Foot pain when out of the saddle (MTB)?

[Irons]

Quick one: When I have the dropper down and am out of the saddle heading down trails, I am getting ridiculous pain in my feet, in the area of the cleats, obviously due to the pressure.

 

Riding a hardtail and pedals/cleats are SPDs. Any insight into if this is better with other cleats/pedals or a better quality pair of shoes (mine are average)?

[AdamA]

try wearing shoes!!!

[Albatross]

Have similar problem, was advised to move the position of my cleats, still trying to find a sweet spot but I believe its pinched nerves that cause the pain

[V12man]

Quick one: When I have the dropper down and am out of the saddle heading down trails, I am getting ridiculous pain in my feet, in the area of the cleats, obviously due to the pressure.

 

Riding a hardtail and pedals/cleats are SPDs. Any insight into if this is better with other cleats/pedals or a better quality pair of shoes (mine are average)?

Try a set of shoes with harder soles - like as in carbon fibre hard....

 

Other things you can try are:

 

1 - Heat moulded custom insoles

2 - Moving the cleat around on the shoes - towards the heel would be my first try - as far back as possible.

3 - Visit a good podiatrist - Chris Delpierre at Sport Science is pretty good - and has access to a number of other specialties at SS

[eddy]

Flats and 5-10s ?

[GAP]

Quick one: When I have the dropper down and am out of the saddle heading down trails, I am getting ridiculous pain in my feet, in the area of the cleats, obviously due to the pressure.

 

Riding a hardtail and pedals/cleats are SPDs. Any insight into if this is better with other cleats/pedals or a better quality pair of shoes (mine are average)?

Move your cleats right back, if it still hurts go see a foot doctor and have some insoles made, that solved my problem.

[Steady Spin]

Time to resurrect this thread instead of creating a new one. 

I've read that normal sized SPDs and a flat pedal style shoe will cause issues. Exactly what I'm experiencing. Pain on the 5th metatarsal on both feet after about 10kms on the ride. 

I use Look Xtrac Race pedals with Specialized 2FO shoes. 

I assume a pedal with a platform like the XT trail for example will help support the foot and reduce the pain? I've tried multiple cleat positions and I've had my feet mapped and using the matching inner soles. 

[Frosty]

4 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Time to resurrect this thread instead of creating a new one. 

I've read that normal sized SPDs and a flat pedal style shoe will cause issues. Exactly what I'm experiencing. Pain on the 5th metatarsal on both feet after about 10kms on the ride. 

I use Look Xtrac Race pedals with Specialized 2FO shoes. 

I assume a pedal with a platform like the XT trail for example will help support the foot and reduce the pain? I've tried multiple cleat positions and I've had my feet mapped and using the matching inner soles. 

This podcast discusses a lot about setup, including shoes that are too narrow, too tight, too stiff resulting in weak joints, and much more. 

If you had it done by an expert bike fitter, they should be aware of your problem and help resolve it. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/the-podium/id1516026786?i=1000583662953

 

 

[Brakepad]

31 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Time to resurrect this thread instead of creating a new one. 

I've read that normal sized SPDs and a flat pedal style shoe will cause issues. Exactly what I'm experiencing. Pain on the 5th metatarsal on both feet after about 10kms on the ride. 

I use Look Xtrac Race pedals with Specialized 2FO shoes. 

I assume a pedal with a platform like the XT trail for example will help support the foot and reduce the pain? I've tried multiple cleat positions and I've had my feet mapped and using the matching inner soles. 

• stand on a piece of paper and outline your foot, measure the widest part and then measure your shoes.
• If you have a high arch normal insoles don't work, get some with the right arch support
• If your feet have a tilt to the outside all pressure is on the outside, get some shims or wedges to correct
• if none of the above, play with cleat position or other pedals, thinner socks, tighten shoes less....

[Steady Spin]

Or stick with flats...

[MORNE]

3 hours ago, Steady Spin said:

Time to resurrect this thread instead of creating a new one. 

I've read that normal sized SPDs and a flat pedal style shoe will cause issues. Exactly what I'm experiencing. Pain on the 5th metatarsal on both feet after about 10kms on the ride. 

I use Look Xtrac Race pedals with Specialized 2FO shoes. 

I assume a pedal with a platform like the XT trail for example will help support the foot and reduce the pain? I've tried multiple cleat positions and I've had my feet mapped and using the matching inner soles. 

disclaimer: Text wall of death incoming.

nope, you'd be wrong unfortunately. Funny because I have exactly the same shoes (2FO) and exactly the same pedals (xtrack) on one of my bikes. 

So we know much the bike industry lies to us to sell us more crap right? haha. There are hordes of videos on youtube and pics and reviews on the internet (see below) that will show you that even a Saint PD-M820 doesn't contact the shoe once you are clipped into your SPD's. You cant see it on your xtrack's yet because they don't have a cage. The pins are basically useless..especially on the front. notice i say SPD's. They are the worst for this. On the spd trail pedals you are only basicvally getting extra support from the wider bits on the sides of the cleat mech...and the Xtrack already has a slightly wider base here than a normal 540 shimano imo. 

You float ontop of that cage no matter what, it's by design...it doesn't give the supposed support shimano and other spd trail adopters claim. They do help some if you become unclipped in a rough section and just need somewhere to rest your foot before you OTB the next feature lol...but they do nothing in terms of offering more 'platform'. 

And to everyone claiming otherwse...go take your shoe and clip it into your spd trail pedal and see how much 'support' there is. right next to the spd mech sure...maybe some in the back if you have pins...but Almost nothing basically.

CB Mallets and the like are a bit different and offer better interface with the cage of the pedal against your shoe (see below)...because the mechanism/cleat stack height business is alot lower so the shoe actually connects to cage front and back. They feel more like flats...even when unclipped. The pins in those things are obviously for extra grip but also to remove lateral float. A lot of people just take them out because they interfere with clipping in and out.

coming back to SPD's and cages...i bought a set of trail'ey SPD pedals with a bigger cage setup, and I was super dissapointed. They literally offer ZERO extra platform feel over a normal Look xtrack/shimano 540 clip pedal. They do offer some more platform if you are NOT clipped in because you took your foot off....but thats about it. Imo on shimnao trail pedals the cage is literally only there to protect the spd mechanism from rock strikes. nothing else. 

I want to try some Hope Union TL (see below) since they lower the 'spd' stack so the shoe ACTUALLY connects to the pedal cage. They do use a propriatary cleat though which sucks...but luckily they are stainless steel instead of the cheese CB cleats are made of.

finally...on your actual foot pain....I had the same issue in my XC spez shoes and got me some blue body geo inners and it solved it for me. I have a high arch in my foot. If you want to know if you do...take some paper or cardboard, wet your foot and make a foorprint on the paper. Compare to the image below of footprints and make a call. 

plenty of cents in there

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by MORNE

[Steady Spin]

Seriously considering just chucking all this clipless nonsense and sticking to flats. 

I had my arches etc checked and Specialized's machine recommended the blue footbeds for my arch type. 

My shoes are not too tight. I have plenty of room in the toe box section and I've tried different pairs of socks. 

My guess... Time for a bike fit with the emphasis on cleat setup then. 

[MORNE]

1 minute ago, Steady Spin said:

Seriously considering just chucking all this clipless nonsense and sticking to flats. 

I had my arches etc checked and Specialized's machine recommended the blue footbeds for my arch type. 

My shoes are not too tight. I have plenty of room in the toe box section and I've tried different pairs of socks. 

My guess... Time for a bike fit with the emphasis on cleat setup then. 

Cleat position on the shoe can defo also be a thing. When i have mine too far forwards i get some pressure so these days i just slam them all the way back regardless. Good way to get a good position for me has always been to take some tape, tape something dmall and hard onto the joint of your big toe do you can feel it through the shoe when you put it on. Mark that spot on the shoe with a pencil and measure 1-2cm back depending on shoe size. I wear a size 14 shoe so that almost always has my cleat almost all the way back lol. Then i angle the cleat so that it points to the gap between my big toe and the next one.

this works for me. Maybe try it.

[Steady Spin]

Which joint? Closest to the ball of the foot? 

[MORNE]

11 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Which joint? Closest to the ball of the foot? 

Ja, that boney protrusion on the inside of your foot at the base of your big toe.

[Steady Spin]

Thanks. Will have a look.