Pins & Needles - Modern road content - UPDATE 20/03/12

[GT-Steve]

Right, this has been bugging me for too long.

Have a look at the pic below, and advise why I'm getting pins and needles down the outside of each foot and down into my little toes, after only half an hour in the saddle.

I've tried the shoes loose, tight and every combination in between. And being Spesh BG's I'd like to think it's not them, as they're fine for the rest of the time.

Leads me to believe it's the pedals. I've never adjusted them (the +/- screw on the front face) so inclined to think it might be this, and if so, do I go 'plus' or 'minus'

HELP ME SOMEONE, PLEASE... :evil:

 

[Neil]

Just to be clear - the pins and needles only occurs when you're cycling with these shoes on, and using those pedals? (ie not at other times, unconnected to them?)

 

[GT-Steve]

Correct. I run spd's and diadora on my mtb's and not a sniff of this problem.

If I unclip on a downhill and shake my legs a bit, the blood flow comes back (for about half an hour, then it's pins and needles time again)

 

[REKIBorter]

Does your foot feel HOT as well?

 

[Grannygrinder]

.

I had the exact same problem.
I partially solved it by getting 1/2 size bigger shoes and swapping my Shimano spd's for crank bros egg beaters which have more float.
Completely solved it now i've gone back to flats

I'm of the opinion that as a 'larger' man my mass restricts the blood flow to my feet at the saddle area. Can't prove it but i'm sure it doesn't help.

 

[GT-Steve]

Does your foot feel HOT as well?

Only at about the same time that I start to notice the p&n's

 

[Raging_Bulls]

plus and minus only change the amount of force required to get out of the pedals.

Sounds to me like the shoe is either too small or locked into the pedal at the wrong angle, which means you automatically put your feet against the outside at the front and the inside at the rear.
I'd suggest, if it's possible with these shoes, to loosen the screws on the shoes and re-position the plastic plate (no idea what it's called in english) so the shoe's heel points a bit more inward.

 

[GT-Steve]

Re: .

I had the exact same problem.
I partially solved it by getting 1/2 size bigger shoes and swapping my Shimano spd's for crank bros egg beaters which have more float.
Completely solved it now i've gone back to flats

I'm of the opinion that as a 'larger' man my mass restricts the blood flow to my feet at the saddle area. Can't prove it but i'm sure it doesn't help.

The shoes are maybe fractionally larger than I normally wear and they're not restricting of movement.

My mtb diadoras are a size 43 and I never get any of this..

I don't understand pedal 'float' completely...

 

[REKIBorter]

Does your foot feel HOT as well?

Only at about the same time that I start to notice the p&n's

Asked the question because I suffered from similar pins & needles and also hot pain under my foot. Only occured on a road bike. May be 'Hot Foot Syndrome'. Don't panic it's not that bad. It's to do with the nerves that run between your metatarsle (sp?) bones in your foot. The nerves get irritated due to the pressure of pedaling. The easiest cure (that worked for me) is when you put your SPD shoes on stand on one leg with all your (considerable) weight spreading your metatarsles appart. Then do up your shoe.

 

[KeepItSteel]

I too run eggbeaters for the road (and everything else) and find them much friendlier to my feet.

The float is the degree of free movement your foot experiences pivoting left to right (and sometimes back & forward) before disengaging from the pedal.

Some pedals/cleats offer zero float, ie, your foot is fixed firm. Others offer varying amounts from 5 degrees up to 20 degrees.

crank brother cleats are designed to be fitted to the shoe in one of two directions, one offering 5 degree float, the other 15. I find 5 ample.

In theory, the float offers a knee saving chance to move your foot around a bit, and prevent stifness/soreness and can also help with blood flow. Uber fast roadies tend to go for zero float so they can acheive maximum stiness at the pedal interface, potentially saving them precious nano-seconds on the climb (for example)