Specialized BG Insoles

markdavidhill

Are these worth buying?

northpole

Spesh Footbeds make my Sidi shoes comfortable compared with the near cardboard insoles they come with.

If anyone knows of a better solution, please shout, but I think Footbeds are a great product £ for £.

Peter

Bobbinogs

Yeah, I rate them but I have a medium-high arch so that makes them (the Blue ones) worth it for me. If you are fairly standard when it comes to feet then I would not bother replacing the standard Spesh insert with them...but the standard Spesh insert is fairly good for the money, IMO. I have read that a lot of folks rate the shims that come with the Spesh footbeds so that might be worth reading up on, but I don't need them so end up chucking them in the bin.

sungod

they're excellent

the spesh bg shoes come with the 'red' bg footbed fitted (it may not be red, but if you compare they are the same)

red is 'normal', the blue adds more support, the green even more

nferrar

Yep highly recommend, just make sure you get the right type for you

markdavidhill

What benefits do you feel?

ClaudeH

I used these but still kept getting numb feet and I injured my hamstring (not definitively connected). I went for a fitting and they put in eSoles which are much more supportive and aggressive. In the beginning the extra support felt uncomfortable but after a few rides I realise how much more naturally my feet are being supported. Unfortunately a lot more expensive than the speshes.

maddog 2

yep I run them in all my road shoes. Expensive for what they are but they do improve things so worth it in the long run. I run blues in all but my Northwave winter shoes which work better with greens+a wedge

neal1984

Sorry to bump this thread but has anyone compared these to the Bontrager heat moldable ones? (http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bon ... d-ec036078)

I'm torn between the two. I keep getting numb feet especially my right foot and so far I've tried moving the cleats back and loosing straps. I ordered half a size bigger in the Shimano shoes and I have plenty of 'wiggle' room so my next step is to try to get better arch support. What are your thoughts?

Grill

Just looking at the Bontrager insoles I can see that the support isn't as sturdy and is prone to collapse. Stick with Spec.

In regards to your feet, where does the numbness start and how long into a ride before the onset?

neal1984

Grill wrote:

Just looking at the Bontrager insoles I can see that the support isn't as sturdy and is prone to collapse. Stick with Spec.

In regards to your feet, where does the numbness start and how long into a ride before the onset?

I just thought as they were mouldable they might provide a more customised fit?

The numbness becomes apparent after about an hour and starts from the sole of my foot I think. I think it may be worse in my right foot as this is the foot I leave clipped in at junctions and lights so the left foot might get more rest and circulation?

Grill

No as those aren't truly moldable. You'd need to step up to a Conformable or Superfeet Cork made by a proper fitter for real customization.

The numbness in the sole is most likely do to a lack of support under the arch and possibly behind the metatarsal head. As your foot collapses the forefoot becomes more stressed as it overloads. By adding a proper firm support under the arch you will even out the pressure under the foot thus reducing the strain on the forefoot.

neal1984

Grill wrote:

No as those aren't truly moldable. You'd need to step up to a Conformable or Superfeet Cork made by a proper fitter for real customization.

The numbness in the sole is most likely do to a lack of support under the arch and possibly behind the metatarsal head. As your foot collapses the forefoot becomes more stressed as it overloads. By adding a proper firm support under the arch you will even out the pressure under the foot thus reducing the strain on the forefoot.

Will the spesh insoles offer this support? How do I know which ones will fit my feet? Thanks for your reply its been very informative.

Grill

The Spec beds are quite stiff and are the best cycling specific drop-ins I've found for the money. The easiest way to tell which ones you need is to match it up to the bottom of your foot (sitting with your foot crossed over your knee so that it is unweighted) and lift your toes in the air. This creates the windlass affect which shows the natural arch depth during tension which is how the foot needs to be supported.

wishitwasallflat

Anyone got a set of the shims for these they don't need they would sell me?

Grill

Are you talking about the varus wedges? Are you looking for + or -?

wishitwasallflat

Shoot I don't know - just was suggested to me on here that a tilt might help a peroneal tendon problem. ApparentlyI need the ones which tilt so the inside edge of the foot sits higher and the outside goes lower i.e the shim that slopes down as you move out from the crank away from the bike.

Just checked the post which recommended using wedges or shims to alter the pedaling platform - i need the the thick edge of the wedge on the crank side thin on the outer

Grill

That's the positive shim, I'll see if I have spares laying about.

What sort of problem are you having? I'd assume if the peroneal tendon was shortened you'd want the negative shim to even out the anterior support of the foot.

wishitwasallflat

Many thanks Grill the thread I got this advice from is here

viewtopic.php?f=40013&t=12925298

He recommends cleat shims but I use Speedplays and their wedges are expensive for what would have to be a self diagnosed trial and error exercise (money is crazy tight just now I know I should get a fit but my misses would have one if I evenmentioned more bike money!

Grill

I see. You need to be careful with a diagnosis over the internet as feet aren't as straightforward as supination and pronation. For example I exhibit a fair amount of pronation, but I also have hyper-mobility in my ankles. Because of this I require quite stiff support under the are and behind the metatarsal head as well as a positive shim as during press I have rotation. This makes it feel as though supination is taking place, but is incorrect. Which method are you using to test pronation and what does the wear pattern on the sole of your shoes look like?

wishitwasallflat

I consistently always wear out the outside edge of the heels of shoes (pronounced slope up toward outside from middle of heel if you look from the back). On balls of feet wear tends to be towards the medial side. I have needed and used custom moulded medial longitudinal arch support orthotics in normal shoes for most of my life. In cycling shoes I've never really had a problem before though. Always felt pedalling was building strength in the archs.

A few months ago I started getting this pain in the peroneals on right side only - I don't notice any reduced range of movement and it feels to me when I am pedalling hard (or out of the saddle) that my foot wants to twist into supination and roll over at the ankle (invert). I think the peroneal tendon behind the lateral malleoulus is strained or getting tendonitis as it over works to stop that ankle inversion. If I step forward onto that foot in a stride it does look like my foot rolls in though - pronates. About six months ago though I stopped using my orthotics in ordinaryshoes and tried Birkenstocks which have built in arch support. Initially it felt a bit low but I have got used to is and it feels ok now. I did wonder if that had triggered the peroneal problem but last week my seat post slipped down about 2 inches and I only noticed cause my right knee and peroneals started hurting and I stopped to search for a problem. I fixed the seat post and while that settled that acute problem I still have this mild but persistent pain in the peroneals. Its comes of the bike though and especially if I invert the ankle i.e. stretch the peroneals. Right side only.

I have tried BG Greens before (I measured up for blues but got greens cause I thought mildly intrusive support was better ala Steve Hogg) but they were uncomfortable and too high in the arch. I now have Bonts and while I'm not aware of the arch support I don't have a sense of it not being supported and Bonts are the only shoes I've had where I can pedal out of the saddle with no arch pain i.e. for the first time I don't feel like my arch collapses under that load.

You are dead right of course foot biomechs is very complex and internet diagnoses only diagnose desperation for help with any accuracy (I trained as a Physio so should know better!) but as I am dead skint just now was looking for some cheap ideas to try out. It could well be I need arch support as well maybe I should just take the plunge and buy some blues insoles? I did sell the greens on here for £15 so lost £10 I think on what I paid. Just saw this thread and though well if I could pick up some spare shims someone may not be using for postage plus a little for thanks then I could do a cheap experiment with those and just try them out.

Maybe a bad idea though?

matt_n-2

I have the reds in but tried the blues following a bike fit and them getting me to stand on the heat activated pad to show my footprint.

After a couple of rides I was getting cramp whilst riding and tightness in the arch after riding in my right foot with the blues so switched back to the reds and it's all good again.

Grill

Sounds very similar to my wear pattern and movement.

Try the +1.5 as I reckon they'll make a difference. The other thing you can do is to buy different densities of foam to customize your footbeds. The first thing you'll want to try is to cutout a square and tape it underneath the footbed behind the metatarsal head to reinforce the metatarsal button. It will feel strange at first but should also help in alleviating the numbing of the forefoot.

wishitwasallflat

Cheers Grill think I will give the BG blues with shims a try then - only problem is my missus has just come home from work to say she no longer needed! So I thought I was in the shit now I am submerged!

neal1984

I've just bought the blues. Nearly went for green but they felt too aggressive. I can feel the support of the blues when standing so it should be a definite improvement. Also added one of the positive shims after trying the mirror squat test thingy but I thing trial and error might be better. As I have a short commute ill try on my way to work tomorrow so hopefully no harm done if it doesn't feel right. Thanks for all your help grill much apritiated!

Chunky101

To dust off an old thread I'm curious a) how everyone is getting on with their BG insoles and b) if anyone knows anywhere with stock? There seem to be a few small sized red sets available that that's pretty much it.

sungod

depending on which size/colour you may need to try a few places...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bg+in ... s&tbm=shop

Sawilson

If you can get to a Spesh concept store or try to find a lbs that does BG fitting service you have the best chance of getting the correct size insole and arch fitting as they have a thermal board which you stand on barefoot and the imprint left dictates the size required.
I have got some and the shoes fit like a glove, nice and snug and no space under the arch.
Highly recommended.

Chunky101

sungod wrote:

depending on which size/colour you may need to try a few places...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bg+in ... s&tbm=shop

Yeah, tried that first, only small or large sizes available in reds or greens.

Chunky101

Sawilson wrote:

If you can get to a Spesh concept store or try to find a lbs that does BG fitting service you have the best chance of getting the correct size insole and arch fitting as they have a thermal board which you stand on barefoot and the imprint left dictates the size required.
I have got some and the shoes fit like a glove, nice and snug and no space under the arch.
Highly recommended.

Good idea, thanks, will have a scoot.

canamdad

Chunky101 wrote:

Sawilson wrote:

If you can get to a Spesh concept store or try to find a lbs that does BG fitting service you have the best chance of getting the correct size insole and arch fitting as they have a thermal board which you stand on barefoot and the imprint left dictates the size required.

I just bought some in New Hampshire (US) and, there, they had me sit first and then put my feet on the thermal board so the thermal image was taken unweighted . Sounds like they may do it differently in the UK. Bottom line is that I ended up with the red ones and am happy with them.