phsycle

I haven't had problems with hot spots and numbness until a few months ago. I ride with SPD pedals on all of my bikes (Mountain and Road). On my last 30 mile road ride, I started feeling the numbness starting to creep in right where the pedal was (by the ball of the foot). Then my toes started to feel numb. I didn't get any blisters, but the numbness took a while to go away.

My equipment, I'm sure, is to blame. My shoes are Specialized mtb shoes that I paid $80 for at my local shop in 2006. Pedals are, of course, M540 - M737 SPD's.

I'm going to get some new shoes. I'm thinking the Specialized Expert shoes (carbon) at $175. Will the stiffer soles help alleviate this problem? Or should I spend a little less on that shoe and get some proper road shoes and pedals? I'd MUCH rather just have one pair of shoes and one pedal system. But, I'm not opposed to the road shoes if it means better results.

I'm planning to do some century rides and a double next year (on my SS), and something like this happening mid-ride could mean DNF. I'd like to avoid that, if at all possible.

Thanks for any input.

Stickney

Some new shoes fitted to width and possibly some new insoles might be very helpful.

Also, I had the same problem with M540's and I switched to the touring version A520 pedal. It is only one sided, but it has a much wider platform that spreads the pedal pressure out. After that I didn't have hot spot issues (well, I did a bit on 80+ mi rides, but not like before).


Now I use road pedals, and there are some advantages to this set-up. But, you may want to try the A520 (or whatever it is called now) first. It is a pretty good solution for road bike/SPD set-ups.

tagaproject6

Stiffer soles might help. Watch the positioning of your cleats. Experiment by moving it back closer little by little and play with the angles. I use Sidi Dragons and S-Works MTB shoes with very stiff soles on Shimano SPD A600 and A530 pedals with no numbness issues. I didn't get there easily, though. I had to work with the cleat positioning almost all the way back and a slight toe-in/heel away from the chainstays. You may want to look at the footbeds as well.

Seattle Forrest

Yes, absolutely. My hot spot problems went away when I swapped my flexy shoes for stiff, carbon-soled ones. Same pedals, same cleats. I use A-520s, like Stickney above me. They've been good for many thousands of miles.



^ Fredlike A-520 SPD pedals, on a long mountain ride.

valleycyclist

The carbon soles should help. Also new pedals will help. If you do not want a wide platform SPD pedal you can try the 2012 XT or XTR pedals which have more contact area than the previous versions. I have not had any issues with 2012 XT pedals and carbon soled Pearl Izumi shoes on my mountain bike. Also, make sure your shoes are not too tight.

ColinL

I would get a stiff road shoe that has 2- and 3-bolt cleat compatibility.

Put your existing cleats on them.

Step 2 is try another pedal. At that point you can decide if it's a SPD 2-bolt with a bigger platform, SPD-L, Speedplay, Look, or whatever.

ColinL

Oh and get the Specialized shoe with the boa fastener along with 2 & 3 bolt holes. I don't remember offhand if that's the expert or if any cheaper have it, but the boa is really awesome.

pallen

I had the same problem and switched to SPD-SL road pedals and that helped a lot. I got better shoes with a stiffer sole and it went away completely. The shoes might have been enough to fix it, but switching both worked for me. Good luck.

phsycle

Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to order the A520's. I'm hoping that will solve it. I will also head to Specialized to pick up new shoes (I'm due anyway). I'll mess around with the cleat positioning as well.

If all fails, I'll bite the bullet and get road shoes/pedals.

tagaproject6

You are going about it backwards...change your shoes first.

ColinL

I think he's going to change shoes, but seems intent on a firmer MTB shoe rather than a road shoe.

If he is forced to walk in cleats, MTB shoes are definitely winners. However if he can change into slip-on shoes or anything like that within 50 feet of his bike, then I think road shoes have big advantages over any MTB shoe I've ever tried.

MileHighMark

Some things to try/consider:

Move your cleats back slightly. This has worked for me when I've experienced hot spots, especially with smaller pedals such as Speedplay Frogs.
Loosen your shoes. On my Sidi Dominators, I leave the front-most strap as loose as possible. If I over-tighten it, I'll get numbness.

djb

new shoes with stiffer soles, perhaps better shaped insoles will most likely make a big diff.
Im a fan of spec mtn ones with 2 velcro, 1 ratchet.

Stratman351

I tried Shimano Ultegra road pedals and didn't like them, so I went back to SPD's (just switched from M540s to the new M785s). Since the M540s don't offer much of a platform, I looked for a road shoe with a stiff sole. I went with a pair of Specialized Elite Road shoes ($125). The main strap tore loose from it's coupling after less than 500 miles, which in a way didn't bother me as much as it should have. That's because the sizing on the tongue didn't agree with what Specialized listed at its website, so the shoes were tight. Other than that, the stiff sole was great and completely eliminated hot spots.

After trying and failing to get the shoes replaced via Specialized customer service, I switched to Pear Izumi Race road shoes. The main strap - the one with the ratcheted buckle - seems to have much sturdier connection to the body of the shoe, and the soles are at least as stiff as on the Specialized pair. Price was the same, $125, and the fit/sizing was accurate, i.e., as advertised.

MrTuner1970

Try this first. Might also try a Specialized footbed.

Do you have wide feet in narrow shoes?

StanSeven

It's all about tradeoffs. The factors are ability to walk around easily, discomfort ftom things like hotspots, or cycling efficiency. You can't have all three in one setup.

phsycle

I moved the cleats back yesterday. I will keep the front straps looser on the next ride and see how it goes.

I will get new shoes anyway. If I still have issues, I'll get those a520's.

MrTuner - I've got narrow-med width feet.

javal

If you want a road-stylish and walkable (which usually keep guys hanging on to MTB-shoes) shoe to accomedate your SPD-system you should look a the Mavic Cyclo shoe. Great look and performance.