Maybe it's the carbon-fibre shank in my shoes but jesus christ compared to Five Tens and Specialized flat pedal shoes I have there's zero shock absorbancy.
Debating getting spd shoes that are less stiff but I ride flats 95% of the time so maybe I'd be wasting my dough.
I am the 26 inch Kenda Nevegal of humans
Posted by: BC_Nuggets
Maybe it's the carbon-fibre shank in my shoes but jesus christ compared to Five Tens and Specialized flat pedal shoes I have there's zero shock absorbancy.
Debating getting spd shoes that are less stiff but I ride flats 95% of the time so maybe I'd be wasting my dough.
Nope. I ride XC702 shoes on my hardtail. No issues whatsoever other than the right shoe was a bit tight in the toes and had been painful. But a bench sander to the right insole to thin it out fixed that.
I actually find soft flexing flat shoes to be uncomfortable. Long descents cause some pain and my feet can go numb at times too but that’s probably the fit of those particular shoes as opposed to the soft flax.
Maybe I should cool it with the road gaps.
Posted by: andy-eunson
Posted by: BC_Nuggets
Maybe it's the carbon-fibre shank in my shoes but jesus christ compared to Five Tens and Specialized flat pedal shoes I have there's zero shock absorbancy.
Debating getting spd shoes that are less stiff but I ride flats 95% of the time so maybe I'd be wasting my dough.
Nope. I ride XC702 shoes on my hardtail. No issues whatsoever other than the right shoe was a bit tight in the toes and had been painful. But a bench sander to the right insole to thin it out fixed that.
I actually find soft flexing flat shoes to be uncomfortable. Long descents cause some pain and my feet can go numb at times too but that’s probably the fit of those particular shoes as opposed to the soft flax.
Same, stiff SPD is less tiring. The softer the sole, the more prone my feet are to going numb.
I find the biggest difference to be tread material. I've got a fairly stiff sole but the tread is a softer rubber that does a good job of taking the sting out of hits compared to my XCish shoes with a harder tread.
Maybe I need to experiment more with cleat position. They’re pearl Izumi x alp or something from years back. Never been particularly comfortable to me. Toe box really rubs my weird big toe. Not a length issue but I think my toes need more room vertically.
Now that I think of it I was pretty comfortable with some Shimano years ago but still not as cushioned as flat specific shoes on a hardtail.
well IME xc type speciaized shoes always fit awesome so i have 3 pair,
while I have given away 2 pair of Shimano both xc and soft sole touring to different girlfriends cuz they sucked
the shoes that is
I find clipless hurts less on my hardtail. “Cured” my knee pain. No idea how, just grasping at straws. I figured I would give clipless a shot (on a mountain bike) for the first time in 15+ years
2FO shoes for reference. The super stiff SWorks shoes I also had handy gave me foot cramps.
Sounds like it's time for some experiments with cleat positions and maybe insoles? I rode the same shoes on my hardtail as my FS bikes running clipless for years and no issues for me. But then again my shoes aren't carbon-soled - I don't know how to control for that? Though all of my shoes are quite stiff. I think the cleat position is important.
I had the same discomfort - new insoles in some "experienced" Shimano AM9s took care of it. Eventually, I'll get new shoes.
I have Rx foot beds cuz i have flat feet, they are so hard they are clear plastic which I can see thru but they are still comfortble. So its not the being hard but maybe its cuz your foot needs support ? I have never used foot beds in a bike XC shoe but they take up space in the shoe so I would look at the thinnest you can find, I suggest the thinnest soles at yoursole.com
^Likes it so much he said it twice!
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