Numb foot

:
: I currently use Power Straps instead of toe clips or clipless pedals.
: will moving to clipless make the numbness go away? if so, what is a
: good option for pedal/shoe combos that i can migrate to a road bike
: (which i plan to get in the next 6 months if i stick with this cycling
: thing...)
:
: thanks for the help
:
: brian

I think you answered your own question, Brian. Your feet will be held in a
neutral position with the cleated shoes and pedals. It sounds to me as if
you are pedaling with your ankle in a rolled-out position right now.

Pat in TX
:

thanks Pat. any suggestions on which 'type' of pedal makes the most
sense? SPD, Time, Loop, Speedplay, others? does one make more sense
over the other on a mtb as opposed to a road bike?

thanks Pat. any suggestions on which 'type' of pedal makes the most
sense? SPD, Time, Loop, Speedplay, others? does one make more sense
over the other on a mtb as opposed to a road bike? or does should i
consider mtb clipless and transfering them to the road bike if/when i
get it? are most (or any) road shoes compatible with mtb
cleats/bindings?

"y-o-y" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

thanks Pat. any suggestions on which 'type' of pedal makes the most
sense? SPD, Time, Loop, Speedplay, others? does one make more sense
over the other on a mtb as opposed to a road bike?

A bit like saddles, pedal choice is an individual thing. I find Look pedals
excellent for me. I can't get on at all with spds - I find that the area the
cleat covers is so small, that I end up having a 'hot spot' on the sole of
my foot due to the pressure on the sole of my foot. With Looks I don't have
that problem. My teenage son, on the other hand, can switch between various
clipless systems with no hassle at all and my husband can't get on with
clipless so sticks to platform pedals with toeclips...

Cheers, helen s

I would say that clipless pedals might solve the problem but they might
not. I get pain on the lateral/outside part of my right foot after
about an hour. I ride in road shoes with Look pedals. I haven't yet
figured out if my shoes are too tight or if something else is wrong.
Good luck solving the problem.
Jason

How about your shoes? Are they tight across the ball of the foot? Do they
pinch anywhere at all?

Pat in TX

<[email hidden]> wrote: (clip) I currently use Power Straps instead
of toe clips or clipless pedals. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I suspect the Power Straps may be causing it. You insert your foot at an
angle, and then as you swing your heel inward, the strap becomes tight.
Very small differences in the angle of your foot can greatly change the
strap tightness. And, of course, if a strap is too tight, that will affect
circulation, easily causing numbness. Why don't you try loosening the strap
on that side, or riding with your foot outside the strap, as a test?

Is it possible you might be pedalling on your toes too much? Try adjusting
whatever you're using on your pedals so your feet are a little further back
on the pedals.
Peter

"Pete" wrote: (clip)Try adjusting whatever you're using on your pedals so
your feet are a little further back on the pedals.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I think you mean *further forward.* But, I'm not sure that Power Straps
have any way of controlling that.

Yeah, it is a bit tricky to get a consistant foot position on the
pedals with the power straps. i try my best to position the ball of my
foot across the axle of the pedal, but depending on the shoes i am
wearing and the angle i insert my foot (as noted above) that can result
in a the strap being either too tight or too loose. i find myself
frequently adjusting my feet to get just the right tightness which
often times results in less then optimal placement relative to the
pedal.

It seems like clipless might be a worthwhile experiment..

"y-o-y" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yeah, it is a bit tricky to get a consistant foot position on the
pedals with the power straps. i try my best to position the ball of my
foot across the axle of the pedal, but depending on the shoes i am
wearing and the angle i insert my foot (as noted above) that can result
in a the strap being either too tight or too loose. i find myself
frequently adjusting my feet to get just the right tightness which
often times results in less then optimal placement relative to the
pedal.

It seems like clipless might be a worthwhile experiment..

Of course, that was a typo, I did mean feet "further forward on the pedal",
or in other words, if you were to use clipless pedals, the cleat further
back. It doesn't take much, but it can made a big difference. It depends on
how you pedal, your foot structure, etc., and so it may or may not be the
problem. I long resisted clipless pedals, but I think a pair of double-sided
SPD pedals and shoes (the walkable "mountain" kind),, can only increase your
enjoyment of cycling, and at the same time give you consistent foot
positioning.
Peter