I’ve been a long time spd addict (~15 years), but I fancied re-learning to ride with flats because I can see the advantage for the alps and steep/slippy/twisty stuff (ability to dab quickly and keep going, or remount quickly if I’ve stopped).

Where should I have my feet on the pedals? I naturally aim for the standard cleat position (axle under ball of foot), but this feels wrong somehow when trying to hop.

An additional weirdness is that my ankles feel a bit weird. I have terrible collapsed arches, which can cause my knees problems when running and walking, but they’ve never been an issue on the bike. Is this going to be different with flats? Do I need footbeds/orthotics (shimano am41 shoes)?

Also, it appears that I am now terrible at bunnyhopping 🙁 I used to be awesome at it when I was a kid! bloody skill sapping spds!

Dave

Same here….on spds you are on the ball, on flats you want to be central so you can drop your heels on jumps etc which is the key. If you have arch problems you should be using inserts in all your shoes to support your arches, that is why you are getting referred pain issues.

The beauty of flats is that you can have more than one position for your foot! For efficiency I have the pedal under the ball al la spd. When it gets gnarly then mid foot, right under your arch is the place, heels down as mentioned above.

the axel of the pedal needs to be behind the ball of the big toe

the axel of the pedal needs to be behind the ball of the big toe

so that would mean my foot is even further back than it is now; almost falling off the back of the pedal?

Dave

find the cenetr of the ball of the big toe and make sure the axel is behind that

make sure the axel is behind that

Sorry if I’m being thick here, but how far behind do you mean?

Immediately behind (denoting one particular position), or just ‘cannot be in front’ (which would cover almost any pedal position, included arch over axle) ?

Dave

Herts_0013 by ukbikeskills, on Flickr

im trying to find a visual for you

big toe is WAYY in front of the axle there… axle looks to be just back from the ball of your foot (presuming that is you). Big toe is just past the end of the pedal.

When I switched to flats I had a few problems with arch support and cramp in my feet but found Superfeet green insoles totally sorted it.

I try and keep my foot with the ball of it over the axle, as per when I used clipless pedals, its the most efficient. I don’t buy the using the middle of your foot argument, that would feel well sketchy to me.

on a related note, has anyone managed to stiffen the soles of AM41’s somehow? They are too soft for my weight, the AM40s had a nice changeable harder insert which worked a treat but they dropped it for the AM41s.

yep thats me.

POWER TO THE PEDAL – CLEAT POSITION

thats how i position my feet as in jedi’s photo.

http://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?ID=45

Got collapsed arches myself and was wandering if anyone had found any arch supports/insoles that had helped,especially for using in trainers?

Wors, then that’s bang on

Flat pedals aren’t flat. They are concave (usually) and the pins arranged to grip your foot when ‘pressed’ into the pedal. If you have your foot to far forward then you will simply be resting onto of the pedal, to far back and you’ll loose it and some of your shin. Everyone is different, try different places. For me its withholding the ball of my big toe more or less in line with or slightly in front of the pedal axel where I can grip the pedal. This gives me about the best power, grip ratio for xc, dh, drops or whatever…
T

depends what you’re doing. I adjust my foot position constantly during a ride.
There is no correct position 😉

nice pic Tony 😀

Bigjim:
I use these:
sorbathane][list]

Not for fallen arches but they are good for ‘hot middle toe’
T