Do the wrong shoes cause calf/foot cramps?

[itself]

A gal posted on her Bontrager shoes not causing this issue. Currently, I always get calf/foot cramps with my Sidis. I hydrate properly with electrolytes...could it be the shoes?

[OakLeaf]

I don't know about the shoes, but it could be your saddle placement. Have you been fitted by someone who was aware of your cramps? You might try moving it back a bit (and also down a bit, to preserve the distance from your pedals). Someone advised me to set my saddle way forward, when it turned out that my problem was really that it was the wrong shape. It just gave me terrible cramps not only in the calves but in the tibiales anterior, too.

And, when you say "electrolytes," are you including magnesium? That's almost always the culprit when I get cramps.

Not to say it couldn't be the shoes, too, I'm just not aware of that being a problem, at least not with stiff cycling shoes.

[itself]

Yes, I actually take a magnesium supplement twice a day. No question this has helped.

[NoNo]

That would be me posting about my new shoes. More testing is needed, but I've been ill. Remember, my old shoes were way too large, so I very well could have been getting cramps from that. And even with sneakers I do better with ones that have some kind of arch support, so these appealed to me. The reason it really struck me that I didn't have cramps after the 50 mile ride was because I knew I was dehydrated and with my old shoes I could cramp up within 30 minutes. I did try to really concentrate on keeping my heels down while I was riding, too, so I guess it could be any number of things that reduced my pain. But a proper fitting shoe probably helped.

[Miranda]

My beautiful Sidis are sitting unworn for this reason. Too smooshed on the toes width wise. Omg, the cramps I had were awful.

I tried many brands, foot doctors, etc. The fit for ME was Mavic Xena.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/product-apparel/2010-mavic-xena-women%27s-shoes-5604.2377.1.html

Also switched to wider pedal, Look Keo.

No more foot / calf issues for me.

Good Luck:).

[scarah]

My Sidis cause this problem, feels like they flex heaps - maybe not even the sole but the uppers don't support my foot well so I have to use my leg muscles a lot to hold my foot steady?? Anyway not a fan, looking for something else.

[zoom-zoom]

Ok, so this has my attention...I have wide feet and wear Sidi Dominators. I get what feels like peroneal tendon pain/cramping, mostly on my right, wider foot. I'm not sure if it's the shoes, though, since it seems to be better the more miles I'm riding. It always seems worst early in the outdoor ride season or on the trainer.

[Miranda]

Ok, so this has my attention...I have wide feet and wear Sidi Dominators. I get what feels like peroneal tendon pain/cramping, mostly on my right, wider foot. I'm not sure if it's the shoes, though, since it seems to be better the more miles I'm riding. It always seems worst early in the outdoor ride season or on the trainer.

It's the shooooooeeeesss... ditch the pointy toe smashing Sidi's... if I ever get my spring cleaning completely finished I need to sell my beautiful, but ill fitting for ME Sidi's... sad to say *sigh*... but true.

Good Luck!:cool:

[zoom-zoom]

It's the shooooooeeeesss... ditch the pointy toe smashing Sidi's... if I ever get my spring cleaning completely finished I need to sell my beautiful, but ill fitting for ME Sidi's... sad to say *sigh*... but true.

Good Luck!:cool:

Oh, man...but I don't wanna! They are that funky metallic blue that they made last year. I have Fizik bar tape on my bike that matches perfectly (yes, I am a dork, ha!)... :(

I've always known they were too narrow. When my shop guy ordered them he went with the women's, even though the men's standard D width would have fit my toes better...but not my narrow heels. I need to find something to fit my heels and my toes, but not sure where to look. None of the bike shops anywhere near me have good selection, so I'll likely have to blindly order online.

[Tokie]

My friend had horrible bike shoe fit problems. He used to speed skate with "Bont" brand speed skates. Bont makes bike shoes now (even custom ones I believe) in many cool colors. Not cheap, but my friend loves his, and they solved his foot problems. Me, I love my Sidis after I got them shimmed to be the same angle as my Specialized shoes( which I love the way they make my knees feel but only like the shoe part.) Tokie

[scarah]

yeah I have major issues finding shoes that fit, I have long feet but they are kinda narrow and low volume... by the time i get the length my foot is swimming around in the shoe and I have to put in a lot of extra innersole liners for fit. Sidi were the one thing that seemed to come close in terms of not being too narrow but I'm just not finding them supported and stiff enough....

Specialized are way too big across the toe box in the women's, Diadora are ok but I have all the straps on the tightest settings with orthotics in. I have two innersoles (including one orthotic) in my shimano road shoes so they have too much volume for me too....

I'd love to know if there are any more brands out there I should be trying... everyone says Sidi is narrow but it doesn't seem to be the shoe for me!

[Kitsune06]

I'm really liking my Specialized women's Tahoe ATB shoes. The toebox is pretty wide, which is great because I try to wear Vibram Fivefingers all summer and my forefoot tends to the wide end of the spectrum. The key to comfort with the Tahoe is to not lace it as tightly as one might initially be inclined. oh and replace the original specialized "BG" insole. Dunno who's body geometry it's for, but it def. wasn't mine. :p

[crazycanuck]

I still have a thing for Sidi's but recently found Northwave shoes & love them. I don't want to waste a ride because of a pair of shoes...:o

I too for some reason have some sort of odd issue with the right leg when I wear Sidi's...Hence why i've only ever worn them a few times. Should you want to purchase a pair of 38.5 Sidi Dominators hardly worn, please contact me :o

[Xrayted]

A common problem is to make them too tight. They should be snug, even barely loose when starting, not tight. Your foot swells in your regular shoes from just walking and standing and sitting. Imagine what it may do in form fitting shoes at 20mph sustained for hours. (yeah, I know I dream big on the speed and time, but it makes me feel better to think I can actually ride like that. :D)

The toe box is one of the main things to feel comfy when buying though, no doubt. When wearing steel toed shoes, they tell you that if you can feel the steel on your toes, they are too tight across there. Steel doesn't give compared to your toes. Same for a pair of shoes that will do 90+ revolutions/minute for hours against your toe area/across your metatarsals. It will feel like a steel toe cap rubbing and tearing you up. The pain transfers up your foot. Now add that you made them too tight. (cuz you didn't listen to me in the above paragraph and loosen them up, did you? :p)

[mxmus]

Running shoes, gym shoes, cross trainers nowadays are all very cushy. The nice part about the cushy is that it feels nice. The drawback of the cushiness is that it is too easy on your feet that your muscles actually atrophy. Perhaps try wearing Vibram Five Fingers or some other "barefoot"shoes. Or just go around barefoot.