Topic: Foot pain w/clipless pedals

[Alan]

Today marked my second neighborhood ride with the new clipless setup.  On my first ride I noticed a bit of pain on my right foot on the outside towards the front just behind my pinky toe (I guess that is the ball of the foot).  I figured the pain may have been from having the cleat too far foward on the shoe. 

So today I move both cleats back to where they are directly in line with the ball of my foot.  I go out riding and I have the same pain again.  It isn't a sharp pain...feels more like a numb fatigue type pain (similar to the pain your ass feels after a long bike ride).  Oddly enough this only happens on my right foot.  The left foot is perfectly fine.  Both shoes are setup with the same cleat position and angle. 

What can I do to make this pain go away?  Would screwing with the angle of my cleat make a difference?  Should I look into a different insole (I was told Specialized makes a good one)?  Appreciate any insights on how to improve my setup. 

[Gregg]

That is exactly the pain I get!! For me it is my left foot mostly.

First try loosening your shoe a bit from the instep back, it has nothing to do with the postion of the cleat and much more to do with the fit of your shoes. The Specialized insoles will help in that they will position you feet correctly inside the shoe.

The most immediate fix is to loosen how you wear your shoes, I have fixed this problem with my Specialized shoes for my mountain bike, am I still tweaking my Nike shoes for my road bike. If I can't I will switch to Specialized road shoes.

[slowfatguy]

I think it is your pink pedals. Only real men get foot pain from pink pedals!

On a serious note, try what Gregg suggested. It is most likely your shoes.

[Harvey]

It could be any number of things.

Back/forth cleat positioning isn't the only thing. Look at sideways positioning (make sure it's centered under the ball of your foot). It also helps to rotate the cleat so it points slightly outward so you mimic your natural foot position. If you get a professional fitting they'll look at this for you. If not, it's trial and error.

After that, try a good set of insoles. Most insoles that come in bike shoes have ZERO arch support and don't compensate for the natural outside tilt of the foot. I've had good luck with the Specialized ones, and Sole makes heat-moldable insoles that are very nice.

If that doesn't work, you're looking at a problem with your shoes or pedals. Both of those can be expensive. I just pitched an old pair of road shoes because of a hot spot and trying the above remedies first.

Good luck.

[E90X + 1.1.11]

I've had good luck with the Specialized ones,

those things are great - go to a place that sells them and get fitted for the proper inserts and not only will you get better comfort but you will get better power transfer out of your pedal stroke as well.

[VELOMATT]

try putting your saddle up a little bit I was having pain in my foot as well and I raised my saddle and it stopped.  With the cleats and pedal it changes the length of your pedal stroke so try that.

[Alan]

Raising the seat seems to have done the trick.  Now what can I do to help the pain when I fall over on my side like an idiot? 

The issue I'm noticing now is I think I may be maxed out for my 20" frame.  My knees are a bit too bent at the bottom of my pedal stroke.  I didn't have this issue with my old platform.  So right now my post is at the max, seat moved back, and there is nothing else I can do except maybe throw on a longer set of cranks....but I have some ground clearance issues as it is with my current cranks.  Ugh. 

So this week I'm going to my local bike shop with the bike and my shoes to see if there is anything else that can possibly be done aside from getting another frame/bike.  $1700+ and 2-months later...the last thing I want to do is buy another f-ing bike.   

[Gregg]

Alan,

Take your bike to the your lbs, and tell them that you need a fitting. They should be able to tweak the things that are needed to help you fit better on your bike.

[Jersh]

I went on my first neighborhood ride with my new clipless pedals tonight... I didn't experience what I would call 'pain', it was more of just a general burning sensation in the front half of both my feet.  I have a feeling it's just my body reacting to a new stress and after a couple more rides it will go away. By the time I got back home after ~10 miles it was already starting to go away. 

[VELOMATT]

Alan,
How long is your current seatpost?  You may be able to get a 400mm post and that could potentially take care of it.  If your current post is shorter.

[Alan]

I have a 350mm post right now.  Looking at upgrading to the Thompson 410mm post. 

I've also been told to try moving the cleats all the way back...I may try that before I do anything else since it is a free mod. 

[Homer 2-Niner]

i changed my saddle then i had to get a longer seatpost because the rails where lower.. turns out the longer seatpost is much much more comfortable..

apparently i was cheating myself, you may have pain in your feet cause your not getting good leg extension.

-bob

[KJ-Renegade]

This may be a little off-topic but I've been hearing good and bad things about clipless pedals. My view on clipless pedals may be different to the people that have them and love them. But since I've been riding BMX all my childhood life from jumping ramps and etc. I'm use to having my feet being freely off the pedal, and I also feel I have more control when I'm losing control of the bike. From watching others with the clipless pedal, I've been seeing more falls when going downhill and climbing hills. But from a straight a way I see the improvement with them consider your feet and legs staying in the same place at all time. With being that, it help your ride alot easier and less wear and tear on the body. But to come to think of it, alot of the trail riding I've been to involve more than just doing straight a way and what not. Alot of it are hill climbs, steep downhills with rocks down below, taken out tree roots and etc. I just feel my confident knowing my feet are freely and able to use them to avoid myself from losing control when a a situation does happen. To come to think of it, my only fall I had with the 3 month I started up MTB was at Boyette Park.  I tried to jump over a step like double tree root and my front tire caught the second root which cause me to  tumble over and landed off the trail. Most of the time I usually avoid a wreck myself just before it happens, but in that case it was when I was just start learning to ride the trails again.
The only downfall I seem to have with just the regular pedals, is when mud get stuck inside the pedals which create loss of traction of the pedal. Most of the time it rarely happen to me but if it does, I'll just grab a stick and remove it off the pedal.
All in all I feel everyone have their own comfort zone as how they ride their bike and if you feel comfortable the way you ride, then the power is to you all. But myself I'll just stick with the regular pedals.

[benjibbad]

This may be a little off-topic but I've been hearing good and bad things about clipless pedals. My view on clipless pedals may be different to the people that have them and love them. But since I've been riding BMX all my childhood life from jumping ramps and etc. I'm use to having my feet being freely off the pedal, and I also feel I have more control when I'm losing control of the bike. From watching others with the clipless pedal, I've been seeing more falls when going downhill and climbing hills. But from a straight a way I see the improvement with them consider your feet and legs staying in the same place at all time. With being that, it help your ride alot easier and less wear and tear on the body. But to come to think of it, alot of the trail riding I've been to involve more than just doing straight a way and what not. Alot of it are hill climbs, steep downhills with rocks down below, taken out tree roots and etc. I just feel my confident knowing my feet are freely and able to use them to avoid myself from losing control when a a situation does happen. To come to think of it, my only fall I had with the 3 month I started up MTB was at Boyette Park.  I tried to jump over a step like double tree root and my front tire caught the second root which cause me to  tumble over and landed off the trail. Most of the time I usually avoid a wreck myself just before it happens, but in that case it was when I was just start learning to ride the trails again.
The only downfall I seem to have with just the regular pedals, is when mud get stuck inside the pedals which create loss of traction of the pedal. Most of the time it rarely happen to me but if it does, I'll just grab a stick and remove it off the pedal.
All in all I feel everyone have their own comfort zone as how they ride their bike and if you feel comfortable the way you ride, then the power is to you all. But myself I'll just stick with the regular pedals.

To an extent I do think you are right you will fall more with clipless pedals, UNTIL you get used to them.  Then clipping out before a fall becomes second nature. I Know I do it a lot.  For me the clipless pedals help me feel more attched to the bike.  I couldn't imagine going down hill or over any obstical without them now.  Because of clipless pedals I have become a better rider.  It kinda forces me to ride over things rather than go around or walk.  thats my 2 cents

[CHEF]

ALso with clips its easier to climb hills because you have power pushing down and pulling up.And your less likely to have your feet come off the pedals when you hit rocks,roots.