Clipless for Ball of Foot Pain

I am currently riding 25-40 miles a day with toe clips on platform
pedals. Before I started biking, I suffered from ball-of-foot pain
whenever I ran or walked a lot (3-5 miles per day) but have mostly
relieved it with arch supports and other orthotics.

I have noticed lately that on particularly hard rides the ball of my
foot becomes tender just as it does when I used to run a lot.

I am considering getting clipless pedals. My question is whether
anyone else out there suffers from the same problem and/or what type
of clipless pedals and shoes you would recommend for someone who does.
I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

Thanks.

In article , smyrna45
wrote:

I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

I think this is probably true and you may find a road shoe with a very
stiff sole to be better than say a touring shoe or a mtb shoe.

Spence

--
James P. Spencer
Rochester, MN

"Badges?? We don't need no stinkin badges!"

"smyrna45" wrote in message
...
I am currently riding 25-40 miles a day with toe clips on platform
pedals. Before I started biking, I suffered from ball-of-foot pain
whenever I ran or walked a lot (3-5 miles per day) but have mostly
relieved it with arch supports and other orthotics.

I have noticed lately that on particularly hard rides the ball of my
foot becomes tender just as it does when I used to run a lot.

I am considering getting clipless pedals. My question is whether
anyone else out there suffers from the same problem and/or what type
of clipless pedals and shoes you would recommend for someone who does.
I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

I doubt that this is your problem since platform pedals provide a larger area
of support than any cleat I know of. Foot problems can be complicated, even to
the extent that foot pain may be referred from someplace else (e.g. spine).
Clipless pedals are mostly about safety, they don't do anything for
performance or comfort over platforms and straps except relieve strap pressure
from the tops of your foot. I think orthotics will still be your best bet even
if you go clipless. Very stiff soled shoes make the size of cleats immaterial.
I have heard several cyclists complain that stiff soled shoes made the balls
of their feet sore.

"smyrna45" wrote in message
...
I am currently riding 25-40 miles a day with toe clips on platform
pedals. Before I started biking, I suffered from ball-of-foot pain
whenever I ran or walked a lot (3-5 miles per day) but have mostly
relieved it with arch supports and other orthotics.

I have noticed lately that on particularly hard rides the ball of my
foot becomes tender just as it does when I used to run a lot.

I am considering getting clipless pedals. My question is whether
anyone else out there suffers from the same problem and/or what type
of clipless pedals and shoes you would recommend for someone who does.
I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

Thanks.

I think it's a toss-up. a good road shoe with a hard sole will spread the
force but if you have to walk on them it may be bad for the feet. i found
some shoes with a recessed cleat and a somewhat rigid sole but personally
i have a big problem with plantar fasciitis (an injury to the tendon that
attaches to the heel on the bottom of the foot). i think cycling is
aggravating this injury but i am not willing to stop riding.

I agree with you on the larger pedal, but a stiff sole is going to help you
even more. Do you have a pedal preference---Look or SPD type?

You are a victim of "hot foot". I've experienced the same pain while hiking
and biking. I suffered only on long rides over 100 miles. I moved the clip
on my shoe as far back as possible to get it away from the ball of the foot.
It solved the problem.

"smyrna45" wrote in message
...
I am currently riding 25-40 miles a day with toe clips on platform
pedals. Before I started biking, I suffered from ball-of-foot pain
whenever I ran or walked a lot (3-5 miles per day) but have mostly
relieved it with arch supports and other orthotics.

I have noticed lately that on particularly hard rides the ball of my
foot becomes tender just as it does when I used to run a lot.

I am considering getting clipless pedals. My question is whether
anyone else out there suffers from the same problem and/or what type
of clipless pedals and shoes you would recommend for someone who does.
I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

Thanks.

On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 23:49:14 GMT, "gooserider"
wrote:

I agree with you on the larger pedal, but a stiff sole is going to help you
even more. Do you have a pedal preference---Look or SPD type?

I do not personally have a preference. I just want the ones that will
make my feet feel best.

"smyrna45" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 01 Aug 2004 23:49:14 GMT, "gooserider"
wrote:

I agree with you on the larger pedal, but a stiff sole is going to help
you
even more. Do you have a pedal preference---Look or SPD type?

I do not personally have a preference. I just want the ones that will
make my feet feel best.

I use Performance's house brand SPD on my road bike. It's a nice cheap
pedal, but the key is I use a good shoe. I commute, so a full on road shoe
is not workable. I use Shimano's touring shoe--model SH T-092 and my foot
problems have disappeared. Crank Brothers makes a pedal with a huge
platform---I think it's called the Mallet. And, I think Shimano makes a
downhill-type SPD with a huge platform, as well. If you go to a Look pedal
with a standard road shoe you'll probably solve your problem, but you won't
be walking around much.

I get lots of foot pain if I bike in regular shoes on an exercise cycle, and
I don't get it with a cycling shoes on a road bike. I used to have mountain
SPD cleats with a recessed cleat that helped out, but I still got some pain.
I now have SPD-SLs, which have a larger platform, plus my shoes are stiffer.
Great for riding, but not for walking.

One big advantage of clipless is the adjustability. I recommend going to
somebody who has a physical therapy background if possible to get a bike
fit - moving my cleats around a bit did wonders for me.

--
Eric Gunnerson

Visit the C# product team at http://www.csharp.net
Eric's blog is at http://weblogs.asp.net/ericgu/

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"smyrna45" wrote in message
...
I am currently riding 25-40 miles a day with toe clips on platform
pedals. Before I started biking, I suffered from ball-of-foot pain
whenever I ran or walked a lot (3-5 miles per day) but have mostly
relieved it with arch supports and other orthotics.

I have noticed lately that on particularly hard rides the ball of my
foot becomes tender just as it does when I used to run a lot.

I am considering getting clipless pedals. My question is whether
anyone else out there suffers from the same problem and/or what type
of clipless pedals and shoes you would recommend for someone who does.
I suspect that I would do better with a clipless pedal that is larger
to spread the force and one without anything right below the ball of
the foot.

Thanks.

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004 13:40:41 -0700, Eric Gunnerson
wrote:

I get lots of foot pain if I bike in regular shoes on an exercise cycle,
and
I don't get it with a cycling shoes on a road bike. I used to have
mountain
SPD cleats with a recessed cleat that helped out, but I still got some
pain.
I now have SPD-SLs, which have a larger platform, plus my shoes are
stiffer.
Great for riding, but not for walking.

One big advantage of clipless is the adjustability. I recommend going to
somebody who has a physical therapy background if possible to get a bike
fit - moving my cleats around a bit did wonders for me.


You may also want to check out cycling orthotics (you can searh on Google
using this term). I've been thinking about these for a while now, but
have yet to try them.

--
Bob in CT
Remove ".x" to reply