Bought first pair of spd shoes..... aching feet

[nuttzo32]

Hi i just recently purchased a set of shimano spd shoes and went on my first 10km commute with them today and within a few minutes of riding i started to develop aching feet under the balls/arch area of the feet.Is this due to incorrect cleat positioning or is this just because my feet aren't used to pulling up the pedals?

[Venus62]

I'm no expert but I did my first ride (~20km) in cleats on the weekend and had no foot pain at all, so I'd suspect incorrect placement.

[ball bearing]

Youtube has many cleat positioning videos.

[DoogleDave]

Your feet shouldn't hurt when wearing your cycling shoes.

Here's a few links which might be helpful reading:

http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/04/power-to-the-pedal-cleat-position/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/246381-bicycle-pedal-adjustment-foot-pain/

When I first started wearing my cycling shoes (MTB shoes with SPD), I was getting sore feet every now and again and after adjusting my cleats further back my feet have been fine ever since.

Dave

[grantw]

A few minutes? Crikey.

Cleat position aside, how tight did you do them up? It's easy to get carried away with the cams and whatnot. Less is more I find.

[nuttzo32]

I will try positioning the cleats further back and see how it goes tomorrow.

[wombatK]

Why are you trying to pull-up ? You might be over-thinking it and straining your legs.

There's good research that there's not much benefit in consciously pulling up - see for example
Perfect Pedal Strokes

If you try to consciously pull-up, you'll be engaging different muscles in your feet and calves.
Not only will they hurt, but their blood flow and metabolic demands could mean you'll get less
power out of your down-strokes. Think of the upstroke as recovery time.

The primary benefit of clip-ins is that you can start your down-stroke right at pedal top, without
risk of your foot slipping forward off the pedal. And similarly, you can continue it right to the
pedal bottom without slippage. Thats how you can increase your power output without having to
engage a whole different set of muscles.

The secondary benefit of clip-ins is that everyone else gets a good laugh when you clip-stack

Cheers

[DoogleDave]

The secondary benefit of clip-ins is that everyone else gets a good laugh when you clip-stack

YES....+1

[nuttzo32]

Why are you trying to pull-up ? You might be over-thinking it and straining your legs.

There's good research that there's not much benefit in consciously pulling up - see for example
Perfect Pedal Strokes

If you try to consciously pull-up, you'll be engaging different muscles in your feet and calves.
Not only will they hurt, but their blood flow and metabolic demands could mean you'll get less
power out of your down-strokes. Think of the upstroke as recovery time.

The primary benefit of clip-ins is that you can start your down-stroke right at pedal top, without
risk of your foot slipping forward off the pedal. And similarly, you can continue it right to the
pedal bottom without slippage. Thats how you can increase your power output without having to
engage a whole different set of muscles.

The secondary benefit of clip-ins is that everyone else gets a good laugh when you clip-stack

Cheers

Ok thanks for the info, i'm not sure if i am consciously pulling up but maybe i am pulling instead of pushing down and letting the pedals circle. And i did come close to having a clip stack today when i pulled out my right foot and went to lean on the left foot while it was still clipped in but i managed to get it out just in time.

[nuttzo32]

Moving the cleats further back and loosening straps on the shoe has made quite a difference, my left foot was only slightly sore today but much better than a few days ago. I think i may be slightly twisting my left foot when pedalling but a few more days breaking in the shoes and there should be no more discomfort.

[uncle arthur]

Your competent LBS owner may be able to help you out with a bike fitting which (when I had mine) includes your cycling shoes for cleat placement. I've never had a sore foot.

[Xplora]

Cleats WILL cause dramas that you didn't have with flats if they aren't set up right, nuttz, because you are locked into a cycling motion. You aren't inflicted with such motion with flats because you can float, readjust, all over the place. I noticed my feet moved HEAPS on my MTB flats riding with the kids yesterday, and I 99% of the time wear SPDs.

[nuttzo32]

No longer getting any foot pain at all on my short 9km and back commutes, i think my feet just needed to get used to being clipped in. In a few weeks when i am on leave from work i am going to try 20km or more and see how i feel.