Fifty Plus (50+) - bruised toe

i am weeks away from the 65 mark and since oct 09 i have been putting in around 50 miles a week.
i have an ancient [1972] puch with toe traps, converted to to a flatbar, 8 spd, triple and an early trek 800 with platform pedals for snow and slush riding. i wear sneakers on the puch and boots on the trek, i find the toe next to the big toe [longest one] is bruised at the tips on both feet. will cycle shoes cure this and do i need to go clip-less or something of that sort?

Sounds like you're sliing around inside your footwear. Well-fitting shoes would help. Or try tightening up the lacs more so your foot doesn't move forward when you pedal.

There are all kinds of "sneakers". I'm guessing that yours are soft enough in the toe area that the clips create too much pressure. Old style cycling shoes with cleats to be used in conjunction with toe straps and clips, when properly set up would keep the toe just short of the clip end. Additionally, the cleat kept the foot from moving forward into the clip. Clipless pedals should correct the issue if you purchase the correct sized shoe. You don't want so much room that your foot can jam up into the toe area. You might also consider Power Grip Pedal Straps. Here's a review of them: http://bicycling.about.com/od/equipmentreviews/fr/power_grips.htm

when i was walking i used the sneakers around 1hr 4 0r 5 days a week with no problem, so i am not sure loose shoes are the problem. i will try to tighten the laces, it might be a quick fix. i had been thinking about the power grips but not so much in relation to the toe problem, just to get more insulation during the winter. for sure worth a try. thanks for the suggestions!

If you have large feet, you may need a larger size of toe clips. My size 12s tend to push against the front of the smaller clips.
http://www.velo-orange.com/mksdesttoecl.html