Numb feet after an hour + ride. Any tricks ?

[LouisN]

Are there some kind of tricks to bring back circulation in the feet, after 60-90' rides ?

I use Bont A-1's. I really like the performance of the shoes, they're as comfy as can be. But I can't ride for more than 90' without my feet getting numb. Especially the left one.

Loosening the straps and buckle can do it for easy rides, but when in a race, there's not much time to loosen the shoes.
And with Bont's, if you ride with the feet too loose and hammer the pedals, your feet will bang on the rigid carbon back and forth, and you'll end up with pain anyways.
So is there atrick I don'Mt know that folks use to rapidly bring back the circulation in the feet ? Un clipping one leg, and shaking the lower leg helps temporarely. Not easy to do in a peloton. You have to go at the back. Not ideal...

I tried three different socks thicknesses, and two insoles.
I have to use thick socks or my feet are too loose. With thin socks, I still get numb feet.
Maybe I'm ready for my third insoles, as my Specialized BG red are pretty used up.
I bought Sole Thinsport ones, but they were too thin, the forefoot was too loose in the shoes.

Louis

[Frankie - B]

Aren't the soles of the bonts thinner then your old shoes soles? If yes, you might just need to lower your saddle a bit. Insoles help with performance as they provide a solid base for the foot.

Sent from my HTC. (where has their sponsorship gone?)

[LouisN]

I lowered the saddle by 0.5-0.7 cm since I'm using the Bont's. I thought about using another saddle, but I can't think about a better saddle than my beloved Aspide, the only saddle I can bear for anything up to 4 hours plus rides.
I almost pulled the trigger on either a Prologo Scratch Pro, or a Regale carbon, to try on my commuter though...

Louis

[dvincere]

I've often seen this problem in cyclists when they rotate their feet so more weight is being placed on the outside edge, so more weight is carried on the pinky toe side of the feet.Causes include a saddle with too thick of a nose (not likely your problem with a wonderful Selle San Marco product), top tube interference with knees, and q-factor. To adjust q-factor you can move the placement of your cleats, and/or extend your pedal axle depending on your brand. Good insoles can relieve the problems associated with this tendency to roll the foot but they won't stop it from rolling and I'd put money on this being a factor. This is, of course, assuming you're not simply causing the numbness by strapping the shoes on too tight. Generally, the numbness people associate with lost circulation is actually a nerve being pinched (and released after).

[HillRPete]

I have the same problem. Incidentially I'm also riding the Aspide, but it happens with other saddles (Zoncolan) just the same. Leaving the shoes almost entirely undone doesn't have any effect whatsoever either. A masseur I consulted with meant that possibly the cause wasn't down in the foot, but that a nerve might be pinched by tight glutes. After I stepped up the stretching a bit, the situation improved quite noticeably, but I'll try new shoes too, this season. A Regale saddle is also high on the wishlist.

[Ozrider]

I recently went from Spec SWorks to Sidi Wire. From the first ride I felt pain in the outside edge of my foot. I was told it would go away after a few rides as the shoes wear in. It just got worse. As my SWorks had been binned, I have been doing my long rides in my Specialized 74's. problem solved.
I think shoes are a very personal thing and correct fit is very important.
I find shoes with Boa closures distribute pressure evenly, while shoes with ratchets and straps pull tight across the tarsal bones, squeezing them together, causing pain. Having to loosen your shoes shows they don't fit your feet properly
The new Bont Vaypor uses a dial closure system. I'm thinking of trying them as soon as they are available.
Let us know your outcome.
Cheers
Oz

[Geoff]

Unfortunately, it's the Bonts. I have the same problem with them. I am contemplating trying a larger size, even though they will be slightly 'long'. Either that or I am back to Sidi and Mavic.

[LouisN]

I know my love/hate affair with the Bont's will end one day or another....

The Vaypors would have to have more than just the new closure system to convince me. I know the last is a little different from the A1's, but still...this time, I'd have to put my feet in them before pulling the trigger on a pair.

For now, I took a shim off in my left foot, and replaced the angle between the cleat and the shoe, so I made a little bit of room for my
pinkies...

I'd love to be able to make the leap to a pair of D2 Superfly, but they're out of my budget...maybe one day...

I might try a pair of Pearl Izumi Pro Leader at the local bike shop, if the Bont's are killing my feet too much...

Louis

[dvincere]

You can also get hot spots if you have higher arches that aren't supported properly. I don't own a pair of Bonts simply because I don't like the sacrifices they make, so I can't comment on whether this is applicable. In practice I haven't seen this problem but I have heard of it. Really, if a shoe is making it hard to pedal it's not worth the sacrifices being made no matter what you believe the performance benefits to be.

[bc sparks]

I haven't ridden in Bont shoes, but with Sidi and Giro I have to mount the cleats as far back as they go to prevent foot numbness. I may be rotating my feet outward as dvincere described, but moving the cleat back has worked for me.

[crispy]

Cleat position is wrong....make sure the cleat is the middle of the ball of your foot. Also your saddle could be in wrong position, ie too far back or fwd.

[Horze]

If you're getting numb extremities from the cold, you're not going hard enough. Well actually depends how cold firstly. Better to do a shorter ride at higher intensity.

[HUMP DIESEL]

I recently went from Spec SWorks to Sidi Wire. From the first ride I felt pain in the outside edge of my foot. I was told it would go away after a few rides as the shoes wear in. It just got worse. As my SWorks had been binned, I have been doing my long rides in my Specialized 74's. problem solved.
I think shoes are a very personal thing and correct fit is very important.
I find shoes with Boa closures distribute pressure evenly, while shoes with ratchets and straps pull tight across the tarsal bones, squeezing them together, causing pain. Having to loosen your shoes shows they don't fit your feet properly
The new Bont Vaypor uses a dial closure system. I'm thinking of trying them as soon as they are available.
Let us know your outcome.
Cheers
Oz

I think this could be attributed to the fact that the S-works shoes have built in canting and the SIDIs do not. Go back and try putting a wedge under the cleats or inside that mimics the amount of the S-Works and see if it makes the SIDIs feel any different.

HUMP

[diegogarcia]

Personally, I feel as good as Bont are they do cause undue pins and needles simply as they are 'that' stiff. I love my Vaypors but realised a while back that they were the root cause of my pins and needles. They are a pro level race day shoe which us mere mortals perhaps do not need. I am looking at other shoe options now as I feel the Bonts cause excess retrospective fatigue in the legs as a whole. Time will of course tell.

[diegogarcia]

In fact, I asked the question last July -

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=104739