Foot numbness while cycling

[Candace66]

I have an ongoing problem with foot numbness during longer rides. On my road bike, I use Shimano 105 SPD pedals with (currently) some Pearl Izumi road shoes. On my mt. bike, I use platform pedals with trail running shoes (I'm a noob and don't do technical stuff).

Of course I ride more miles/hours when road cycling than when I'm on my mt. bike. But I have just as much trouble with the numbness. On the speculation that the cage-type platform pedals were causing pressure points on the bottom of my shoes, I tried some of these Ergon pedals: http://www.amazon.com/Ergon-480100000-PC2-Pedal-Large/dp/B004PE38II/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1336780945&sr=1-1 but there was no improvement.

Another speculation is that the (near) constant downward pressure is causing the problem. With platform pedals like on my mt. bike, I'm obviously never pulling up on the pedal on the upstroke. And I don't consistently do so on my road bike either.

Just wondering what solutions others may have tried? I find this much more of a drag in my road cycling. Might a more rigid insole, or even a different pair of shoes with a more rigid sole, help? :ne_nau:

[Sombeech]

I would say check your seat angle first but if it's happening on both bikes, that's unlikely the cause. :ne_nau:

[live2ride]

For rod you really need th tiff soles for power transfer and and to eleveate some of the pressure points. Try some new shoes out and make sure your pedals are giving ou enough lost and that your shoes aren't over tight.

[DOSS]

a couple of things can cause foot numbness..
Pedaling form - knees out/in can cause numbness (and long term knee issues) notice your form as you pedal (this can also be caused by cleat maladjustment as well)
Wide cushy seat or in general a poor seat for you
Seat too low
You may want to pay for a pro bike fitting on your road bike to make sure that is at least set up correctly and then you would be able to make adjustments to your MT bike as needed.
On your road bike
Cleat maladjusted - Too much heel in/out Cleats too far forward/back on shoe - Start with making sure the cleats have the same setup on both shoes and then move them forward a millimeter or so and see how that does
Shoes with poor match to your foot - try pulling the insoles out of your hiking/running shoes and stick them in and see if that fixes the issue.
Those are the best starting points from my experience :)

[jamesdak]

I'll second the idea of a pro fit Candace. After suffering with a myriad of aches my first 2 years I finally when in to Bingham's Cycles in Ogden and got a fit done. What a difference. My cleats were positioned wrong and went to a custom insole. Couple of things you can do is pay attention to what you are doing with your feet. Are they level as you pedal or toe up or down? Also make sure you don't clinch your toes throughout the ride, keep them relaxed.

I have also had better luck since I started riding with my shoes cinched fairly tight. I used to keep them loose thinking my feet swelled and that was causing pain but with them snug it does seem to be better. Then, crazy as this sounds, play around with different socks. I have a pair of wool blend low cut socks that seem to do better than any of my other socks in keeping my feet comfortable.

[skiclimb3287]

I agree with the pro fit as well. I always get mine done by Mike Hanseen at Millcreek Cycles in SLC. He is one of the best in the industry! When I first started riding I too had numbness issues (along with many others). He added shims under my cleats to help correct how my knees went out while pedaling. It worked and I haven't had any numbness issues since.

Good luck!

[Candace66]

Thanks for the responses.

My road bike was fitted (with my current pedals and shoes) by the Calif. shop where I bought it. I have changed the saddle since then from the stock Specialized to a Bontrager, and the saddle itself seems to be a little more comfortable, but I still have the foot numbness problems on longer rides. (I won't hijack my own thread to complain about the saddle not being as comfy as a lounger!) Past experience and measurement with Specialized's saddle width tool confirmed that I need a narrower saddle, and that's the width I'm using.

Sounds like I should pick a shop with a good reputation for fitting, see if they sell a pair of stiff shoes that fits me, then ask if they'll give me a good price on a fit session with the new shoes/cleats.

[jamesdak]

Sounds like a plan. I needed shims also on the one foot to combat a tendency of the knee to point out. Good shoes are a must! Good luck!

[Candace66]

Update: OK, I splurged and signed up for a fitting at Millcreek.

Bad news is, their next opening wasn't until May 31! But I guess that means their services really ARE popular! Plus, it happened to be a day I planned to be in SLC anyway (albeit for a very different reason other than cycling!). :2thumbs:

Guess I'll just keep taking plenty of breaks during my rides until then! :haha:

[jamesdak]

Good luck with the fit. The first thing to do once they get you dialed in is to record all the measurements. That way you can apply the same dimensions to you other bikes or at least as close as possible. I paid for the fit on my main road bike and then was able to setup my backup and CX bike to the exact same measurements.

You may try some minor adjustsments yourself right now to see if you can get more comfortable the next couple of weeks May a slight change in saddle angle/position might ease the numbness some.

[skiclimb3287]

You will be glad you went to Mike for the fit. Tell him a Bad Asser you talked to recommended him. He will know what you mean. I am on a charity bike team run by the owners of Bad Ass Coffee and he is one of our sponsers.

In the meantime, you can try competitivecyclist dot com. They have a fit calculator. It helps get you somewhere close.

Let us know how it goes!

Cheers!
Ryan

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

[Candace66]

Yayy, only 9 more days until this happens! :haha: Thanks for the input & encouragement. Ryan, I'll try to remember to mention you.

[Candace66]

So, I had my fit session on Thursday. And I even remembered to mention the Bad Ass Coffee folks as promised!

Happily for me, I got out without having to buy anything! :haha: But Mike definitely made some adjustments. In particular, lowering and moving back my saddle. He also swapped me back to the original saddle that came with the bike. As for my cleats, he moved one back a little but moved them both laterally.

Early on in the session, he measured and found a considerable (7 mm) leg length discrepancy. :eek2: However, based on all the information, he felt this was not a congenital defect or such, but something that had come about largely as a result of the too-high saddle. As a result, he decided not to add any shims.

He did recommend using shoe insoles with arch support. I already had some at home that we thought would work so I'll be trying those out.

One component change he recommended was to switch from 165 to 160 length cranks. Also, when he transferred the settings from the fit bike to my bike, the only thing that couldn't be matched was the overall reach to the handlebar. It's a tiny bit farther away than optimal, but he doubted he could even find a stem any shorter than the one already on the bike. :haha: So the only fix for that would be a different frame.

Of course, I couldn't wait to try out my "new" bike, so I took it on a spin up to the top of Millcreek Canyon. :mrgreen: Not a good ride to really comment on the new riding position as I was always going either up or down a steep grade. But today I took it for a short flatland spin. The fit is definitely different, most notably the lower saddle position. Plus now the bars seem farther away. I noticed a little lower back pain, but I'm not too surprised given the big changes.

But what about my biggest complaint? On today's ride I used my orthotic insoles with super arch support and guess what, my feet didn't go numb! However, they seemed a little cramped as those orthotics are a bit bulky. I may try the Superfeet instead and see if they get the job done. Otherwise, Mike can sell me other options.

After I get some more riding time in, I'll be back with another update.

[jamesdak]

Cool, hope it works out but don't hesitate to go back in for those minor adjustments if things are bothering you. You feet will probably be fine now if the fit is good. I actually use the superfeet in the summer but no insoles in the winter. During the winter months I need the extra room for the wool socks. Feet do fine either way and I think it's just a matter of conditioning and the proper fit. Good luck and keep spinning!