Toe injury - ouch!

"Julian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've recently got the cycling bug again (after 20 yr. - oops) and have been going slightly mad at
weekends and evenings doing as many miles as I can. The upshot is I now have a badly swollen big
toe, the middle joint is v. painful and I can just about walk with a pronounced limp. I've been
using toe-clips and wearing an old pair of squash shoes which, I now realise, give me very little
support. Do you think the shoes are the problem? Would a proper cycling shoe be the cure? I don't
know about cleats, are they best?

Properly fitting cycling shoes and Shimano SPD <1> cleats should alleviate the problem as your foot
will be held securely by the shoe with power transmitted through the ball of the foot.
<1> others have their own favourites but Shimanos are competitively priced and do the job
admirably IMO.

I use these, there is a cheaper (515) version I've no experience of them but imagine they would be
ok. chainreaichainreaiOpen ↗ use
thesectioncycles.com/viewproduct.asp?category=Pedals+Clipless&ModelID=846

Pete

"Julian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi

I've recently got the cycling bug again (after 20 yr. - oops) and have been going slightly mad at
weekends and evenings doing as many miles as I can. The upshot is I now have a badly swollen big
toe, the middle joint is v. painful and I can just about walk with a pronounced limp. I've been
using toe-clips and wearing an old pair of squash shoes which, I now realise, give me very little
support. Do you think the shoes are the problem? Would a proper cycling shoe be the cure? I don't
know about cleats, are they best?

Any (helpful) advice would be much appreciated as, as yet, I don't have any cycling
buddies to ask.

My own experience is that squash shoes have to be pretty snug fitting and are generally very soft.
Cycling shoes have to fit well -- but (unless you are racing) don't need to be too tight (though
your feet should not move around there should be room top wiggle toes).

I road using a pair of fairly stiff tennis shoes for years before I went for clipless pedals and
'proper' shoes. They were fine.

T

Julian said:

I've recently got the cycling bug again (after 20 yr. - oops) and have been going slightly mad at
weekends and evenings doing as many miles as I can. The upshot is I now have a badly swollen big
toe, the middle joint is v. painful and I can just about walk with a pronounced limp. I've been
using toe-clips and wearing an old pair of squash shoes which, I now realise, give me very little
support. Do you think the shoes are the problem?

Yes - at least they'll be making it worse (they may be some other cause as well). I would take a
break from cycling altogether until the swelling and pain reduces and seek medical advice if bad.
But if you do have to cycle in the meantime (eg. to avoid walking!) then ride very gently on some
bog-standard flat rubber pedals with no clips.

Quoted message said:

Would a proper cycling shoe be the cure?

Would help a lot, even just stiffer or different ordinary shoes will with the toe clips. If problem
(or any additional problem) is ABOVE the toes, then different-shape toe clips may help. Plastic ones
are available (in various shapes) as well as metal - some with a relatively soft & flexible "net"
instead of two hard prongs.

Quoted message said:

I don't know about cleats, are they best?

They're great. Try them if you can. You need special shoes - which any good bike shop will have
(they're not all expensive). Choice of system comes down to personal preference and budget, and
whether you need to walk in them much or not. I like Look pedals and find them more efficient,
secure and comfortable than SPD (but poor for walking, though not impossible), but even SPD is
better than toe clips in most ways. There are many other systems as well.

~PB

in article [email hidden], Peter B at [email hidden] wrote on
19/7/2003 1:46 pm:

Quoted message said:

others have their own favourites but Shimanos are competitively priced and do the job
admirably IMO.

If you already have foot problems it is probably worth investigating Time, Look and Speedplay as
these are all associated with lower levels of foot hotspots and numbness. I find Look much more
comfortable long term than SPD. Also, Shimano shoes are notoriously niggardly on width, which makes
toe pain worse (you can use SPD on any brand of cycling shoe of course, but many bike shops only
stock Shimano shoes).

Oh, and the suggestion hereabouts some while back regarding filling the hole under the insole of the
shoe with silicone after the cleats are positioned correctly is an excellent one. The dip in the
sole is sufficient to cause problems all by itself.

Your Feet May Vary, of course.

Guy

"Peter B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I use these, there is a cheaper (515) version I've no experience of them but imagine they would be
ok. chainreaichainreaiOpen ↗ use
thesectioncycles.com/viewproduct.asp?category=Pedals+Clipless&ModelID=846

Which is a load of mumbo-jumbo whereas hopefully this isn't:

chainreactioncycles.comviewproduct.aspOpen ↗ ModelID=846

Pete

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

in article [email hidden], Peter B at [email hidden] wrote on 19/7/2003
1:46 pm:

Quoted message said:

others have their own favourites but Shimanos are competitively priced and do the job
admirably IMO.

If you already have foot problems it is probably worth investigating Time, Look and Speedplay as
these are all associated with lower levels of foot hotspots and numbness. I find Look much more
comfortable long term than SPD.

As I said we all have our favourites but what works for one may not be best for another.

I always used spds on my mtbs and winter bikes but Looks (8+ years) on my Best Shiney Bike because
that's how it came plus they Looked better. However, a couple of years back I embarked on my first
ride on Best Shiney Bike after its' winter layup and developed a swollen knee. Due to this I fitted
spds to my Best Shiney Bike to test the effect and I've had no recurrance.

Along with this was the benefit of not falling on my [censored] when walking on polished surfaces with the
Looks plus being able to walk normally. (I was going to say without looking a prat but the Lycra and
silly polystyrene beanie ensure I still do).

I'm sure someone will be able to relate a story opposite to this.

Pete

in article [email hidden], Peter B at [email hidden] wrote on
20/7/2003 7:52 am:

Quoted message said:

As I said we all have our favourites but what works for one may not be best for another.

And as I said, most of the reports of hotspots and foot cramp seem to be associated with SPDs (which
I also use and also find more prone to cause these problems). Other, less common systems give bigger
contact areas. That's all I was saying.

Oh, and if Looks gave you knee issues, it may well have been the cleat angle. I find Looks much more
comfortable than SPDs, but a fiddle to adjust. And of course you fall over if you try to walk - but
if I wanted to walk I wouldn't have brought the bike :-)

Guy

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Oh, and if Looks gave you knee issues, it may well have been the cleat angle. I find Looks much
more comfortable than SPDs, but a fiddle to adjust.

Quite possible but because the knee problem never recurred after fitting the spds I didn't feel
inclined to experiment, if it's working leave it alone
:-)
When I got a new Shiney Best Bike I considered fitting Looks as they Look better but remembered the
knee and left well alone. What I did do was fit single sided road spds, A515s. These suit the
appearance of the bike better but are a buggar to engage, far harder than the Looks ever were.
Fortunately this is a minor issue as once under way I don't stop a lot but would still prefer the
convenience of double-sided and when/if the A515s need replacing that's the way I'll go.

Quoted message said:

And of course you fall over if you try to walk - but if I wanted to walk I wouldn't have brought
the bike :-)

Yebbut sooner or later you have to get off it.

Pete

Hi

Quoted message said:

I've recently got the cycling bug again (after 20 yr. - oops) and have been going slightly mad at
weekends and evenings doing as many miles as I can. The upshot is I now have a badly swollen big
toe, the middle joint is v. painful and I can just about walk with a pronounced limp. I've been
using toe-clips and wearing an old pair of squash shoes which, I now realise, give me very little
support. Do you think the shoes are the problem? Would a proper cycling shoe be the cure? I don't
know about cleats, are they best?

Any (helpful) advice would be much appreciated as, as yet, I don't have any cycling
buddies to ask.
--
Julian

Hi Julian,

Someone else prescribed Shimano type (SPD) pedals, cleats & shoes. Dunno if this will help you, but
if you're after SPDs then sjscycles.com have some by "wellgo" in the offers section of their web
site, fifteen quid a pair.

I mention it 'cuz I've ordered a pair myself, need new ones and want to try the cheapies to see if
they're comparable to the pricier ones I had...

By the way stiff-soled shoes are best for cycling in my opinion - otherwise the tendons along the
base of the foot take too much "jip" and start to feel sore.

Cheers, AndyK

Quoted message said:

Hi

Quoted message said:

I've recently got the cycling bug again (after 20 yr. - oops) and have been going slightly mad at
weekends and evenings doing as many miles as I can. The upshot is I now have a badly swollen big
toe, the middle joint is v. painful and I can just about walk with a pronounced limp. I've been
using toe-clips and wearing an old pair of squash shoes which, I now realise, give me very little
support. Do you think the shoes are the problem? Would a proper cycling shoe be the cure? I don't
know about cleats, are they best?

Any (helpful) advice would be much appreciated as, as yet, I don't have any cycling buddies
to ask.
--
Julian

Thanks all - toe is now a little less swollen, but I am now on day three without a proper cycle
ride. A gingerly executed test run reveals that the toe clip strap was cutting in and causing
the bruising. I think a shoe with a stiffer upper will do the trick, but I'm tempted to go a
step further and get clipless pedals. I'm just a little worried that stopping at junctions will
be a problem.
--
Julian

In article <[email hidden]>, Julian <[email hidden] .o.d.o.g.demon.co.uk> writes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

[snip]

Quoted message said:

Thanks all - toe is now a little less swollen, but I am now on day three without a proper cycle
ride. A gingerly executed test run reveals that the toe clip strap was cutting in and causing
the bruising. I think a shoe with a stiffer upper will do the trick, but I'm tempted to go a
step further and get clipless pedals. I'm just a little worried that stopping at junctions will
be a problem.

I got my first clipless pedals last year, at the age of 55, after 40 years or so of using toe clips
and straps.

I got the Shimano pedals that are normal pedal on one side and clipless on the other, so I could
still ride the bike comfortably in normal shoes if I needed to. Initially that proved a bit of a
nuisance, until I got used to flipping the pedal to get it the right way round - it's not as easy as
flipping the pedal when you've got a toe clip hanging off it.

Getting used to clipless, I never had a problem riding in town - I just made sure I kept thinking
"Twist foot!" The only time I nearly fell off was when I stopped on a long ride, in the shade of
some trees, to have a drink. I had stopped in the same place many, many times before - I rolled to a
halt, my mind was miles away, and I tried to pull my foot back out of the toe clip...

--
Roger Barker [email hidden] Boston, UK

Julian wrote: ...........

Quoted message said:

I'm tempted to go a step further and get clipless pedals. I'm just a little worried that stopping
at junctions will be a problem.

It won't be once brain has been rewired (takes a few practice rides to master the different action
of pushing down to get in; rotating heel outwards to get out). Feet can be engaged and disengaged in
an instant without a thought once used to them.

I find it *easier* to manage with SPD or Look clipless pedals than toe clips (even non-tightened
ones) in central London.

~PB

"Julian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I think a shoe with a stiffer upper will do the trick, but I'm tempted to

go a

Quoted message said:

step further and get clipless pedals. I'm just a little worried that stopping at junctions will be
a problem.

The perception of the danger is generally greater than the reality.

The last person I saw fall over whilst clipped in was a Lake District MTB guide trying to pose by
doing a trackstand at a red light. Had it been a mate <1> the [censored]-taking would have known no bounds
but in this case we stared at the ground and bit our bottom lips ;-)

<1> He was a great guy and became a honary "mate" later but we thought raising the subject again
should be reserved for long standing "mates".

Pete

Peter B said:

The last person I saw fall over whilst clipped in was a Lake District MTB guide trying to pose by
doing a trackstand at a red light.

Hi Pete

That rings a bell with me from yesterday. I was doing a semi-track stand - moving forwards extremely
slowly and stopping as and when required - waiting for a car or several to take their right of way
at a roundabout. HONK!!! The guy behind me for some reason didn't appreciate my not putting one foot
on the ground every now and again.

Most strange.

James

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