Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
But as far as the benefit of stiff soles, that article is way off base. Rhumpty-mumble years ago, when I got my first pair of cycling shoes, . . . Your feet can't support themselves cycling as they do walking for the simple reason that your pedal is not the size of your whole foot. When walking or running, your points of attachment to the ground are the two corners of your heel, the heads of your first and fifth metatarsals, and your big toe. There's no bicycle pedal in the world that big, and there are reasons for that. (I'll leave the barefoot/foot pathology discussion to the running subforum, there's plenty of it there).
I agree. His statements about stiff soles are "a bunch of hooey." Otherwise, why would I need my stiff orthotics not only for cycling but for skiing where I have nearly the world's biggest platform? Your feet are very dynamic as they are pressed downward, sideways, etc. There's more to foot "bending" than just the forward motion of walking.