Ouch!!

[Benthedoon]

Right, straight to the point, after about 20 miles my feet hurt.
Now I don't mean they ache, they burn!! and it hurts. It's the balls of my feet, I assumed at first that it was me not being used to cycling shoes or the distances I was doing so I carried on regardless assuming that my feet would toughen up but a year later they haven't.
Do I need to change shoes? Could it be cleat position or float? or am I just doomed to take a break every 20 miles?

 

[fossyant]

Possibly shoes ! Also how tight are the straps - can you adjust where the top strap sits on the top of your foot ?

 

[Paulus]

Could be that your shoes were done up a bit too tight. Try loosening them off a bit. Or, they could be a bit too small. Some makes of shoe, like normal shoes can be a bit tight/narrow although they are supposedly the right size. With cleat position it is normally your knees or ankles that hurt.

 

[Bicycle]

Right, straight to the point, after about 20 miles my feet hurt.
Now I don't mean they ache, they burn!! and it hurts. It's the balls of my feet, I assumed at first that it was me not being used to cycling shoes or the distances I was doing so I carried on regardless assuming that my feet would toughen up but a year later they haven't.
Do I need to change shoes? Could it be cleat position or float? or am I just doomed to take a break every 20 miles?

Gosh... so many possibilities...

I have wide feet and the balls of my feet give me serious gyp if I wear narrow shoes or do them up too tightly nearer the toe.

I doubt it's float. I may be wrong, but that should do more to the ankles (and even the knees) than the balls of the feet.

Next time out, try doing up the velcro straps nearer your toes very, very lightly. Only pull the top one really tight.

See if that makes any difference..... See how the width of the shoe compares with your other shoes. Lots of cleated shoes seem to be very narrow.

As far as I'm aware, the biggest impact of cleats being in the 'wrong' place is a loss of mechanical efficiency rather than screaming, burning pain. I'm not a serious cyclist, so I may be wrong on that.

 

[corshamjim]

Could it be gout?

Seriously that's what I was diagnosed with a few months ago but tbh I think I'd just wrenched the joint pulling up on the pedals too hard trying to bunny hop over a pothole (not a good idea with a heavy bike laden with laptop etc,.).

 

[Arch]

I suffered burning feet a little on my Catrike recumbent trike at first, especially in the heat - it felt like something hot being stabbed through the ball of my foot. Usually a rest cured it, and loosening my shoes. I wondered if it was a circulation thing from having my feet up, but haven't suffered from it much since. I think in my case it was the heat (we were in France, and had some days of 30 degrees), maybe making my feet swell, and hence my shoes too tight. I haven't suffered it since, on cooler rides, and it was worse on the hottest days.

As my shoes are snug anyway, having the laces quite loose isn't a problem in terms of keeping my feet in them.

I did wonder if I needed some padded or gel insoles, if the cleats where putting pressure on the balls of my feet, but never got round to trying it. Of course if it's a tightness problem, it might have made it worse anyway.

 

[steve52]

loseen shoes use cleats with some float in them (side ways movement) and practice, my feet hurt now but not untill 120 miles +

 

[Benthedoon]

I'll try loosening my shoes then, I hoped it would be something simple so I'll give it a go, it makes sense and as it's the same suggestion from everyone who's posted it must carry some weight.
Thank you for all your help.

 

[al-fresco]

Could it be gout?

Seriously that's what I was diagnosed with a few months ago but tbh I think I'd just wrenched the joint pulling up on the pedals too hard trying to bunny hop over a pothole (not a good idea with a heavy bike laden with laptop etc,.).

Your doc should arrange a blood test to check for elevated uric acid levels if he/she suspects gout. But, as a rule of thumb, if you can sleep with the duvet touching your toe then it's not gout!

 

[samid]

You might try some "cycling" insoles - I use Superfeet and they seem to help reduce pain/fatigue on long rides somewhat.

 

[hotmetal]

+1 for shoes too tight. Either the basic width of the shoe, or overtightening of the straps/fasteners. I used to get cramp down the blade of my feet, same shoes but no probs since I backed off the tightness on the toe/middle velcro straps, just give the top one a decent tug. Cleat position being moved a tad helped a little bit too.

 

[martint235]

Your doc should arrange a blood test to check for elevated uric acid levels if he/she suspects gout. But, as a rule of thumb, if you can sleep with the duvet touching your toe then it's not gout!

As someone who currently has gout in both feet, I can safely say you would know......

 

[L.E.D.]

Sounds like "Hotfoot" after only 20 miles sounds extreme but hey everyone is different.

I suffered badly from it when i upped my mileage and the cure was simple, I bought better shoes ! !

What shoes do you have ?

You have my sympathy but don't get disheartened , It is curable

 

[Benthedoon]

I have Shimano R076 and yes I was working to budget when I bought them, I tried loosening the middle and toe strap this morning but I didn't ride far enough to see if it helped (time restrictions) but when I go 20+, if it still hurts, I'll look at better shoes.
Obviously fit is an important factor but is a stiffer sole (carbon) going to help too? and what sort of price is a baseline for a 'decent' shoe? I've been looking at Sidi shoes as I wear their boots on my slightly quicker bike and they fit nicely.

 

[hotmetal]

I just googled R076 without thinking to add Shimano or shoe. Got a load of results for Temazepam! Presumably this is not what Shimano had in mind when they named their shoe?!