I’m having a real issue with numb feet on the road bike using road SPDs. After about 90 minutes, I can’t feel the toes on my left foot, and after about another hour my right foot is the same. Vigorous toe wiggling helps a little, but only delays the numbness slightly.

Any tips? Insoles? Thicker socks? Thinner socks?

Roomier shoes?

Don’t tighten them up as much

Sounds like your shoes are too tight.

That was my first thought, but I don’t think that’s the issue. Plenty of toe room and width in the shoes and I don’t think I’m over tightening them – will try loosening them a bit more though.

I found those posh Specislised insoles helped me.
And cleat position.

cold, maybe ? relatively high speeds compared to mtb, constant position with no stops, walking etc
try & borrow some overboots and see if they make any difference

I had this when I first got a road bike and it was only fixed by getting my cleats properly set up with wedges etc. by a bike fitter. It turned out I have very inflexible calf muscles and some pretty severe forefoot varus. Stretching helped the former, wedges in shoes and under cleats helped the latter.

I have exactly the same issue, and with two pairs of SPDs – one pair larger than the other – I am able to make a like for like comparison of the effects of shoe tightness. Results? The larger shoe means I can ride slightly longer without numbness, but it still affects me eventually.

I am now wondering about Reynaud’s Disease.

I also haveto tape up the vents and wear over shoes.

Have this the same, if my top velcro strap is too tight it gives me fast acting pins and needles and then numbness, however, over time even on a mtb if I’m not careful I can lose the feeling in both due to poor circulation but thats more of a steady lack of feeling with no pins and needles. I’m tempted to try some shoes with not quite as much venting to try to keep my feet warmer.

Was hoping to avoid having to pay for a bike fit (even though I know it’s probably worth it). My new road shoes are highly vented (even the soles have vents!), and the problem does seem slightly worse than with my previous shoes (same make and shape) so I’ll try some overshoes. Having said that, my feet don’t feel cold before the numbness sets in. There’s no pins and needles – basically I don’t notice anything until my feet start to go numb.

I have a similar issue that I am convinced is due to poor flexibility in my lower back. I have struggled to get a saddle / saddle position that is comfy and I always get numb toes on one side after 60-90 minutes and then on the other side. I have very rarely had sciatic pain (shooting pain down my legs) but more often get lower back ache. I have found that stretching the psoas / hips, hamstrings and calves helps. So if you are reasonably new to road riding or it’s a new bike, that might also be a possibility?

Although having just read up more on it, it could just be that I point my toes down too much.

Sort your cleat position first. Here’s how to do it. Might be different for each foot. Go for about 10mm behind your first MTP joint. Saddle might need to go down if you’ve currently got your cleats too far forward and you’re pointing your toes alot.

And this

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sbAjw5qtnpIJ:https://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/01/why-bikefitters-shouldnt-chew-their-nails/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

Some good ideas above. Perhaps counter intuitively, I find that not having the top strap done up tightly enough can cause this for me. I use that top strap to properly drag my foot into the back of the heel cup and hold it there – really winch it in. The middle and toe straps can then have significantly less tension applied, really just snugging them up gently. This is much more comfortable than it sounds! If I don’t do it this way and apply a more even spread of tension across the straps, I get numb toes / feet. I think that the even spread of tension results in too much pressure across the top of my foot, which then restricts blood flow. It’s a very cheap thing to try.

Cheers for the links DT – I think cleat position isn’t helping as I’ve been struggling to get it right on my left foot with the new shoes.

Will definitely have a play about with that and with shoe tightness.

I suffer from this too particularly in the cold.

I have wondered if it’s the SPD/shoe combo as SPD’s don’t spread the load out on the foot as much as some other pedals do. Perhaps try some Look Keo pedals instead and see if that helps?

I also find that it happens a lot more on my Bianchi which is a very unforgiving alu frame (think old school Klein Attitude MTB type stiffness) versus my spesh Allez which is still alu but with the zertz inserts a much more comfortable ride.

EDIT: which may mean that it’s a combination of cold and the road vibration being absorbed by my foot (the right foot is always worse) leading to the numbness.

I get this a bit too, and it’s a mix of cleat position and tightness of straps. I’m susceptible to cold feet in the winter, but can get numbness/pins and needles at any time. I’ve found it can also be down to sciatic tightness, and doing gluteus stretches helps a lot.