numb big toes
 

i recently purchased a trek 7.5fx- i switched to crankbrother candys and also bought new shoes to go with them. i was riding home yesterday and noticed both of my big toes were completely numb. i all my years of riding i've never had this happen. the lbs did a simple bike fit on me when i picked it up- i had them set my seat a little lower because i had been having some it band issues with my right knee. any ideas on what may be causing this. i can't afford a full blown bike fit right now and would like to tinker around with trying to fit this myself. one thing i did notice was the cleat position feels a little too forward and also the new bontrager mountain shoes are kind of u shaped whereas my specialized tahoes are flat.

Be sure the shoe straps aren't too tight. How do the shoes fit?

the shoes are size 46, my tahoes are 45. they fit ok- when i stand flat in my new shoes my toes are pointed up. the shoes are kind of rounded up if that makes any sense. do you think seat height has anything to do with it?

Technically if you switched pedals and shoes you probably changed the stack height between the pedal spindle and your foot, so you'd need to change your saddle height to compensate.

However, I'm not sure if saddle height would cause numb toes or not.

What's the temperature at which you're riding? Do your toes turn white?

I have this same problem all winter long. I finally mentioned it to my doctor (who's also a cyclist). It turns out I have Raynaud's Syndrome; basically I have great circulation to my fingers and toes but as soon as I get even a little chilly the blood vessels lock up and fingers and toes go numb.

You may just need some support, e.g., superfeet or sidas conformable insoles.

If your shoes were too narrow then generally 7you end up with a numbness (followed by burning sensation and the extreme pain) behind your toes under the base of your foot (your forefoot/toes is/are effectively crushed upwards in the middle).

Try new insoles and loosening the shoes around your toes if possible and see how that goes. If you're still having the same problem then it may be time for new, longer, wider shoes.

http://www.conform-able.com/activity...ng=EN&iIdAct=4
http://www.superfeet.com/activity/cycling.aspx

Last night it was 50 degrees and very windy. a light bulb just went off- a couple of years ago i noticed that the index fingers on both of my hands would turn white and go numb if they got the slightest bit cold, i shrugged it off but you have me thinking- what if the problem in my toes is what i've been experiencing in my fingers. any suggestions on how to handle this if indeed it is Raynaud's Syndrome?

I also have numb big toes on my left foot. It gets confusing to know whether its a pinched nerve issue or a circulation (cold) issue. Mine is a pinched nerve issue mostly, partly due to high insteps leaving my dorsal pedalis nerve exposed to pressure from my shoes, your knee issues may be contributing as well, the nerve cords pass through the joint. I also have crank bros pedals, when it's sub zero out I can feel really feel the cold where the cleats are mounted in the shoes.

Having just dealt with this issue I'd highly recommend spending the $25-30 and get a pro cleat fitting. They'll be able to pinpoint the problem a lot more accurately than we hacks-on-a-message-board can. And if there's something else causing the numbness (and, yes, improper saddle height could do it), the pro will be able to spot that too.

In my case the "pro" was so extremely professional that, when he realized my bike wasn't fit well, he did a complete refit on the bike for me....and only charged me for the cleat fitting since that's all I'd signed up for :).

That, alone, could be your issue. If the cleat is too far forward, you do too much pushing with your toes and they go numb.

See if you can set the cleat further back on your shoe. If that doesn't solve the problem, or if they are still too far forward, then I'd seek professional help.

I had no freaking joy out of Superfeet, and others swear by them. I'm using the yellows, and they have holes right over the SPD cleat plate. Think cheesegrater.

i emailed the guy that did a bike fitting me for a while ago, this is what he said- similar to what you said

"As for the foot neuropathy, that can be caused by having the cleat directly under the sesamoid bones or with a footbed without the metatarsal button like the BG foot beds have"

I'll take your word for it. ;)