Cleat Positioning

[ak88]

I have been a week clipless now and yesterday went for a long ride (much longer than my commute and much less stop start). Over the week I have tweaked the position of the cleats so its under the balls of my feet. I have also adjusted it so its comfortable and my feet don't feel its at an uncomfortable angle.

However on the ride, I noticed my outer three toes seem to go numb and I have to wiggle them to get blood circulating again. Pins and needles start and then it feels normal again until it happens again.

How should I be adjusting the cleat positioning to stop this?

 

[monnet]

I've never had that problem with cleats - I tend to find that the problems are always related to my legs and knees. Cleats can take a long time to set up right but if you've not got aches in your legs/ knees it might not be your cleats after all.

Are you over tightening your shoes? If you've been riding with clips you'll be used to a force (however minimal) pressing down on the top of your foot. With clipless you, obviously, don't have that force so you might be compensating through overtightening your shoes.

 

[briank]

If you've only been clipless for a week, does this mean that you've only had you current cycling shoes for a week. If so, and if the weekend ride was longer and less stop/start than anything you've done in them before, then I think the toe tingle probably has less to do with the shoes themselves than with the position of you cleats. What make are the shoes? Some have a roomier "tor-box" than others - Italians (apparently) have notoriously narrow feet!

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

If you've only been clipless for a week, does this mean that you've only had you current cycling shoes for a week. If so, and if the weekend ride was longer and less stop/start than anything you've done in them before, then I think the toe tingle probably has less to do with the shoes themselves than with the position of you cleats. What make are the shoes? Some have a roomier "tor-box" than others - Italians (apparently) have notoriously narrow feet!

Yeah - make sure your shoes aren't too tight, or wear thinner socks, or get a new pair of shoes.

 

[HJ]

I have had the same problem on longer rides at the start of the season, I think it just that your foot is not used to pushing down on the same spot for a prolonged period. It goes away after a couple of long rides, as you start to get used to it.

 

[ak88]

I have had the shoes for a while now - pair of Specialized Tahoes. Never had this problem when I had normal platform pedals - only now with clipless - seems to happen when I ride for long without having to stop. Never noticed it on my commute as I guess I had a stop every so often or having to unclip in case. The long ride was out from Greenwich to Biggin Hill with very long sections where I did not have to unclip.

Speaking to a couple of people who theorized that the cleat position may be laterally (?! left/right) to the inside of the foot and hence I am pushing down more there and thus causing the outside the numbness. Going to tweak it again and see again.

 

[Crackle]

Do you have any float in the cleat on that side when you are riding? I'm thinking your foot is pressing ever so slightly out, hence numbness.

Could also be the seat is slightly too high, so you have more upward pressure over your instep cutting off the circulation slightly. Are you extending your feet down at the bottom of your stroke?