JoeOxfordCT

Hi All,

Haven't posted in awhile.....winter has finally set in here in CT. and the riding I'm doing right now is on the rollers in my (unheated) garage and on the Lifecycle at the gym here at work. Let me start by saying I broke my right heel in an auto accident back in 2002 and had surgery to repair it (strap & screws). Here are some pics if you're interested....(seatbelt saved my life, truck had no airbag)

https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...FrontTruck.jpg
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...InsideSeat.jpg
https://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n.../BackTruck.jpg

Anyway, I am still recovering strength in my right calf. As a result I have always set up my right cleat to be about 1/4" farther back on my shoe to increase my leverage and offset the weakness I have. Lately I have begun to ride a Lifecycle at work on my lunch and I've noticed that if I happen to look where my feet naturally set themselves on the platform (w/straps) pedals of the Lifecycle they actually match each other perfectly fore & aft-wise ? Yet at home, every time I've tried to move my right cleat to match the fore/aft position of the left cleat I feel uncomfortable. Why is that ? I would like to eventually have the fore/aft position of both feet match if at all possible.

The other observation I've made is that in general the Lifecycle pedals feel alot more comfortable on my feet. I'm riding in lightweight low hiking shoes. Is it perhaps the wider platform/contact area of the pedals ? I'm riding Eggbeater SL's on my bike with fairly stiff mountain shoes. I had felt up to now that my setup was about as good as I could get it. I have some home-made wedges on both shoes that tilt the ball of my feet slightly up. I had been thinking of trying the Specialized footbeds when I replace my shoes when the weather finally breaks in a month or two. Should I also try a shoe with a larger platform like the Ultegra SPD-SL's that Botto had recommended to me for other reasons awhile back ??
https://www.probikekit.com/display.php?code=D1017

I apologize for the long post but this whole thing with where my feet set on the Lifecycle pedals has thrown me for a albeit positive loop.

BillyBob

I would start with trying at home what works on the lifecycle. Put some platform pedals on the home bike and see if you notice a similar improvement. Then try to figure out the difference in geometry between using the platform pedals and your egg beaters. I suspect your Q factor is larger using the platform pedals.

If platform pedals work on the home bike I would be tempted to put cages on the pedals and be done with it. OCP? No.

Dubbayoo

One way to find out might be to go take a spinning class at a gym. The bikes there usually have toe clips on one side and clipless on the other. Try using each for half the class and see how you feel.

Motorad

Dial tone, what is a spinning class? Is this the same thing as riding your bike on a trainer, but at a gym instead of at home? Pros and cons to gym spinning class vs home trainers?

JoeOxfordCT

Thanks, well when I go to the gym today I'm going to look at my knee of pedal position on the Lifecycle just to see if it's close to my position on my bike.....I already know the Q factor on the Lifecycle is wider than my bike but since I'll never be on the Lifecycle longer than 30-40 minutes I can live with it.

The main difference I'd like to replicate on my bike is the feeling of the entire ball of my foot feeling supported. On my bike now I sometimes feel like I am pushing primarily with the part of the ball that's just behind my big toe. The other thing that's apparent is the inner quad that's located to the inside of either knee is more developed on my right leg than my left which I feel is connected to the concentration of effort on that one part of the ball of my foot. I have come to the realization that because of my injury I will never be perfect with my pedal stroke or symetrical with my leg development but I'm willing to keep tweaking if I feel there's still improvements to be made.

BillyBob

My guess is that the larger q factor is allowing your foot to rest more evenly on the pedal. Another alternative is to use shims on the cleat to angle your foot so that you feel even pressure on the pedal.

I wouldn't give up on getting a good fit. Just continue to try little mini experiments and eventually you will find the optimal solution. It seems by increasing your Q factor and/or using shims you can get things evened out.

JoeOxfordCT

BillyBob,
When I mentioned the larger Q factor it was not necessarily a positive thing....I could feel it and if I were to ride the Lifecycle for hours at a time it would definitely do some harm but for 30-40 minutes it's fine. But I do take your point that the larger Q factor may be changing ever so slightly the angle at which my feet lay onto the pedals creating greater comfort, (in my feet).

I think I have to try some wider cycling shoes and some sort of footbed insole.....

GuitarWizard

From your post in another thread....

I use the "cycling" insoles from www.esoles.com