I have made the switch to SPDs on my MTB about a year ago. Initially I used a pair of DZRs that I had used for commuting with relatively (in cycling shoe terms) flexible soles. These made the middle of my foot ache during and after rides. The pain is across the top and sides behind the ball of my foot and worst on the outside just behind the widest part. My feet are pretty wide so I thought this may be the cause.

I bought a pair of 5-10 Helcats in a sales somewhere and these looked wider but they are even worse and the Chrome pumps I wear for commuting hurt in the same place if I use them for longer rides. I have quite a lot of platform on the pedals and this made more difference with the DZRs (which I assume is because they are more flexible)

Has anyone else had this and found a cause/cure?

I’d recommend getting decent insoles. To me my Hellcats are the most comfortable SPD shoes i’ve tried yet, but like in every other SPD shoe, i’ve had some pain and aching here and there (just not as much as before). I still needed a new insole to get rid of all the problems.

I use these:
https://icebug.com/insoles

Yes, unfortunately they are pricey (like pretty much every other decent insole).

Specialized insoles are £25- made a big difference to me,

I’ve been us SPD’s for 25 years now, by the sounds of it these soft soled shoes like the 5 10 are the issue, they aren’t made for real xc riding, buy some proper xc shoes, Shimano do a really good range, any of Thier ME range would be good, do not go for the flat shoe style else you’ll have the same issues

I’ve been us SPD’s for 25 years now, by the sounds of it these soft soled shoes like the 5 10 are the issue, they aren’t made for real xc riding, buy some proper xc shoes, Shimano do a really good range, any of Thier ME range would be good, do not go for the flat shoe style else you’ll have the same issues

I know that everyone always says the harder the better when it comes to soles, and while that might be true for a lot of folks, for people with problematic feet a slightly softer, more flexible sole can sometimes work better. Not always, just sometimes. I’ve had plenty of problems in rock hard road shoes too.
(The sole on the 5-10s is not that soft. I’d say comparable to a lot of XC shoes in the €100 range) In my case the root of the problem is the sole being hard on SPD shoes…

Have you tried pedals with a cage? I use Crank Bros pedals, I forget what they’re called but they’re like a flat pedal but with the clipless bit in the middle. Plenty of support without all your effort going through a tiny bit of your foot where the cleat is.

As above, crank bros Mallets have a big cage so give good support with a more flexible shoe. I find I prefer a stiffer soled shoe if I’m using SPD’s as the cage support isn’t as good.

What’s the real deal with Mallets? One review says they’re the best things ever, and the next review says it’s impossible to clip out of them and you’ll definitely crash.

Are people just dumb and don’t bother to set them up properly? I really want to try them, but since they cost around €125 i’m a bit scared.

Look on pinkbike buy sell, plenty of people have experimented then sell them on for less than £50 with very little use.

In my experience, having been an SPD user for over a decade;

Get the right shoe and the platform feels fantastic, it feels like a flat pedal but with no chance of slipping. Clipping in is easier than SPD and they don’t clog with mud so easily.

The way the mechanism works means there’s no chance of accidentally unclipping like with SPD, however this does mean you need to be more deliberate with your twist when you unclip.

The bushings and sealing are crap but I regularly grease them and accept the bit of play doesn’t matter.

And when it comes to shoes that work well, 5.10’s are awful in my experience.

@dc1988
Thanks, for some reason didn’t think about going the used route.

Oh no, what’s the problem with 5.10s? 😀 My Hellcats are the first SPD shoes i’ve tried that seem to work with stupid orthopedic feet.

The combination of Specialized footbeds and moving the cleat back eliminated all my foot pain..

I find my 5.10 impact vxi have too much of a flat sole, they grip with the pins too much making clipping in or out too difficult. If I wind the pins in then I lose the benefits when you might be unclipped and if I space the cleat out it just feels like I’m on xc pedals, there’s no happy medium. I think the stealth sole is perhaps too sticky.

I find enduro style shoes best, slightly more curved sole and harder rubber work much better for me.

Goddamit! At this point i’m also considering just going back to flats… To be honest I never had a decent flat setup with good shoes and good pedals.

I was all SPD for a long time and have gone 50/50 between flats and clips now. 5.10’s and a good set of flats do make a huge difference.

I still prefer being clipped in though…

I like being clipped in too, but I would like it even more if the occasional pain and numbness was completely gone… Anyways I think i’m gonna cop a pair of lightly used Mallets and see how things go.