Foot on pedal pointing out

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
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digitalgerry
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Joined: 5 Feb 2022, 11:35am

Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by digitalgerry »

Hi all
First post and newbie

I’m new to cycling and preparing for a London to Paris cycle ride in Sept. I’ve just bought a Cannondale 105 and it’s a dream. I’m not using anything but the pedals as is and trainers.

I’m finding my right foot is pointing out more off the pedal and the heel catching the pedal arm. Why would that be and what could I do to resolve it.
Many thanks
Jdsk
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Jdsk »

Welcome.

Is that with toe clips or similar or just the trainers on top of the pedal surface?

How straight is your leg when your foot is at the bottom of the stroke? Is there still lots of of bend in your knee?

Thanks

Jonathan
axel_knutt
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by axel_knutt »

Sometimes it can just be a bad habit, in which case the glib answer is to point your foot straight, but if that's the position in which your leg's comfortable you might find attempting to straighten it causes knee problems. If that's the case, a pedal extender to shift the pedal further from the crank might be of help, but a disadvantage of pedal extenders is that they reduce your ground clearance on corners. Some trainers are quite wide at the heel, which won't help, in which case different footwear is an option.
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Paulatic
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Paulatic »

Are you catching the crank arm by much? If it’s only slight then a pedal washer, to move the pedal out, might be all you need.
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rjb
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by rjb »

i had this same issue when i started cycling. Toe clips helped straighten my foot a bit but then i was prone to catching (banging) my knee on the top tube when tired. Over several years of riding it did improve but even now some 50+ years later i still notice it with clipless pedals which wear on the inside as my foot naturally wants to twist the heel in towards the crank. Things may improve but if you persevere but watch out for knee issues.
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Chris Jeggo
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Chris Jeggo »

Pedals are not all the same width. Finding and fitting a wider pair might help.
mattsccm
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by mattsccm »

Trainers will be too wide and may position you foot incorrectly. Realistically for the distances involved you would do better with some better shoes and possibly pedals.
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Cugel
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Cugel »

digitalgerry wrote: 11 Jun 2022, 2:34pm Hi all
First post and newbie

I’m new to cycling and preparing for a London to Paris cycle ride in Sept. I’ve just bought a Cannondale 105 and it’s a dream. I’m not using anything but the pedals as is and trainers.

I’m finding my right foot is pointing out more off the pedal and the heel catching the pedal arm. Why would that be and what could I do to resolve it.
Many thanks
Various cycle training fellows seem to broadly agree the following: you should use your foot placed on the pedal in a way that allows your leg to push straight down, without your knee sticking in our out by very much. There's an ideal position that allows your leg muscles to transmit the most power without over-straining muscles, ligaments or other parts involved in supplying the push. To get your foot aright on the pedal, you can follow this procedure:

Sit on the end of a dining table or similar so you can dangle your lower legs off the edge with the back of your knees not quite touching the table edge. Relax you legs (your whole body, if possible) so that your legs are hanging down with no leg muscles tensed. The objective is to look at the angle your feet are to your legs when so-relaxed.

That angle is the starting point for the angle that your foot should be placed on the pedal. If the angle isn't extreme, that might be it for setting the shoe plate/clip to keep your foot at that angle as you pedal, with the ball of your foot just slightly forward of the pedal axle. Your foot might point slightly in or out.

But if the "natural" angle of your foot dangle is more extreme, you might have to find a compromise in which you twist your foot to an unnatural angle, to avoid the sort of ankle-clout on the crank arm you're suffering. This inevitably means that your leg pistoning is not going to follow the ideal path. As others have said, you may then transfer the problem to your knee - perhaps even to your hip or ankle.

Sometimes there isn't an ideal solution and you have to find the positional compromise that does the least damage or is the most comfortable, despite it being less mechanically efficient.

Cugel, slightly duck-foot meself.
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steve browne
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by steve browne »

I have a lot of out turn on my feet and have fitted pedal extenders so my heels don't clip the crank arms. I don't use cleats as there is insufficient rotational adjustment (and I dislike the claustrophobic feeling of being too connected to the pedals). Definitely worth having your feet in their natural position or you will be running the risk of knee pain with prolonged cycling.
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531colin
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by 531colin »

Read my DIY bike fit piece linked below.
Once your saddle height and setback is set up, your feet may be at a more usual angle......but note that your knees should go straight up and down....pointing knees out is likely to give you sore knees. Knees brushing the top tube is OK, although I have never been able to do it!
Once your saddle is set, and your knees are going straight up and down, your feet will go where your knees are comfortable; let it sort itself out!
Jdsk
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Jdsk »

531colin wrote: 12 Jun 2022, 9:38amRead my DIY bike fit piece linked below.
Once your saddle height and setback is set up, your feet may be at a more usual angle......but note that your knees should go straight up and down....pointing knees out is likely to give you sore knees....
Yes, until the saddle height is about right it isn't possible to know what's happening with that right foot.

Jonathan
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Most bikes come Without Pedals/ or if they do, they are cheap and nasty as pedals are normally picked by the rider.
So what pedals do you have?

If there is not enough friction between the sole of shoe and the pedal / your are Not using clips & flat pedals or clipless pedals.
Then your feet will have a tendency to rotate (creep) freely on their own, which is bad if you are thinking of a long distance / hard riding.
Let alone keeping your foot on the pedal at the correct position fore and aft.

Its possible that your solution may be simple.
But we are going to need some information-
So post with what pedals you are using?
Generally trainers are too soft to give adequate support!


This is advanced, but makes interesting reading...........for most cyclist, including myself as I havent waded through all of it yet :P -
https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bi ... h-support/
Only the first four sections can be rear without subscription!
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digitalgerry
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Joined: 5 Feb 2022, 11:35am

Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by digitalgerry »

Hi all this has been very helpful, especially the guide. I think checking the saddle is key before I do anything else.
Much appreciated
Best wishes
Gerry
Jamesh
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Re: Foot on pedal pointing out

Post by Jamesh »

What model Cannondale system six , supersix synapse, topstone?

Look at the tdf riders positions and see how they ride?

If it's not comfortable or powerful they don't ride in that style.

They are often on the drops but when on the tops / hoods are in a more comfortable position which they will adopt in the middle if the bunch.

Just my observations whilst watching the tdf highlights!!
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