Foot issue- do i need new shoes?

I just started biking and cycling a few months ago. I love it and finally found something that i look forward to. However, i have been having foot pain. I get it whether i am in spin class or doing a bike ride. I switched pedals(i had the cheapy ones anyways) and that didnt help. I do fine for the first 20 mins or so then it starts. Its ussually in the middle of my foot or this weekend was towards the edge. Ive tried moving my foot to different positions on the pedal and it only helps temporarly. Could this be that i need better shoes? Right now i am wearing the under armour shoes that i believe are running shoes. I am not comfortable yet to click into my pedals but wonder if my shoes could be the reason. Any ideas? I did see some nice pearl izumi shoes that i want but they are quite expensive.

I don't know about your situation so much, but I have one foot that pronates heavily (just learned in PT that it's actually a hip problem to work on), and if I don't wear insoles with serious arch support, I get pain. Also, if you're not clipped in, all pedaling is powered by pressing down, which might be irritating a tendon or something. Maybe new shoes would help, maybe insoles. I dunno, but I wish you a speedy solution.

Running shoes usually have very flexy soles so your feet can do their job feeling and responding to the ground. For cycling you want something with a very stiff sole. The reason is that your pedals are much smaller than your feet, so if your shoes don't keep your feet flat, they'll be bending all over in ways that feet aren't really meant to be working. Some people can get away with it, others do get foot pain.

You don't have to go all the way to cycling shoes with hard nylon (or carbon) soles if you don't want to, but the stiffer you can find, the better.

Thanks!! I ended up getting some cycling/spin shoes. I go to spin classes twice a week and it would help with that too. I hope this fixes the situation. My shoes that i normally use are very flexy so that could be an issue.

agree with Oakleaf and also wonder if you are pushing down on the pedal to much, if you aren't ready for clip less consider toe clips or a simple "power grip" strap so you can get a better range of motion and power through out the pedal.

I rode a broken 32mi last Thursday, and it was the longest I'd ridden in one day by almost 10 miles. For the last 6 miles, my outer two toes on my right foot were in agony. Yesterday I rode 33.5 miles straight with my husband, and managed to keep the toe pain at bay through keeping my toes pulled up, which forced me off the outside edge of my foot. Ideally I need to change my cleat position and possibly the angle. Should I bring them towards the inside edge of my shoe, or will that make it worse? I think I also need my feet to cant in at the heels, since that's how my foot turned while I was getting rid of the pain. Any issues or guidance?

I have been riding for 6 years or so. As of late I cannot ride without my right foot hurting, also. I get to around 20 miles and then it starts to hurt. Sometimes on an up-stoke I jimmy my foot around in the shoe and relieve some of the pain. I have clip in/clip out pedals and I clip out and move my foot so the arch is over the pedal. Or move so the aching part off the pedal. But usually by then my outside-toes and outside ball of the foot are in pain that does not quit till hours after the ride. I have a hard time finding shoes. Really I need a wide (men's/boy's shoe) but do not find my size 37/38 wide enough. No store stocks them and no shop wants to order them. I find ordering on-line iffy when I never know what size to attempt to try, then there is dealing with returns when ordering multiple sizes. Also my last bike fitting was 500 miles away and have not found a competent local shop for a fit.

I have a friend who jokingly would call our size 5/6 feet "hooves" not feet. Any one know of bike shoes to fit hooves?

fs

Lake only makes Wide shoes down to size 39, but their toe box is much more foot-shaped than most even in the regular women's sizes. Might give them a try if you can find a dealer.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Lake only makes Wide shoes down to size 39, but their toe box is much more foot-shaped than most even in the regular women's sizes. Might give them a try if you can find a dealer.

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I really need to try these. I have been wearing Sidis and I love them - but my toes are wide enough that women's Keens are too narrow. Yeah - not so hot in Sidis.

I used to wear size 38 Sidis and suffered immensely. My normal size is 36 and even going up 2 sizes didn't really help. I do not have wide feet, but I have a bunion on my left foot, which is also bigger than my right. It's not a huge bunion, but, it affects me. My LBS suggested I switch to Shimano shoes, which have a wide toe box, and 2 pairs of size 37, both road and mountain shoes are great.

I'm also a 37 WIDE. I had luck with Specialized men's (ordered online to get the smaller sizes). They were OK, but after my foot surgery, I needed something even wider in the toe box in particular. Now I have a pair of Northwave men's mountain shoes. I got them from Amazon after reading all the reviews for all the Northwave shoes and these were the widest based on comments. They've been great!