CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS

Foot Syndromes

Numbness or burning of the feet is most commonlu causes by compression of the nerves between the metatarsals (small bones under the ball of the foot). The most common causes are:

• tight shoes
• road vibration
• too much climbing (which puts continuous pressure on the bottom of the foot)

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Quick fixes include:

• moving your cleats 2 - 3 mm towards the rear of your shoe
• loosen your foot straps
• try a different insole (either thinner if your shoe is too tight or more cushioned if you have room in the shoe)
• try a different sock (same comments as for the insole)
• examine your shoe for irregular seams or straps/buckles that might be pressing against the outer edge of the forefoot
• consider a wider (in the forefoot) pair of shoes or have a cobbler stretch yours

ADJUSTING CLEATS

The position of your cleats on your cycling shoes determines the comfort of your feet, ankles, knees, hips and back. Once you clip into your pedals, the path that your leg "tracks" during the pedal stroke is locked in, and misaligned cleats send stress up from your foot up your leg to your low back with every pedal stroke.

"When mounting cleats, you want your feet to feel straight when clipped into the pedals," says Sean Drake, an exercise physiologist who works with the U.S. National Triathlon and Cycling Teams. "When setting fore-aft cleat position, the ball of your foot should be directly over the pedal axle." Cleats positioned too far forward on the shoe will generate excessive ankle movement, and can cause in Achilles strain.

Side-to-side adjustment is based on personal preference - usually, the narrower stance, the better, but start somewhere in the middle and see what feels right. Make sure there is minimal yet adequate clearance between crank arm and your shoe. Too far away is awkward, and if the shoe touches the crank it will eventually wear a grove there.

Everyone has a natural angle that each of their feet prefers to be at. Some are duck-footed, some are pigeon-toed. When you walk or ride without cleats, your foot assumes this angle. It is important that the cleat is adjusted so as to permit your foot to be at its natural angle. This is less of an issue if you ride pedals with "float" (limited rotational freedom) in the cleat attachment. Most newer clipless pedals offer at least some float.

It may take some time to find the ideal cleat position. Initially go for easy rides to check the position and ensure it's right for your knees. If you feel any stress or strain, change the angle slightly to eliminate discomfort. The rule-of-thumb is to continue adjusting your cleats until you feel no torsional, or "twisting," stress in your leg as you pedal. Listen to your body.

For optimum cleats positioning, you can visit a bicycle shop that utilizes The RAD, or Rotational Adjustment Device. This tool is widely regarded as one of the most reliable methods for setting the cleat position on the cycling shoe allowing for the rider's natural gait.

For additional thoughts on cleat postioning see the section on knee pain.

• When you've found an ideal cleat position, trace lines around the cleats so you can easily replace a worn cleat and reposition a loose one.
• Use quality tools and work with care so you don't strip the cleat bolts. Also, check your hardware to make sure it's still tight after about 5 hours of riding.