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Toe Touches Tire

Old 08-04-06, 05:35 AM
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As others have mentioned, your foot isn't going to interfere with the front wheel except at very slow speeds. The solution is to temporarily move your foot back on the pedal and take the few strokes during that sharp turn on your toes instead of the balls of your foot.

If you are using clips or clipless, you'd be wise when maneuvering at that speed to have your feet free in case you misjudge or lose your balance. At anything much over 5 mph, you wouldn't be turning sharply enough to experience the problem.

If you are correcting during a descent at any speed at all and have to input that much of a steering change, then chances are you will be going over for reasons having nothing to do with overlap.

Re Cycle - it sounds like you may be a little up tight with your new bike - that's ok. Just keep riding it and you'll start to feel much more comfortable. Good luck.

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Old 08-04-06, 07:33 AM
  #27  
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Details

Well, I will pay closer attention next time I ride, but here are some details. The frame is Specialized Sequoia size XS (47 cm). I am using Shimano SPD 505 pedals with a 38 cm Specialized Motodiva women's shoe. The overlap issue was immediately noticed. The person at the bike shop who sold it to me, seemed extremely experienced and very knowledgeable--esp re fit, riding posiition, etc. I expressed my concerns at the time, and he was the first to tell me how common toe overlap was, and that many riders learn to live with it. So that is what I am trying to learn with this post--how you experienced riders "live" with it.

I have been out of bicycling for a while, but in prior times I rode centuries, did long distance pannier touring, etc. The only bumping I ever recall was my heel hitting some fully loaded panniers on some prior bikes I owned. Wierd for me to have a new bike and feel this way. But like I said, bought this bike because I love the ride, and now I am trying to learn to deal with overlap.

I did take the bike out to a parking lot and made circles to try and determine my "safe range" the first day I rode the bike. In my mind, I absolutely need to have that range ingrained and practiced in my head before I feel I can safely ride this bike. . I also found some spacious business center type areas where I could ride in the evenings turning corners, making u-turns etc. at different rates of speed right on a street, so I can further assess my range and where the potential problem will arise. I have only owned the bike three days, and don't feel I completely understand where the problem arises--but even a right or left turnonto a tight city street can cause overlap. I am not racing around the corners, as that is impractical given the environment. I have also mounted the bike in the hallway of my hosue and pedaled backward while shifting the handlebars. I am just really surprised at how little shift in bars it takes to make the toe hit.

So if anybody has ideas on predal position, turning techniques, etc., that might help me get around this issue, I'd really appreciate it. And thank you everybody for your suggestions and remarks so far. I am new to this forum and so far I'm impressed with all the great information I'm finding here.
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Old 08-04-06, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Re Cycle
So if anybody has ideas on predal position, turning techniques, etc., that might help me get around this issue, I'd really appreciate it. And thank you everybody for your suggestions and remarks so far. I am new to this forum and so far I'm impressed with all the great information I'm finding here.
About the only two things I can think of is to check the length of your current cranks, and if they aren't 165mm, then buy and fit 165mm cranks (which would probably be best anyway for your size), and move the cleats as far forward as possible in the slots on your shoes (although this compromises the leverage on the pedal and may lead to other maladies such as hotfoot/Morton's neuroma).

The appearance of knowledge in a bike shop is not always real, especially when a commissioned sale is on the line.
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Old 08-04-06, 08:43 AM
  #29  
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To be honest, it doesn't sound like you're ever going to be comfortable about the toe overlap on this bike. From what you say, the toe overlap sounds more pronounced than most people experience--I can certainly make slow turns onto a road from a driveway without hitting my foot, even though my bike does have toe overlap. You should seriously consider taking it back and getting a brand (Trek, Terry, others I can't remember) that uses 650c wheels for their smaller frames. It's not worth the mental stress it seems to be causing you. When I was bike shopping, both the Specialized and the Treks seemed to fit similarly, so test-riding a Trek WSD with 650c wheels would give you a chance to see if the problem goes away, even if you didn't buy it.

Good luck,
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Old 08-04-06, 08:48 AM
  #30  
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GREAT!!!!!

Now when I go home this afternoon, I'll have to check all of my bikes for toe overlap.

I suspect I will have some because I ride with my feet too far forward, and I wear size 12's... But, it has never been a problem while riding. In sharp turns I aleways have my inner foot at 12:00 since I have never liked pedal strikes on the ground, so this might be why I have never had an issue with toe overlap.
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Old 08-04-06, 09:33 AM
  #31  
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The only time I have seen a rider go down is with toe clips and during starts off a light with too high a gearing. The rider starts to pedal and because of the gearing they have trouble moving forward causing the front wheel to wobble and hit the toe causing a crash. I have seen that a couple of times with new riders. I see way more people go down because they can't or forget to unclip from clipless pedals than from toe overlap. No one seems to make too big a deal of it since you are going so slow you rarely get hurt. Seems to me this would be the same with overlap, don't sweat it.
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Old 08-04-06, 03:02 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Re Cycle
I did take the bike out to a parking lot and made circles to try and determine my "safe range" the first day I rode the bike. In my mind, I absolutely need to have that range ingrained and practiced in my head before I feel I can safely ride this bike. . I also found some spacious business center type areas where I could ride in the evenings turning corners, making u-turns etc. at different rates of speed right on a street, so I can further assess my range and where the potential problem will arise. I have only owned the bike three days, and don't feel I completely understand where the problem arises--but even a right or left turn onto a tight city street can cause overlap. I am not racing around the corners, as that is impractical given the environment. I have also mounted the bike in the hallway of my hosue and pedaled backward while shifting the handlebars. I am just really surprised at how little shift in bars it takes to make the toe hit.

So if anybody has ideas on predal position, turning techniques, etc., that might help me get around this issue, I'd really appreciate it. And thank you everybody for your suggestions and remarks so far. I am new to this forum and so far I'm impressed with all the great information I'm finding here.
I'm no expert in bike design, but, I ride a Cannondale Cyclocross with 185 mm cranks and purchased my first set of clipless pedals not long agoe - my LBS sold me a pair of MTB shoes - in my mind, they are pointy-toed - and I got them a little long because my feet are EEE. Long story short, in slow maneuvers where I have to even partially depend upon steering to remain upright, I have to also remember to keep my feet out of the way, or they will definitely hit the wheel and interfere with my steering. This has occurred a number of times - when it does, I don't crash, I just quickly move my feet - either I elevate my toe on the pedal or I back pedal, whatever it takes. If I anticipate properly, I might pedal in quarter strokes - just enough to maintain sufficient forward momentum, still keeping my clod-hoppers away from the wheel until I have finished with the fancy steering maneuvers.

I would say that, unless your toes are nearly interfering when you ride in a straight line, then, the overlap you describe is not unusual. Most u-turns and right-angle turns at intersections will be made at something less than an upright riding position - you'll still be leaning into the turn, so that you don't really need to be turning the wheel so severely that your feet will be in the way.

If I were you, I'd keep riding that bike until you are certain that your concern is not just from the newness of it and the fact that you've been away from riding for a time.

OTOH, biking - riding, fit, brand, size, all of it - is very personal. What I think or suggest means squat if it doesn't work for you. So, as has been suggested, I would not hesitate to go back to the shop and discuss and demonstrate the problem on your bike, and, perhaps, have the LBS demonstrate on yours and other bikes what they consider normal overlap. Perhaps there is some quirk about how that bike fits you that needs to be addressed.

Most of all, I would try not to stress out about it - just keep working on it - individually and in cooperation with your LBS - until you are satisfied that this bike (or whatever you finally decide to hang on to) fits you as well as you can reasonably expect any bike to fit.

Let us know how it all works out for you.

Good luck and have fun.

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Old 08-04-06, 06:02 PM
  #33  
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Does anybody else this problem?
No, other people understand bicycle frame geometry and know why it's possible a well-designed frame can and will allow a person's foot to contact the front tire. These people don't have a "problem".

What do you do when you want to pedal out of a turn or during a turn?
I proceed to continue to steer the bike and pedal in whatever manner necessary so as to not fall over or hit anything. Back pedaling IS an option.Although you say you "love the bike", you should be warned that if you have the "mindset" to crash, you may very well become unable to operate the bike confortably in tight quarters. This could become a 'real' concern if you decide to add full fenders.

As others have mentioned, normal people "deal with toe-overlap" - but this may not apply to you. Good luck.
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Old 08-05-06, 04:04 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Re Cycle
I am fairly short at 5'2". It is very hard to find a properly fitting bike. I recently bought a Specialized Sequoia which I just love. Only one thing--if I turn and do not have me pedals at the 12 and 6 position, I run a very good chance of toe touch on the tire. When I was shopping and road testing, I found other bikes with the same issue--esp the Cannondale tourer.

Does anybody else this problem? What do you do when you want to pedal out of a turn or during a turn?
In theory, when rounding a turn, your inside crank should be at 12 o'clock anyway. This is just good riding technique, but would also help your problem.
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Old 08-05-06, 08:50 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Richard Cranium
Back pedaling IS an option.
I can't believe I've been back into riding for a year, coasting through U-turns or being super-careful not to pedal more than half-a-crank, and never figured this out. I feel incredibly dense, but on the other hand, it's a good day any day you learn something that useful.

It's not like I didn't know back-pedaling was possible, I just never associated it with that particular situation. So, thanks.

OTOH, your reply to the OP was amazingly snarky--way to kill the joy for new riders, Ace.

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Old 08-05-06, 09:43 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by stonecrd
The only time I have seen a rider go down is with toe clips and during starts off a light with too high a gearing.
That's the only time it bothers me. As a commuter you don't always find yourself in a low enough gear after you stop unexpectedly, so you have to wobble your front wheel to stay balanced as you start up. I haven't fallen, but I've mangled the tips of my Axiom fender struts.

The OP sounds like a pretty experienced cyclist, so it the toe overlap is bothering her so much I assume it's more severe than most of us deal with.
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