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Little change = big difference

07.18.2008 by Ray Niekamp // Leave a Comment

After my complaint about numb toes the other day, I got several pieces of advice from readers. One suggested the problem was simply the position of my cleat — that if I moved it back a tidge, it might resolve things.

So last night, I finally got off my duff and did it. I moved the left cleat back just a little bit — less than the 1/4 inch suggested. I figured that I’d take a cue from bike fitters, who move saddles around just a little bit at a time.

Today I went out for a ride of a bit over an hour. Covered 16.6 miles at an average speed of 16.3 mph. The route included hills and long flat stretches.

Ta da! The foot felt great. I had wondered if moving the left cleat to a slightly different position than the right one would cause some discomfort, but it didn’t. In fact, I never noticed the difference.

The acid test will come over the weekend. I’ll be riding both Saturday and Sunday, and we’ll see if more time in the saddle than usual will affect the little toe. But for now, I’m one happy pedaler. Thanks, Jeff!

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Numb toes

07.13.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 9 Comments

Did a nice ride of 32-and-a half miles this morning. It was the same route where I had some difficulties a couple of weeks ago, and I had none of those problems today. The advice I’ve gotten from my commenters on proper hydration and nourishment must be paying off.

But I did run into a little problem that seems to crop up on just about every ride I take: the little toe of my left foot goes numb.

It doesn’t hurt, but it can sure be uncomfortable. I never even feel it coming on, but suddenly I will realize that the toe is tingling, and I have a heckuva time trying to get rid of the sensation.

It also comes on at inconsistent distances or times. If I’m doing my quickie 15 mile circuit of the Veloway, I have had it within six miles or so. But on today’s longer ride, I didn’t get it until 20 miles. Today wasn’t much of a problem, since I usually stop for a brief rest break at 22 miles anyway, and I could pull off my shoe and massage the offender. But the numbness came back at about 31 miles.

I have dealt with this nuisance a number of different ways. Besides massaging the toe, sometimes just getting off the bike and walking a bit will help.

I have loosened the lowest strap on my left shoe, and pull only the top strap really tight.

I make it a point to pull up with my left foot while riding, to relieve downward pressure on the toe.

I try to wiggle my toes in the shoe while riding. Not very effective.

Dealing with the symptoms doesn’t address the cause, and I haven’t yet figured out what the cause of the problem is. Although it might be my cheapie bike shoes. I don’t have this problem with any of my other shoes, and I am one of those rare folks whose feet are both the same size, so there shouldn’t be a difference in the way the left shoe fits as opposed to the right shoe.

My numb toe is the last thing I think about when preparing for a ride — in fact, I never think about it at all. I’m getting a bit irritated, though, that it keeps cropping up.

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Categories // Accessories, Rides Tags // numb, shoes, toes

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