Bunions

[rmurphy195]

Got a bit of a shock this weekend - suddenly my cycling shoes was a tight fit (well, the on the right foot anyway). Had a look, and I seem to have grown a bunion over the last week or so, so I get a blister where the top of my foot below the big toe now rubs the shoe. And the shoe relly does feel tight now across the top of my foot, it didn't a week or so ago!

I'm trying bunion pads, but maybe if anyone knows of extra wide cycling shoes with SPD mounts or has tackled this problem themselves, I'd be glad to know how to get around it.

NB my cycling shoes are Shimano MTB shoes (MT34), not super-narrow, stiff road shoes. Coincidentally, I found on the same day that a pair of new trainers, bought a few days before, wouldn't fit either!

[monxton]

Welcome to my world.

The shoes I have been using for several years now are the Mavic Cyclo Tour style, see e.g. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mavi ... prod143500 . The reason I find them comfortable is evident if you look at the "underneath" view, you can see a large area of mesh just at the place where the big toe joint sits, and this gives room for the bunion to push out without too much resistance. I keep the front two straps quite loose.

I have tried Specialized and Shimano touring shoes, but I could tell immediately that they would cause me pain because they have solid leather/plastic shoe outer material at that point. The Mavics work for me, YMMV.

I also found that moving my cleats backwards a little helped to reduce the pressure.

I find that my little toes can get pushed under the fourth toes, because of the extra width of that part of the foot, and this is another source of pain. I use silicone toe separators to stop this happening. Perhaps your bunion is not bad enough yet for this, but it may be worth knowing.

For off-bike use, the Austrian boot company Hanwag does a range of boots and walking shoes which are built on a bunion last. So, instead of having to buy boots which are just massive all round in order to accommodate the bunion, these are normally sized but extra wide at the toe joint. They are not cheap, but excellent quality. If only they did cycle shoes ...

[rmurphy195]

Thanks for that Monxton, I'll see if I can find the Mavic shoes somewhere local and have a look at them, they look similar to the worn=out Sidi shoes I had a while back.

Your comments re the positioning of the "Mesh" bit are spot on -I bought some new walking shoes a few days before I started getting the problem, they were a comfy fit when I bought them but when I wore them - Ouch! They had sides similar to the cycling shoes. So I rescued my old trainers from the bin (mesh-sided at the crucial point) - heaven!

I also came across references to some "bunion stretchers" which are used to stretch shoes at the crucial point, but suspect they may not work on the cycling shoes.

I was absolutley gobsmacked a few days later when I went to put on my favourite "posh" shoes - couldn't get the right one on! So had to go to a funeral in grey suit - and old, brown Clarks which somehow remain comfy whatever happens. But can't fit SPDs to them (although I use an old pair pootling around on the Brompton without the SPD's

I haven't had the nerve to try my walking boots yet , but I did try riding in the SPD's at the weekend when my foot seemed a little less swollen, a bunion pad appropriately placed, and the shoelaces slack, managed about 20 miles with no problems so fingers crossed ...

As for the main problem - if it persists I'll have to see my GP prior to my annual review. Ho hum.

[pga]

I have a large bunion/large toe joint on my right foot for a year or two. I have managed by wearing for normal wear trainers with a mesh at the point of contact with the bunion and for cycling a pair of Specialised cycling shoes with a mesh similarly placed. I too have worn a hole in the cycling shoe mesh in which the bunion sits. I have bought other cycling shoes recently -Shimano, Pearl Izumi and Garneau - as the Specialised are worn out and the cleats do not work too well but all give me severe pain. After one ride it was more than pain -I was doubled up in agony.

All the new shoes have leather at the point of contact with the bunion. Trying them on before buying gave no clue as to whether I was to get pain or not. A German friend gave me a bunion protector but this did not help. Taking the insole has helped but this seems only a short term remedy and I have asked my doctor to refer me to a foot surgeon to see if I need an operation. A fellow club member had the op and it took quite a while for her to be able to cycle again.

Then I have a corn on my other foot!

[rmurphy195]

Just picked up your post PGA (and thanks for the advice therein) - coincidentally I've looked at those shoes with which I have a problem

walking boots - I had an old pair from a few years back, the right one is still in one piece and I noted that there are fewer lace holes, non over the bunion and the shoe does fit. So I tried not using the lower lace holes on my current pair and maybe it'll work, but on my walking hol next week I'll take an odd right boot just in case!

Cycling shoes and new trainers (nice Karrimor waterproof ones!) - both have a lace hole over the sensitive part of my foot - but an old pair of trainers have the fabric top. So I went into Clarks the other day and bought a pair of fabric-top trainers and lo - all OK! No. 1 son now has a new pair of Karrimor waterproof trainers!

Meanwhile on the bike I'm using an old pair of ordinary shoes - which I use on the Brompton - the tourer has single-sided SPD's so I'm just using the backs of the pedals.

Ho hum ...