Tandem Cycling - Pedals/Hot spot

Must be getting old. I have been using Speedplays fo 15yrs. or so and now all of the sudden have been getting this hot spot on the ball of my right foot. I'm hoping changing to a larger platform pedal make this go away. Any recomendations.

Whenever I've seen discussions of 'hot spots' regarding pedals, it seems it is a Speedplay. Lots of Google entries for Speedplay + "hot spot" (http://www.google.com/search?q=speedplays+%22hot+spot%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a).

There are apparently ways to position the cleat (http://www.expertvillage.com/video/37480_bicycle-accessories-speedplay-pedal.htm) to avoid this, but Keo's would also probably solve the problem, and you can walk on the cleats a lot more easily.

Move the cleat backwards (towards your heel) by 5 mm. If this doesn't help, try another 5 mm. A 5mm adjustment provided instantaneous relief for me at hour 8 of a 12 hour ride, and I never noticed it for the remaining 4 hours :).

The sole of your shoe may be breaking down to cause the hot spot. Stiff soles spread the load over the foot and reduce hot spots.
Sheldon

been using Speedplays fo 15yrs. or so and now all of the sudden have been getting this hot spot ... Any recomendations.


Move the cleat backwards


The sole of your shoe may be breaking down

+1. It's likely one of these two. If you used them 15 years with no problem, it's likely your cleat has slipped a bit, or the shoe is giving out.

I'd inspect the shoe, and the cleat palcement.

I can relate to your comment about getting old. In addition to the comments above, one thing that might be happening is that as you get older, the ball of your foot is becoming slightly wider, and thus, more sensitive to pressures and hot spots. You might go to your LBS and try a shoe that has a wider toe box. I rode Carnac's for probably 15 years and thought my feet developed hot spots because "that's the way it is". I finally broke down and got a pair of Sidi wide's. First impressions were that they were too wide. my feet felt like they were swimming in them. I realize now that I should have moved to them a long time ago. I can ride for hours in hot temperatures with no hot spots.
One other suggestion is to try different thicknesses of socks. If you are riding a thicker sock in the winter and do not change to a thinner sock as the temperature increases, your foot could develop hot spots.

There are apparently ways to position the cleat (http://www.expertvillage.com/video/37480_bicycle-accessories-speedplay-pedal.htm) to avoid this, but Keo's would also probably solve the problem, and you can walk on the cleats a lot more easily.

Keo's have a smaller cleat than the Speedplays:

http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.platform

I don't think that going to another pedal system is going to help. Suggestions on repositioning the cleat maybe your best bet.

We have SPD pedals on the bike & I wear Sidi mountain bike shoes. I like mountain shoes because I like to be able to walk semi-naturally without cleat covers when we get some place.

Last fall I developed a hot spot in one or both feet. I mentioned this to my LBS & they asked if I was wearing Sidis. I said yes and they said that these were known for having too thin soles for the cleat screws and that over time, the insole compressed and the end of the screw would pressure just the wrong spot. They suggested trying shorter screws or different shoes. We haven't done a long ride since but I may have to make ajustments this summer.

My shoes are Sidi 5.5, 1yr old. Cleats are in the rearward ***. I wore a thicker sock for a 100 miler and pain subsides. I think I may be able to blame this phenom on a pair of prototype Birkenstock hiking boots. I've wore them on two 10 mile hikes, both times suffered the consequences a day later. Haven't wore them in a couple of weeks and things are looking up.

I've used Speedplay's for many years on both my single and the tandem. I didn't get hotspots until longer rides (70+ miles) on the tandem...never on the single (with the same shoes).

I'm using Keo's on the tandem now and no hotspots...while the cleat size is roughly the same between Keo and Speedplay, the pedal/cleat contact is greater with Keo.

As others have mentioned, check the shoes, cleat position, and socks.

I use Sidi's and if someone were going to get hot spots I would think I would. I run Bebop pedals...

I always wondered why pedals didn't come in sizes. A size 52 Sidi isn't interacting with the pedal the way a size 39 is.