sleepy foot problem

paul_or

Hi, I wonder of anybody can offer any advice regarding a problem I have picked up whilst road riding.

I ride typically between 20-40 mile runs, with undulating country (but there are no serious hills in Suffolk!!!). After about 40 minutes I begin to get a sensation in my right foot that makes me think it's gone to sleep - tingling and uncomfortable. I have recently changed saddles, from the standard fit orbea saddle (a selle italia x2) to a specialized alias, which was the result of a saddle fitting (using a sit bone analyzer)



I ride with lace up cycle shoes, so I've begun to wonder of i'm over tightening the laces. The toe clip/straps might also need a little loosening?

Or, could it be pressure on the pudendal arteries, and could the inserts in my shorts be insufficient/not right for me? I wear DHB earnley shorts which aren't a costly short, but the padding has always seemed adequate.

Anybody have a similar problem, or any thoughts?

Thanks.
___________________________________________

sjburbidge

It's more than likely to be footwear related; the pudendal artery doesn't go anywhere near your feet. Likewise the nerves protected by your shorts.
I find loosening my shoe slightly for a while helps, or maybe you're overstretching on your pedal stroke?

Simon

Nunny

This is a problem I have been battling with ever since I started riding. Unfortunately much of the solution is trial and error.

You must be putting pressure on just the wrong point somewhere. I have tried moving my cleats forward and back, changing my saddle, trying different short and chamios, wearing my shoes loose, wear the toes only loose etc etc.

Eventually I noticed that everyone else seemed to be sitting further forward on their saddle than me. I realised sitting back on the saddle was putting pressure on the cheeks of my arse. I moved forward slightly so the centre of the ridge of the saddle supported me on the bone btween my legs slightly. This unloaded my arse slightly and seemed to ease the problem alot. It still happens in very cold or wet conditions but has made a huge difference already to my please level.

All I would suggest is only change one thing at a time then you can figure what works

Nunny