Newbie Intro and Numb Toes

[QueenBee]

Wahine, I do not have any back problems. While I may not be in great athletic shape, I am in very good health otherwise.

roo4, the ride I am doing is mostly at your leisure pace, so stopping frequently won't be difficult to do.

[canonsue]

I also have numb toe problems. I just bought a pair of platform pedals so I can ride with a variety of shoes. I want to experiment to see what shoes or sandals may work for me. Clipless is ok, but I did not particularly care for it.

[sarahkonamojo]

QB,
I suggest new/different shoes. Wider shoes. You could wear cycling shoes without cleats to have a more solid platform. Do not wear your shoes tight. If your toes start to go numb try loosening the laces/straps. Wiggle your toes as you ride to make sure you aren't gripping. Stretching before and after ride might be a good idea as well.
S

[roguedog]

QB,

Agree that you don't necessarily need to be clipped in but that you may need a stiffer platform.

I'd also recommend trying inserts. Specialized makes some that will help spread the pressure on the ball of your foot (metatarsal button). You can try that. Friend of mine had the same issue and tried the inserts but found the Merrell inserts actually are working for her. However, she also compensates a bit by moving her foot a tad so that the focus of pressure isn't on that spot.

Either way, this is a common issue amongst cyclists and runners.

[QueenBee]

Thanks for all the advice. I got some cycling sandals for the ride next week. I'm going to ride without cleats this time. They are roomy and will allow for water runoff and quick dry if we get rain like it's forecast. I'll try to post an update on how things go after I get back.

[QueenBee]

I am back from my 4 day ride along the C&O Canal. It was something I've never done before. I really enjoyed the ride. Met lots of interesting people, did something for myself, and I finished well for my first bike tour.

The ride was a charity ride for a local girls' home; San Mar's The Great Bicycle Tour was the name of the event. The participants were able to raise over 100K for the home, the most ever raised. I was really happy to have been a part of that. The hosts of the event fed us every meal, local groups such as the Lions or Kiwanis provided support every day at various stops on the trail. I gained weight there was so much food!

We started in Cumberland, MD and ended in Georgetown near D.C. Just days before we started, I got myself a pair of Nashbar's Ragster cycling sandals. I rode without cleats, but the firmer sole helped to steady my foot and provided lots of air circulation so I didn't feel overheated. Unfortunately, it didn't help much with the numbness I had going on in my right big toe. I don't think it's a shoe problem, but rather a problem with the shorts I was wearing. They fit well overall, but are a little snug around the thigh. I think maybe something was getting cut off that caused the numbness. The reason I think it is the shorts is because I didn't get any numbness with the other pair of shorts I wore on the ride. The sandals, though heavy, were very comfortable. I had no chafing at all. I did need to wear socks with them for a couple days because the inside bottoms were textured and that just felt weird. After two days of wearing them for 6-8 hours, they were broken in enough that I could go barefoot in them without too much weirdness. I chose the Ragsters because of price ($50), availability, and speed of delivery.

As for training, I just needed more time in the saddle. By the end of the first day I was pretty sore. But the soreness didn't last and I was able to get back in the saddle and feel comfortable each successive day. Also, because I am so new to cycling, my speed kept me near the back of the group. I wasn't embarrassingly slow, but I would like to have been a little faster. My first day I averaged 8.8 mph. The rest of the days hovered around 10.0 or above.

Thanks to all who gave me advice on the toe problem. I ended up with a great pair of cycling sandals, figured out it's not a shoe problem, and got introduced to the board. I look forward to jumping into conversations from time to time and learning a lot from those who are experienced in cycling.