than I normally wear. Obviously it didn't work for you, so YMMV.


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## akaHector (Apr 30, 2012)

zebrahum said:


> If your shoe is stiff enough then it doesn't matter if you have a platform around it or not. Your shoe should not rest on the platform of a pedal while clipped in; the small platforms surrounding pedals are made for non-clipped in riding, and they're pretty abhorrent at that task as well.
> 
> My first question would be whether or not you've ever been assessed for insoles. You can't do anything with your feet until they've been stabilized. You have have the stiffest shoe in the world but if your foot is allowed to, say, pronate then you'll always have an inherent imbalance in the pressure to the bottom of your foot. Once you stabilize your foot then you can start to work out where the pressure causing the numbness is coming from. This is also advice for the OP which I just thought of now.
> 
> Also, everything wears out, maybe it's time to consider new shoes.


I have never had any kind of insole assessment, but I have noticed that the arch of my left foot has dropped sometime over the past few years. I've had superfeet before in my hiking boots, so I'll give them a try first unless there s a more cycling-friendly insole.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Airpoppoff said:


> I'm going to go to those if this still gives me fits. Any word on how long I should allow for a "Break in" of these bad boys?


The uppers will break in after a few rides. I'm very sweaty so I break things in very quickly. The sole shouldn't break in at all, that's what you get with a stiff sole.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

akaHector said:


> I have never had any kind of insole assessment, but I have noticed that the arch of my left foot has dropped sometime over the past few years. I've had superfeet before in my hiking boots, so I'll give them a try first unless there s a more cycling-friendly insole.


That's what I use currently. I don't find them supportive enough for my ski boots but they seem to work well in my cycling shoes.


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## tednugent (Apr 16, 2009)

zebrahum said:


> That's what I use currently. I don't find them supportive enough for my ski boots but they seem to work well in my cycling shoes.


I use specialized insoles

used to use superfeet


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## GtownViking (Jul 27, 2012)

Hope you get this worked out. jeffscott gives good advice on technique. Spin, don't hammer. No one told (taught) me how to use clipless and it was a 'revelation' when I realized I could 'pull' back on the pedals at the 6:00 location and it really helped when I learned how to pull up on the pedals on the upstroke...gives my quads a chance to 'relax' a bit.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

GtownViking said:


> Hope you get this worked out. jeffscott gives good advice on technique. Spin, don't hammer. No one told (taught) me how to use clipless and it was a 'revelation' when I realized I could 'pull' back on the pedals at the 6:00 location and it really helped when I learned how to pull up on the pedals on the upstroke...gives my quads a chance to 'relax' a bit.


I think I MIGHT know what you are talking about, I will read up on it a bit.

Update:

Wore the shoes around work all day yesterday, rode home on about a 45minute ride (my normal ride home) and my left toes started going numb about 30 minutes in and I had to kick out for a bit to relax it, It went away and did not come back. My right foot did not go numb but I could tell it was coming. So it's still not fixed but its a very big improvement from the previous shoes. I'm willing to try these shoes out for a month or so before I give up on them. Also the cleat position was pretty much centered.

I think I'll give them a week and then get some insoles for them and try those also.

The saga continues :madman:


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Airpoppoff said:


> Also the cleat position was pretty much centered.
> 
> 
> 
> > Move cleats as far back as possible in the slots.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

jeffscott said:


> Airpoppoff said:
> 
> 
> > Also the cleat position was pretty much centered.
> ...


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

GtownViking said:


> Hope you get this worked out. jeffscott gives good advice on technique. Spin, don't hammer. No one told (taught) me how to use clipless and it was a 'revelation' when I realized I could 'pull' back on the pedals at the 6:00 location and it really helped when I learned how to pull up on the pedals on the upstroke...gives my quads a chance to 'relax' a bit.


It is important to note that "pulling up" on the pedal is not proper cycling technique. The proper action is to lift the weight of the leg on the upstroke, you don't apply any force to the pedal during the pull, however.

The pedaling action of "pulling up" is a long standing misnomer through the entire cycling industry. I believe it started when people were discussing pedaling "circles" and mistakenly assume that you attempt to apply force to the pedals through the entire stroke; I know that's what I thought when I first started cycling and began a long trial of attempting to pedal like that. In actuality, the muscles the lift your leg are much weaker and much more susceptible to damage than the muscles that push your pedals down and using them in your pedaling stroke to apply force to the pedals is incorrect and asking for biomechanical issues.

Focus instead on lifting the weight of your leg through the upstroke, just enough so that it's essentially zero force on the pedal at the 9 o'clock position. Focus on sweeping the foot through the 6 o'clock position like you're trying to scrap dog poo off your foot then proceed to lift your leg (not the pedal) through the upstroke.

Pulling against the pedal is a useful tool to have when you're in a jam (like trying to crest that really steep climb) but it should not be part of your every rotation pedal stroke. Your body will consume less energy and you'll be less susceptible to injury if you work on your pedal stroke. There are a lot of studies out there and a lot of data to sift through but the science agrees that the upstroke is less efficient. Now, efficiency is different than power output which is why I mention that it's a good skill in a jam, but the average cyclist is more likely to develop an injury trying to access those "pull" muscles then they are to develop some sort of superhuman pedal stroke.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

Airpoppoff said:


> I'm willing to try these shoes out for a month or so before I give up on them. Also the cleat position was pretty much centered.
> 
> *I think I'll give them a week and then get some insoles for them and try those also.*
> 
> The saga continues :madman:


It sounds like a bad fit.

I have hard-to-fit feet, myself, and have come to realize that shoes need to fit perfectly right out of the box. Sure, they may soften a bit with time but numbness, binding, discomfort ...those issues don't go away.

It sounds like you might be better off with a different shoe brand. In my case, my feet measure 9D but they're actually taller at the instep than most. So while the length and width of many brands _should_ work for me, anything that's a bit shallow along the instep is a problem.

I've tried a 9EE wide shoe and it's just too much room in the toe box, so I stick with a standard size and search for shoes which can accommodate my freaksihly tall instep. In fact, I just picked up a pair of Serfas Astros and they felt great during TWO two-hour rides this past weekend. I didn't even notice them except for how nicely they put down power and kept my feet cool.

Sorry to hear the new shoes didn't solve the problem but I would not waste any more time with them. You might want to give the Specialized or Trek (Bontrager) shoes a try.


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

zebrahum said:


> It is important to note that "pulling up" on the pedal is not proper cycling technique. The proper action is to lift the weight of the leg on the upstroke, you don't apply any force to the pedal during the pull, however.
> 
> The pedaling action of "pulling up" is a long standing misnomer through the entire cycling industry. I believe it started when people were discussing pedaling "circles" and mistakenly assume that you attempt to apply force to the pedals through the entire stroke; I know that's what I thought when I first started cycling and began a long trial of attempting to pedal like that. In actuality, the muscles the lift your leg are much weaker and much more susceptible to damage than the muscles that push your pedals down and using them in your pedaling stroke to apply force to the pedals is incorrect and asking for biomechanical issues.
> 
> ...


You can let this go....

If one is trying to teach new riders how to pedal in a circle or spin....

You tell them to push down, then wipe thier feet on a mat...then flash thier knees up....

Yup sounds like pedalling in a triangle....but what happens is they begin to pedal properly.

So guys....flash those knees up high on the upstroke.....

And if you need power in a sprint or a climb....push and pull hard with you cleats.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

Now I'm really confused. 

Circles, Triangles!! 

Go buy new shoes!!!?!?!?


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## dhalsey (Aug 10, 2010)

Replace the insoles with superfeet insoles and buy some wool socks. An instant fix.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

Airpoppoff said:


> Now I'm really confused.
> 
> Circles, Triangles!!
> 
> Go buy new shoes!!!?!?!?


Sorry to add to the confusion but that's simply my opinion: Bad fit. Please feel free to disregard as only YOU know whether the situation can be remedied.

But I know how much those darn shoes cost and, for that kind of money, I'd definitely want something that felt tailor-made to my feet. You shouldn't need insoles, inserts or other remedies to alleviate numbness. You simply need a shoe that fits your particular feet and there are plenty to choose from. If you can get a refund, I'd encourage you to keep looking.

So get the right fit, first, and then work on your triangles (or circles). :thumbsup:


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

Yeah the problem is the LBS said I cant return these. I'll give them a bit of time and try out some different things with them to try and get them to work, otherwise I'm out $120.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

Rode home tonight with the cleats all the way back. Left foot I needed to shake out after about 20 minutes in. The right foot however never went numb. Which is a first. 

Will try thicker wool socks tomorrow.


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## TheDodoKiller (Aug 2, 2012)

Bad fit plauged me with my first set of SPD shoes- They we're the boggo shimano ones, and were hard, and put too much pressure on the outside of my foot making it go numb. I recently bought a set of Bontrager RL ATB shoes, and they are such a good fit- wider than the shimano's. I got them on sale as well, so it was £50 for a set of carbon soled MTB shoes. Best £50 I've ever spent.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

Wool socks didn't do a lot but did help some. 50 min ride home right foot never went numb. Left foot took about half n hour. I'm gonma get some insoles tomorrow.


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## akaHector (Apr 30, 2012)

Airpoppoff said:


> Circles, Triangles!!


I'm confused, too! I thought geometrical shapes were pretty much set in stone. now this overlap where one shape morphs into another!!! but I'll agree and join the crowd so that zebrahum doesn't have to kill me.


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## JSko (Jun 7, 2012)

jeffscott said:


> Airpoppoff said:
> 
> 
> > Also the cleat position was pretty much centered.
> ...


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## J-Flo (Apr 23, 2012)

This is a very common issue and if your LBS can't help then really they aren't very good. 

The key variables are the fit of the shoe and the placement of the cleats. Your pedaling style also may affect it but that seems to me to be a lesser influence. For me, the numbness problem was solved simply by repositioning the cleat a little farther back. If that doesn't work, hopefully you can get an orthotic for your shoes or change the insoles to alter the location of the pressure point on your foot -- a good LBS should be able to handle.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

I did get fit with some pearl Izumi insoles last Friday. I ended up using arch support but nothing in the forefoot for the initial fit. Foot still went numb about 20 minutes in. 

I'm going to put in a forefoot support today and see how that goes. At this point I'm thinking of buying every shoe on the market and try them a different day!


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## akaHector (Apr 30, 2012)

Hey, OP, sorry to hear about your continuing bad luck.

To all interested, I pushed the cleats back on my shoes and had immediate improvement in numbness - that is, no numbness at all in my left foot (right was never affected). Still notice some pain in my arches, but I think that will be solved by some insoles.


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## miatagal96 (Jul 5, 2005)

See a podiatrist. 

I've got a problem with my toes going numb and I've tried a bunch of things. Nothing has 'cured' the problem, but I understand some things that help and aggravate the situation.

In my case, it's a medical problem where the bones of the foot pinch a nerve. Age aggravates the situation because the padding on the balls of your feet isn't as good as you age. My podiatrist ordered special insoles with a bump in the metatarsel area designed to spread those bones apart. I have to make sure that the shoes aren't too narrow or they will press the bones together and undo everything the insole tries to do. I tried some relatviely flexy 5.10's (Freeriders) with my insole and they were much better than my too-tight carbon-soled shoes. I used the 5.10's on fairly large platform pedals. I think the ability to move my foot position may help. I've recently tried a size larger clipless shoe with carbon soles and my prescription insoles and I moved the cleat further back than normal. I got similar results to the 5.10's. Neither combination 'cured' the problem, but both significantly reduced the problem. You're issue may be differet from mine, so the treatment may be different, but I wouldn't be surprised if custom orthotics from a podiatrist, along with proper shoe fitting would help.


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

I've just never had problems with ski boots, shoes or anything of that matter when it comes to my feet until I started using clipless setup. 

I've tried everything I can think of now, and everything everyone has suggested, I'm going to try a couple of friends shoes and see if I can remedy anything else but I'm not too sure that will work either. 

I basically have gotten my process down to shake out my left foot every once in a while and it works okay.


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## Dan GSR (Apr 29, 2010)

do you have wide feet?
i do. sidi makes extra wide cycling shoes


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

No. I've got normal feet according to anyone that has ever sized my feet. Including two bike shops. I have a high arch but other ton that pretty much normal. 

I think the shoes are starting to break in because the numbness is getting better. It's still there but nothing I had to stop for like before. Still annoying but I think I'm going to wait it out to see if it gets better.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

Airpoppoff said:


> No. I've got normal feet according to anyone that has ever sized my feet. Including two bike shops. I have a high arch but other ton that pretty much normal.


You're talking about a typical footprint measurement, right? One where you place your foot on a sizing measure?

Those measurements do not take into consideration arch and instep variances, i.e. the girth of your foot. It's a two-dimensional meaurement when, what we really need, is a 3-D shoe size. That's why people who are measured at the same size often cannot where the same shoe, right?

Dan GSR may be on to something. Just because your footprint doesn't say you have a wide foot, it doesn't mean you shouldn't wear a wide shoe.


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## changed (Aug 10, 2012)

I ride road, but my feet were going numb after 20 miles. Loosened my shoes, moved my cleats back just a touch, and everything fixed itself.


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## Mike662 (Apr 24, 2011)

i experience the same problem with numbness when riding. But only on my road bike. Just like others have said it takes a little while to happen but when it does it makes it uncomfortable to enjoy the ride and not to focus on my numbing feet and toes. I have thought of stiffer shoes and have also wondered if it could be saddle related. Because I don't have this problem on my mt bike. Which when riding I am on and off the saddle a lot. Any thoughts on this possibility?


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## Dan GSR (Apr 29, 2010)

my old normal width shoes always gave me some numbness, even after getting used to it
with my new extra wide sidi , i can ride 6 hours no prob


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## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

How about outside front edge of foot cramping and then outside toes go numb? 

Tried loose shoes thick socks, etc. What causes cramping then numbness? Wondering if I am scrunching (curling it up for some reason) my foot.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

miatagal96 said:


> See a podiatrist.
> 
> I've got a problem with my toes going numb and I've tried a bunch of things. Nothing has 'cured' the problem, but I understand some things that help and aggravate the situation.
> 
> In my case, it's a medical problem where the bones of the foot pinch a nerve.





> I've just never had problems with ski boots, shoes or anything of that matter when it comes to my feet until I started using clipless setup


There is a lot of advice in this thread but much of it is hit and miss and more specific to the poster. The above quote is one of the best I read.

A podiatrist can certainly be of help but only if that podiatrist understands the difference of stabilizing the foot for power instead of walking. Walking takes a different build in the orthodic than one built for stabilization.

One thing is for certain. When it comes to building stabilizing foot beds 90% of those claiming to know what they are doing haven't got a clue how to do it right and even fewer can help you with your particular problem.

Airpopoff your problem is almost certainly related to fit but fit is more than just size. You are pinching nerves that service your foot. We here cannot possibly diagnose your problem but we can give some suggestions but ONLY IF we have an idea exactly where and how the numbness starts.

For instance, does the numbness/pain start on top of certain toes? between certain toes? on the bottom of certain toes? at the base of the toes? under the ball of the foot? on top of the foot? Does one side of the foot hurt or seem to take all the pressure? How much pain is associated with the numbness and is it a burning or throbbing pain?

Other information that would be useful is do your knees track straight when pedalling. Are your knees close to the top tube? seem far away from the top tube? Are you duck footed on the pedals or pigeon toed? How high does the back of the shoe go? Does the back of the shoe bite into the soft area on either side of the achillies tendon?

Do your knees hurt? Do you know of any problems with your feet? Do you feel your toes are long or short? Which toe is the longest toe? Where are the caluses on your feet? Is your arch flat. high or normal?

These questions are also the same questions someone trying to diagnose your problem is going to ask. i think there is every reason to believe that your problem can be solved in a short time without a hit or miss approach.


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## csledd281 (Aug 21, 2009)

My feet are not exactly the same size and I have always had bad circulation, so I do get numbness in my feet not only when riding. It was uncomfortable to deal with at first, but once I realized I could easily get rid of it, it's not really a concern. I just wiggle my toes throughout the ride, if I don't then they will start to go numb and eventually my foot will. My shoes are not super tight. I just remember to wiggle my toes as I ride as part of what I do to keep loose. Shaking out the hands, shoulders, and wiggling the toes.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

thickfog said:


> How about outside front edge of foot cramping and then outside toes go numb?
> 
> Tried loose shoes thick socks, etc. What causes cramping then numbness? Wondering if I am scrunching (curling it up for some reason) my foot.


Where are your cleats located? Scrunching is a definite possibility if your cleats are too far forward. All the way back is where you want them.

Saddle location can also cause scrunching. Too far forward or too low and you can end up scrunching your feet a bit, as well.


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## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

joeinchi said:


> Where are your cleats located? Scrunching is a definite possibility if your cleats are too far forward. All the way back is where you want them.
> 
> Saddle location can also cause scrunching. Too far forward or too low and you can end up scrunching your feet a bit, as well.


Hmm, I'll move the cleats back and see how it goes. Darn, my saddle is far foward so my reach is more comfortable. Better get a shorter stem to do it right. Thx.


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## joeinchi (Jun 19, 2010)

thickfog said:


> Hmm, I'll move the cleats back and see how it goes. Darn, my saddle is far foward so my reach is more comfortable. Better get a shorter stem to do it right. Thx.


YW :thumbsup:


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## Airpoppoff (Jul 31, 2012)

PierreR said:


> There is a lot of advice in this thread but much of it is hit and miss and more specific to the poster. The above quote is one of the best I read.
> 
> A podiatrist can certainly be of help but only if that podiatrist understands the difference of stabilizing the foot for power instead of walking. Walking takes a different build in the orthodic than one built for stabilization.
> 
> ...


First off, thank you very much for your post, I'll try to answer this to the best of my ability.

For instance, does the numbness/pain start on top of certain toes? None of the tops of my toes ever feel numb. 
between certain toes? No
on the bottom of certain toes? it seems the most to me starting in the bottom of the pinky toes. 
at the base of the toes? For the most part the pads of pinky toes
under the ball of the foot? also here i do sense some numbness, pinky toes first, then usually goes here. 
on top of the foot? never on the top of the foot unless i never stop and shake my foot out it will numb the entire forefoot. 
Does one side of the foot hurt or seem to take all the pressure? No, it seems even. 
How much pain is associated with the numbness and is it a burning or throbbing pain? It used to be very bad at first with the previous shoes, now its not so much, I can actually tolerate it fine, its just really annoying. Before with the previous shoes I had to stop and shake my foot out every 10 minutes or so.

Other information that would be useful is do your knees track straight when pedalling. 
Are your knees close to the top tube? It does not seem so
seem far away from the top tube? no, according to sit stand test and bending one knee test they are straight (from me or my wife looking at them)
Are you duck footed on the pedals or pigeon toed? more duck foot than pigeon but straight for the most part. 
How high does the back of the shoe go? i seem to angle the back of my shoe up slightly more than the front, I do notice i can sit up straight and it does relieve some of the tension when the shoe goes flat. 
Does the back of the shoe bite into the soft area on either side of the achillies tendon? No.

Do your knees hurt? Never
Do you know of any problems with your feet? Nope
Do you feel your toes are long or short? Short
Which toe is the longest toe? Big toe
Where are the caluses on your feet? Just under the pads and on the side of the big toe
Is your arch flat. high or normal? High Arch.

Keep in mind this is still just the left foot, I used to have problems with both feet, but now just the left one.


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## schusterbob (May 7, 2014)

I realize this post is a couple of years old at this point, but I thought I'd mention I am having the same issue in my left foot, riding clipless with mtb shoes with ratchet and velcro. Tried loosening the shoe, etc... I just went to my lbs and they said the best thing to do is bring my bike and shoes in there so they can help me make minor adjustments. The dude also mentioned that making any drastic alterations in cleat position could not only result in inefficiencies but also in long term complications and injury. I will post my findings


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## Bohn507 (May 19, 2009)

Bringing this guy back from the dead for anyone else having this problem...

I had issues with numb feet using my Shimano carbon soles and SPD clipless pedals...by chance I've discovered that after riding a bike with flat pedals and running shoes for a while I have no numbness. 

The solution or numb feet, for me at least, is to increase the platform size you're pushing against.


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