Comfortable Shoes with Clipless Pedals
 

I just finished my first ride with Crank Brothers Egg beater Clipless Pedals and Shimano MT20D shoes. I like the pedals better than the Shimano SPDs and Times I have used in the past but the shoes are killing me. See First Impressions for more details.

The shoes are a little tight but that is not really the problem. They don't seem to distribute the pressure from the cleat very well and after about 10 miles my feet are killing me. I have been using Power Grips since I switched to recumbents and the return to clipless has been a rude awakening.

I feel faster and stronger with clipless pedals but so far the clock does not show any improvement and the pain in my feet is keeping me from riding my normal distances.

Are their any shoes that do a good job at distributing the cleat pressure or do other riders use hard insoles?

Thanks ... Roland

Met a guy the other day who had(if I'm not mistaken) Shimano SANDLES with clipless cleats!
Now THAT looked pretty comfy!

I recommend sandals to all my trike customers. Be sure the cleats are fully toward the heel in any shoe with recumbent riding.

Chip
recumbenttrikestore.com

why is this? wouldn't you want your foot position relative to the pedal axle to be the same as that on an upright? What am I supposed to do if I use the same pair of shoes for my upright and swb? :D

While I can't pretend to be sure of the mechanics involved, the way you push and the muscles you use on a recumbent vary from riding an upright. For an example the power pedal circle on a recumbent is extended by pulling down at the bottom of the push stroke--that's where gravity helps. To duplicate that on an upright would require a pull toward the rear following the down push--a position where gravity is no longer in play. One issue for many is a tendancy for foot numbness on a recumbent. I have used a Dremel to maximize the rear movement of my cleats (this is good for about an additional 1/8 inch of movement) which helped take care of that issue for me. In my opinion one cannot use the same cleat setting for the two kinds of bikes. If I were to try to do that, then I would have to use the recumbent setting for the upright not vice versa. (I no longer ride an upright but, if I did, I would have two pairs of shoes.)

Chip
recumbenttrikestore.com

thanks, makes sense I guess.

Whatever rationalization you use, the effect seems to be very real. My thought has always been that, attached to the pedal, your foot 'hangs' in your shoe and gravity pulls it toward the heel of the shoe - and thus effectively places the cleat further toward your toes. Same idea as cjs's but no pedaling is required to create the effect. Moving the cleat back as far as you can not only helps with hotfoot and tired feet, but also reduces strain on your Achilles tendons.

I often elongate the slots in my shoes so I can push the cleat back 1/4" further than would be otherwise possible.

What kind of effect am I likely going to notice if I ride on my DF with my cleat all the way in the back? Loss of power? Knee pain? Or is the new positioning just that, and I'll adjust to it after a bit? I've tried it a little this afternoon (on the DF) and it seems alright, just weird since I'm so use to where it was before.

Buying a second pair of shoes isn't very viable for me. I am on a fairly tight budget (college) and my recumbent is generally just a "fun ride" bike, while I use my DF for all my utility purposes.

I found 2 shoes that don't hurt my feet
 

Sent the Shimano shoes back and went out to LBS to try shoes. I found 2 that were comfortable, Shoes that Fit - Two Winners.

So far I have done some riding in the Sidi Bullet 2 Megas and although a little wide seem very comfortable.

Chip

Have you seen any sandals that don't have the toe ridge. That ridge sems to press into the ball of my feet on the Shimanos and the Lakes.

Thanks ... Roland

Good though, I have noticed the same effect but have not tried lengthening the cleat slot. I have been concerned about knee stree but I suspect it would be obvious quickly.

Yes, I ordered the cheap ones from Nashbar once. I liked the light weight, but the fit (straps) was otherwise so bad that I quickly sent them back. The effect of the sole ridge goes away completely--at least while riding. If necessary, it can be minimized by wearing cycling socks with the sandals (my wife always does). Sock recommendation may seem silly with sandals, but the benefits of the sandals remain the same. The cycling socks breath almost as well as no socks, ones toes are free for movement, and the straps can be left quite loose (for extra rotation or 'float'). Try Shimanos or Lakes (wider foot bed) for a season and I think you will be hooked.

Chip

and the problem with Power Grips was...?
 

You say you "...the return to clipless has been a rude awakening." And "so far the clock does not show any improvement. And the pain in my feet is keeping me from riding my normal distances."

So I just have to ask, what exactly was it that made you decide to retire the Power Grips?

Michael

What socks does she use with the Sandals?

Also, does anyone have experience with the Shimano Sandals with the Shimano M520 pedals?