bmunroe

After about five miles of riding, my middle three toes on each foot start to slowly go numb. The big toe and pinky (love those scientific terms) are fine. I'm using Specialized BG Pro Carbon Road shoes with the stock (red) insole. The Specialized "Arch-O-Meter" indicated that this was the right one for me given my lack of anything resembling an arch. The shoes feel very comfortable; neither tight nor loose, but nonetheless, the toes always grow numb.

I went in for a pro fit yesterday at a reputable shop and they made a number of adjustments to my bike and cleats. I have to say, it's the first time my bike felt like "my bike", as opposed to something I just pulled off the shelf. So much better in a number of ways, but it still didn’t' fix the foot problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ElJamoquio

Don't tighten your shoes so much. If you have velcro fasteners, put most of the load on the top velcro strap (closer to your heel) rather than the ones closer to your toe.

Try to pedal with your foot 'loose' sometimes too - i.e., don't clench your foot.

bmunroe

You make a good point about the straps. The 'fit' guy at my bike shop loosened them up quite a bit, and then told me to leave them alone; and only adjust the ratchet strap at the top to keep my heel back where it should be. I was optimistic that this might do the trick, but no.

I'm going to be more conscious about the 'clench' aspect though. I might be unwittingly riding with a flexed or tense foot. Hmmm. I'll check it out.

GuitarWizard

+1

I find when I'm hammering for extended periods of time, I'll have the same problem from time to time.....I have to consciously "unclench" my toes and wiggle them around a bit while pedaling, and this helps to circulate the blood.

DrPete 

+1. Keep the feet loose. The other tip I've heard is to move your cleat back a couple mm to get it under the ball of your foot.

I'm waiting for a pair of Superfeet insoles too, becuase I still have problems from time to time, but we'll see if they make any difference.

DrPete

bmunroe

Good tips guys. Thanks.

Louman

Do you have a wide foot? It's possible that even with the right Specialized insert your foot may still be cramped causing compression on the ball of your feet which leads to toe and foot numbness and pain. If repostioning, loosening the top strap, and focussing on pedalling upwards don't help, consider a wider box shoe.

woodcycl

I had a very similar problem last year when I finally retired my road shoes after about 10yrs (yes, they were falling apart in a big way). I went thru 3 sets of shoes before I finally found a pair that worked for "me". I posted similarly on this forum and had a lot of help. But, in the end, I was doing everything right ... I just need to find shoes that worked for "me". And, ... just a coincidence, they are the exact shoes you are trying currently. I love them.

Just my .002 ... keep this in mind when all else fails. Oh, and I took a HUGE loss on the first two pair of shoes on eBay. But, a good fit is more important than a few (i.e. few hundred) dollars.

R900

You might want to check out this thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=numb+toes

I had numb toes and while a proper cleat fit and Lemond wedges helped, the key was new shoes. My older Nikes fit snug and were fine last year, but as I biked more and more, I had more problems with my toes. I measure about a 42.5 Sidi, and they fit fine, but I wear a 43 Mega Sidi. Plenty of room in the toe box, and no more toe problems. The Sidi inserts are super thin, so I use the inserts from my older Nike shoes and they fit great. Very pleased. I was having some major problems and no longer have any toe issues.

John

Poppaspoke

Keep in mind that your feet may swell during a long ride,
and a snug fitting shoe may become an uncomfortably
tight fitting shoe.

markhr

numb middle toes are usually a sign that you're crushing the front of the foot. Try changing the insole(more arch support - and, no, I didn't think I needed it either) and loosening off the front closure/velcro/fastening/thing(just loose rather than just snug). If that doesn't work seriously consider wider shoes, e.g., sidi mega. Uncomfortable feet take all the pleasure out of a ride.