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/ro...04.2377.1.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.

[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!