Quote Originally Posted by nscrbug View Post
I cannot ride distances longer than 40 or 50 miles because my feet start to hurt, due to a combination of the small contact surface of the SPD's and the MTB shoes feeling too constricting in the toe box.
Linda, I'm wondering if you needed a larger size shoe. That alone may have resolved your pain issue.

Specialized shoes are known for a generous toe box and for me personally I've not had any foot pain issues unless I wear a size smaller. I wear one size larger in cycling shoes (43) than regular shoes.

I pair my mtb shoes with Speedplay Frogs. Prior to switching to mtb shoes I used the Speedplay Zeros with road shoes and had no issues with hot spots or foot pain. Some fitters recommend going with a larger pedal (Look Keos) for larger shoe sizes to reduce hot spots for that reason. I like using the Frogs because they are the easiest to clip in and out of. They are designed for mtb'ers but many roadies use them.