The issues of hotfoot, or Morton's neuroma, are more than just cleat position, although that is the most common remedy as illustrated by the alleged experts in Randochap's post.

The cause of hotfoot essentially is compression of the metatarsal bones that cluster behind the toes, and subsequently, compression of the nerves that run through that area. The result is numbness.

Specialized makes their shoes with a sole insert that has a metatarsal "button", a raised ridge that runs about two inches from just behind the toes along the centreline of the inner sole. This might feel uncomfortable initially, but effectively spreads the metatarsals and relieves the pressure on the nerves.

I have used several pairs of Specialized MTB shoes for randonnees, centuries and touring, and the button works well, to the point that I have transferred the innersoles to other shoes as the originals wore out.

Prior to PBP 2003 (a day prior, that is, and before I discovered Specialized's design), I built up my own metatarsal buttons using layers of electrical insulation tape. applied to the footbed of the shoe.

I had had serious problems up to PBP2003, and discussed them fully with my tent neighbour at the campground, another Australian. The makeshift solution worked well.

Specialized make the innersoles separately, but I haven't been able to source them here or on the internet.

Therefore, another solution given to me by my former rando riding buddy was to insert an expired credit card in each shoe over where the cleats screw in. Shimano MTB shoes, in particular, have a quite accentuated depression there which just means your metatarsals tend to want to cluster together in the hollow, and the credit card levels out the platform.

This makeshift solution became more permanent on some of my shoes... although the credit cards tend to be a bit fragile and eventually split, so I have used thickish plastic from discarded water barrels cut to the exact same shape as the CCs.

The width of the shoes' footbed and the tightness of the laces/straps will play an important role in hotfoot treatment. I found on first couple of wears of my new CF-soled racer shoes with Ultegra floating cleats (ie, wide platform) that I was getting hotfoot sensations about a kilometre down the road. I readjusted the straps to ensure I could curl my toes in the toebox, and haven't had significant issues since. I still have to ride a century on that bike, though, so that will be the test; the max distance so far is a little over 90km.

If I wear thicker socks than I should with certain MTB shoes, likewise, my metatarsals get all squeezed up, and I sure can only wear thin cotton socks with my roadie shoes.

George, I went the platform pedal route at one stage (Atac MTB pedals), but really that was an attempt to correct a twisting of my ankle outward, which I later found was caused more by lack of support from old shoes, and misalignment of the cleat.

I still use normal non-platform Atacs on three out of five bikes (the fifth is my commuter and has plain platform pedals), and really, apart from cleat position fore and aft, the type of pedal and cleat don't really seem to have much influence on foot comfort unless your shoes have soles that are too flexible -- my Gaerne winter boots verge on that problem -- and that is more just annoying irritation as the pedal pushes upward.

I like the Atacs for the float they give me. You can adjust the degree of twist to exit them by swapping the left one to the right and vice versa. The problems with clipping out often arise from (a) tightening down the cleats too tightly so the tops dig into the plastic on the sole and the clearance between the sole and "ledge" on the cleat isn't sufficient or (b) the rubber sole needs cutting away slightly from around the cleat.

It might be worth doing a search in either the Road or General Discussion forums on hotfoot. I know there was a thread from someone six to 12 months ago who had received some good advice and had quite a bit more detail (as if you need any more after this post, eh?).

Good to see you post here, CbadRider.

And thanks for your best wishes, George. They are much appreciated!