Is it my shoes?

KevChallis
KevChallis Posts: 646
edited May 2013 in Road beginners
I have recently got in to road cycling, although I have found one problem, after 20 miles or so, my left foot gets pins and needless, then goes a a little numb, followed a few miles later by my right foot, up to that point they feel pretty comfy with no major issues, how tight, is a shoe meant to be? They are dmt vision shoes that were in the sale at Evans for £30, if I need new shoes I would rather get them now instead of waiting and finding it painful after a 75 miler say.

Then what sort of shoe should I look at, anything that you would recommend as I can't get to a shop to try any on, as I have no car at the moment

Thanks for any help and advice offered
Kev
PlanetX Pro Carbon
Voodoo Bizango

Comments

  • doug5_10
    doug5_10 Posts: 465
    They don't need to be super tight, give room for your feet to swell whilst on the ride. I recently had numbness issues solved by undoing my shoes by only one click on the ratchet strap (I notice you only have velcro on those shoes, be a little more difficult to do them up the same each time just using feel) Would also check saddle height and fore/aft adjustment.
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  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    I had this when I went to SPD-SLs, slacker straps cured it totally.
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  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    Thanks for the reply, my saddle seems really comfy, no pains anywhere else apart from my feet, I asked about how tight they should feel as the velcro is never done up tight, always loose, I am a size 7 normally, I know... Small feet... And bought a size 7 shoe, just wondered if I should have maybe gone up a size
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    unixnerd wrote:
    I had this when I went to SPD-SLs, slacker straps cured it totally.

    Straps are slack enough to slip my foot out lol, just wonder whether they are just wrong for my feet, I get no problems on the sole of my foot, apart from numbness after 25ish miles
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 16,436
    if the soles aren't stiff enough it can cause hotspots/numbness due to pressure not being evenly distributed

    footbeds can also do it, i find the ones with a metatarsal button prevent numbness
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Is the numbness in any particular part of your foot?
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    Is the numbness in any particular part of your foot?

    Generally everywhere apart from my soles, toes, top of foot, I was kind of shocked after 50 miles, my feet were freezing
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    Definitely suggests a circulation issue then - either too tight or possibly too narrow shoes. Your feet will swell slightly as you warm up on the bike - so maybe try backing the straps off after riding for say 10 miles.
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    Definitely suggests a circulation issue then - either too tight or possibly too narrow shoes. Your feet will swell slightly as you warm up on the bike - so maybe try backing the straps off after riding for say 10 miles.

    Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it, I tried this on my last ride, to the point of the straps being that loose they were doing nothing
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • marylogic
    marylogic Posts: 355
    I got this in winter when I doubled up my socks. How thick are the socks you are wearing? could you try thinner ones if loosening straps hasn't worked?
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    marylogic wrote:
    I got this in winter when I doubled up my socks. How thick are the socks you are wearing? could you try thinner ones if loosening straps hasn't worked?

    I wear thin socks, maybe try no socks for the next ride, just to tell whether I need a bigger size from that?
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • marylogic
    marylogic Posts: 355
    I'm not an expert but if you're wearing thin socks and leaving straps as loose as possible I can only think a bigger size might be the answer?
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    marylogic wrote:
    I'm not an expert but if you're wearing thin socks and leaving straps as loose as possible I can only think a bigger size might be the answer?

    Or a wider make of shoe. I've no idea how DMT compare to others - anyone??
  • djfleming22
    djfleming22 Posts: 116
    I had this problem for quite a while i thought it was my bike, shoes then chain ring tried everything different socks then it started to better ,,,, 2 things i changed one go up one extra gear sometimes it was caused by pressing to much on the down stoke and putting pressure on the toes and etc going up a gear and giving your toes a little wiggle every now and again ..the next was the miles when i started increasing the mileage and getting fitter i stopped pressing down so much cutting off the circulation... try not to push on the downstroke so much and go up a higher gear especially going up hill... and give a wiggle every so often ...remember i am talking about the feet...goodluck
  • Jim C
    Jim C Posts: 333
    Hard to be exact on this. The shoes that fit my feet the best-Specialized fibreglass soled road shoes with a ratchet strap- although that's irrelevant for you- I can ride them not fastened up, they don't slip. They just fit perfect and I've done many miles in them. they came with footbeds with a metatarsal button, that I didn't get on with. So the footbeds from my old shimanos have been in since day one.
    I have 2 other pairs of specializeds both good, better than anything else, but not quite as good as the old pair

    Trial and error on width and fit - can U ride to a bike shop, try a few pairs, then ride home in the pair that fit best?
    jc
  • KevChallis
    KevChallis Posts: 646
    There are 2 lbs, one has specialized only, the other I don't know what they stock so will find out, thanks for all the advise on this
    Kev
    PlanetX Pro Carbon
    Voodoo Bizango
  • izza
    izza Posts: 1,561
    Definitely suggests a circulation issue then - either too tight or possibly too narrow shoes. Your feet will swell slightly as you warm up on the bike - so maybe try backing the straps off after riding for say 10 miles.

    Have to disagree. I had similar issues and symptoms. When speaking to different retailers the most expert/experienced staff repeated the same point - If the pins and needles feeling is circulation based, the symptoms will start straight away. It doesn't take 20 miles for a foot to swell slightly.

    So check things fully and back straps off but be aware it can also be nerve damage. I found it to be the latter with me and found it stopped after fitting some Spesh footbeds.
  • jonomc4
    jonomc4 Posts: 891
    I had this problem. Took a change in saddle (thinner one) and shoes (wider ones) before it was totally removed
  • Kingsmill1
    Kingsmill1 Posts: 103
    I was having this problem with my left foot so decided to go for some custom insoles, went to a shop that checks your gait and other stuff. Turned out my left foot turns slightly out to the left so had to adjust my cleats to compensate. Did my first 40 mile ride on the new insoles and had none of the usual pain in my foot but still a little numbness but no where near as bad as before. But the shop said it would take a few rides for my feet to adjust but after one ride I think it was worth it. I'm going to get a proper bike fit later in the year.
    Giant TCR Comp 2
    Specialized Allez Sport
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,439
    I get this with shimano shoes, specialized footbeds make it much better, the plan is eventually to get some custom footbeds, but at the moment I'm too poor and don't ride enough for it to be a big issue.
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
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