Anyone here any good with cleat advice?

[GrumpyCyclist]

Been using MTB style cleats for a few weeks now but I'm finding a lot of pain in the outside edge of my right foot almost exactly midway along. It's like it's bruised or I've banged it but I haven't. I did a lengthy ride (for me) today and getting off the bike for barriers late in the ride I was hobbling like I'd got a broken foot.

I've tried Google, and there seems to be lots of different info out there but something I've noticed since joining here is there's a lot of knowledgable people here.

I have no pain at all in the left foot but this right foot is very painful. I'm guessing it's clear position and turning my foot while pedalling to less toe out helps quite a bit but my natural pedalling position is slightly toe out so it seems odd that altering this actually helps things. I can never follow this in my head - if I need to turn the heel more outwards, which way do I adjust the cleats?

[Brucey]

if you need to turn your right heel outwards, you need to turn the cleat slightly ACW as you look at the sole of the shoe.

BTW if your shoes do not have stiff soles, or the cleat is set too far towards your big toe (rather than your little one), your foot may flop outwards, and this can cause foot pain. So can shoes that are too narrow.

Ideally the cleat needs to be on your foot centreline (where the blade of an ice-skate would sit, so you can bear weight on it without straining your ankle sideways). I think quite a few people have feet that are too wide to allow this, and might benefit from moving the cleat and then using pedal extensions if necessary.

cheers

[GrumpyCyclist]

if you need to turn your right heel outwards, you need to turn the cleat slightly ACW as you look at the sole of the shoe.

BTW if your shoes do not have stiff soles, or the cleat is set too far towards your big toe (rather than your little one), your foot may flop outwards, and this can cause foot pain. So can shoes that are too narrow.

Ideally the cleat needs to be on your foot centreline (where the blade of an ice-skate would sit, so you can bear weight on it without straining your ankle sideways). I think quite a few people have feet that are too wide to allow this, and might benefit from moving the cleat and then using pedal extensions if necessary.

cheers

Thanks Brucey. The soles are stiff but the cleat does seem to be slightly too far towards the big toe, but then it is on the other foot too but maybe that foot is comfortable that way. I'll move it more towards the little toe and rotate it slightly ACW tomorrow and see how that goes.

[mattsccm]

I find that asymmetrical cleat fitting messes with my pedalling so maybe try moving both if that's the case. it wouldn't be surprising if your feet were different.
I notice that the modern trend is to move the cleats back a touch from what it used to be. Maybe try that as well but not a lot.

[GrumpyCyclist]

I find that asymmetrical cleat fitting messes with my pedalling so maybe try moving both if that's the case. it wouldn't be surprising if your feet were different.
I notice that the modern trend is to move the cleats back a touch from what it used to be. Maybe try that as well but not a lot.

Cheers I'll look at that too

[reohn2]

Whatever you do only do one thing at a time,otherwise you'll not know what the original problem was and you just may cause another.

[pjclinch]

Another avenue is look at the pedal. If yours are small then a more platform-based one (marketed at downhillers, usually) may help.
Another possible thing is try something like the Time ATAC system which allows more float than SPuDs.
But I'd start with fettling the cleat position, as all that will cost is time.

Pete.

[GrumpyCyclist]

Whatever you do only do one thing at a time,otherwise you'll not know what the original problem was and you just may cause another.

Made that mistake once with something else. Not something I'm going to repeat

[andrewjoseph]

i had a similar sounding problem with my left foot, felt like bones broken.

i tried loads of things, but upping my cadence made the biggest difference. under 65rpm brought on the pain. changed inner chainring and rear cassette so i could get up 15% hills easier and the pain hasn't come back.

[GrumpyCyclist]

i had a similar sounding problem with my left foot, felt like bones broken.

i tried loads of things, but upping my cadence made the biggest difference. under 65rpm brought on the pain. changed inner chainring and rear cassette so i could get up 15% hills easier and the pain hasn't come back.

The ride yesterday was an average cadence of 62rpm. Roughly equal time 0-40 and 80-100 (around 55 mins) with most of the rest being 100-150 with a little in the 60-80 range. But the 0-40 can include downhill, other non-pedalling sections, and grinding that last few yards up a hill so not too scientific I guess. I'll look into that. I'm running on a lowest gear of 34*32 but it's a new bike so don't really want to be changing cassettes / chainrings just yet. To be honest the lungs gave out before the legs going up the hills. Those higher cadences are a killer uphill on the unfit

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Age?
Height?
Previous activity experience?

Whats it like walking fast for an hour
Your bike.............double front chainwheel?
If you never cycled 60 miles before without much discomfort? You need some lower gears..................

If you are big, tall and your feet are over size 10 then pedals are I find too small for the job / lack support.
Sounds like you could do with a non commercial friend who's done some cycling to give you a once over?

[GrumpyCyclist]

Hi,
Age?
Height?
Previous activity experience?

Whats it like walking fast for an hour
Your bike.............double front chainwheel?
If you never cycled 60 miles before without much discomfort? You need some lower gears..................

If you are big, tall and your feet are over size 10 then pedals are I find too small for the job / lack support.
Sounds like you could do with a non commercial friend who's done some cycling to give you a once over?

44
5' 6"
Weight in signature
Activity when younger....LOTS
Activity in last 20 years.....minimal, hence the weight

Never walked fast for an hour. Not a big walker. If I'm walking I've usually got my camera and too busy stopping for photos.
Yup, double front chainwheel (50/34 with 11/32 cassette)
Furthest I've ever cycled was yesterday's 33.5mi. 60mi in one sitting is outside my aims. Don't have the time for a start. I want to do some long distance stuff on holidays etc. but no more than 40-55 in a whole day with regular stops.
Feet size 9/10 depending on make of shoe.

[GrumpyCyclist]

Another avenue is look at the pedal. If yours are small then a more platform-based one (marketed at downhillers, usually) may help.
Another possible thing is try something like the Time ATAC system which allows more float than SPuDs.
But I'd start with fettling the cleat position, as all that will cost is time.

Pete.

That's where I'll be starting. Fiddling with the cleat position. Need to keep additional costs down after buying the bike

[foxyrider]

This might sound a bit sideways but on your street shoes check the wear pattern. It sounds like your foot is pushing hard on the outer side which you can see on the wear of your shoe soles. If that's the case it might be appropriate to shim the cleat or use insoles that correct the problem thereby taking the pressure off your outer foot.
I noticed I had a similar thing when I used toe clips for a ride earlier in the year, my natural tendency is to walk more on the outside edge of the foot and because my feet weren't held firmly enough they were twisting as I pedalled. I don't have the issue with road pedals but SPD's do allow my feet to slump more.

Just a thought.

Also the advice re cadence is very valid - expert advice suggests a cadence of 80/90 is the most comfortable and least damaging to joints and muscles.

[GrumpyCyclist]

This might sound a bit sideways but on your street shoes check the wear pattern. It sounds like your foot is pushing hard on the outer side which you can see on the wear of your shoe soles. If that's the case it might be appropriate to shim the cleat or use insoles that correct the problem thereby taking the pressure off your outer foot.
I noticed I had a similar thing when I used toe clips for a ride earlier in the year, my natural tendency is to walk more on the outside edge of the foot and because my feet weren't held firmly enough they were twisting as I pedalled. I don't have the issue with road pedals but SPD's do allow my feet to slump more.

Just a thought.

Also the advice re cadence is very valid - expert advice suggests a cadence of 80/90 is the most comfortable and least damaging to joints and muscles.

I'm working up to that on the cadence. It's going up from mid-high 40's a few weeks ago to mid 60's (averages) so it'll come as my general fitness improves.

My street shoes are a bit iffy for checking wear pattern - mainly due to the fact I drive everywhere. Drive to work, drive all day at work, drive home from work. So I don't do a enough walking in daily use shoes to actually wear the tread at all

I'm wondering if I have similar tendency to angle over that way on my right side. I do know I favour my right side when standing, putting more weight through the right leg than the left so maybe I'm carrying that over onto the bike and if the cleat position is wrong I'm doing all the pushing through that outside edge. Will be cleat twiddling later.