Hey there - I've been having hot spots on the bottom of my right foot the past few years running speedplays and some cheap plastic soled shoes. I love my speed plays and decided it was time to get some better Carbon soled shoes. I ponied up some $ and bought some nice Specialized full Carbon shoes, but after riding with them I can still feel some pressure through the carbon soles right where the pedals are. So.... I guess my best option is to switch out my pedals? If I do, I've checked out the Look Keo pedals. Anyone else switch to these pedals for a similar issue and if so did it resolve for you? Comments on these pedals in general? Any others that would be recommended for a better displacement across the bottom of the shoe?

Hotspots are generally a shoe issue, not a pedal issue. And as far as the shoe goes, it could be anything from needing to move the cleat more fore or aft, to getting better insoles or a shoe that fits you better.

If you look at the cleat on a Speedplay pedal, it's plenty large, and the pedal itself is unlikely to cause the cleat and your shoe sole to flex and cause hotspots. If this were the case, then all of the people using Crank Bros. Eggbeaters on the road would be suffering massive hotspots since those cleats are tiny.

I don't have the articles on hand, but a few articles have been published that state that people have a tendency to buy cycling shoes that are too small. Also, moving to a Specialized shoe is not necessarily a good thing, especially if you don't need the varus wedge they put in their shoes. For instance, if one of your feet has valgus wedge and you use a shoe with varus wedge, that's a great way to say, "G'day hotpsots. C'mon on and stay for a while."

I've used both Speedplay and Look pedals, with neither causing hotspots.

Get away from the Speedplays. Way too much rocking torque. Speedplay devotees always talk about cleat stiffness, which really isn't the issue. It's just a small platform that feels bad and unstable to many riders. It doesn't matter how stiff a cleat is -- suppose there was a pedal designed to support all your weight on a ball bearing?

Hotspots are generally a shoe issue, not a pedal issue. And as far as the shoe goes, it could be anything from needing to move the cleat more fore or aft, to getting better insoles or a shoe that fits you better.


im a beguinner but correct me if im wrong, im not sure that hotspots are 100% shoe related. i would agree that more times than not they are but I run the looks right now and they have a much wider base. i personally dont have any hotspot problems.

iv heard nothing bad about looks, i run the basic keo classics and have nothing but good things to say. all the reviews i have read say the same.

Thanks for the input folks. I've spoken to a couple of local shops about the issue and both have told me if a full carbon soled shoe doesn't resolve the issue then most likely I should switch out the pedals (and go to a Keo, or something similar). It only seems to affect my right foot and this is the shorter of my two feet by a half size (or less). My feet also tend to run narrow. The other possibility I was wondering about is I tend favor my right foot in the pedal stroke, so would that be part of the cause? (putting more pressure on my right foot more then the left). Also, the hot spot is only on the bottom of my right foot right beneath the pedal area. I'm going to try moving the cleat position around more to see if that might help.

Get away from the Speedplays. Way too much rocking torque. Speedplay devotees always talk about cleat stiffness, which really isn't the issue. It's just a small platform that feels bad and unstable to many riders. It doesn't matter how stiff a cleat is -- suppose there was a pedal designed to support all your weight on a ball bearing?

What a laugh. Rocking torque? Really? Please go on.....

I tried this exact same move and nearly tore out my patella tendons because the Keo's locked me in so tight. Ended up back on Speedplays and my knees are happy....

Flash

Did you switch from speedplays to Keo's due to hotspots as well? Just curious on what led you to make your original switch.

I switched from Sppedplays to Keo Carbons about 3 months ago. Switch was because the Speedplays were worn out; never had a hotspot problem with them. Got the Keos just to try something different. I did find that the new grey Keo cleats didn't give enough float, switched to the red cleats and am a happy camper.

I tend to agree with Forrest Root. I would suspect the your shoe and foot anatomy combination are the culprit. Try some inserts. Custom molded shoe inserts can be a bit pricey, but are often the fix. Some of your better bike shops (and backpacking shops) offer this service. I don't have the problem so I'm not up on the latest. Before spending money on new pedals I would suggest googling "cycling shoe orthotic". Good luck!

What a laugh. Rocking torque? Really? Please go on.....

You obviously haven't been around long enough to realize that some people are fine on Speedplays while others have had serious issues with them. For example, some knee specialists believe that Speedplays provide too much float and are a cause of knee problems.

If we're talking about the foot, though, "rocking torque" was a term used (I think originally by Time) to describe the lateral instability caused by high pedal cleat stack height and small platform. Speedplays have historically had a very good stack height but small contact area (the perception of which they have tried to counteract with their misleading cleat surface area ads). Now this may not be the source of a hotspot, but foot fatigue can also be mistaken for a hot spot for some riders.

Don't worry about your beginner misconception -- with time you'll learn things like Treks aren't the best bikes in the world and that it's not okay to wear underwear under your shorts.

Did you switch from speedplays to Keo's due to hotspots as well? Just curious on what led you to make your original switch.

I wanted to try something with a wider platform for sprinting. Didn't end up feeling all that much different, but I did pull out of them, something that never happened on the Speedplays.

The Flash

I wanted to try something with a wider platform for sprinting. Didn't end up feeling all that much different, but I did pull out of them, something that never happened on the Speedplays.

The Flash
Did you tighten them up more?
I've had big sprints - not your 1500, but 1400, and no problems.

They did hold fine once I tightened them up, but then the patella tendon problem was aggrevated when I clipped out. Overall, a very nice pedal, but after too many years on Speedplays, I think I'm stuck where I am.....

Flash

If we're talking about the foot, though, "rocking torque" was a term used (I think originally by Time) to describe the lateral instability caused by high pedal cleat stack height and small platform. Speedplays have historically had a very good stack height but small contact area (the perception of which they have tried to counteract with their misleading cleat surface area ads). Now this may not be the source of a hotspot, but foot fatigue can also be mistaken for a hot spot for some riders.



It's interesting you mention the "rocking torque" above. I just got back from a ride with some others and one of the long time riders mentioned the same thing about speedplays. He used them for a while and finally dropped them due to the issue you described. He eventually went with Dura Ace pedals and it resolved the rocking torque for him.

Well, I moved the cleat back some to see if it would help and just now got back from a hilly 25 mile ride. Same issue on the right foot. I'm wondering if I have a neuroma on my right foot. It starts out feeling numb after about 20 minutes of riding under the cleat and then it progressively gets worse. The pain generally runs down the 3rd and 4th toes. Any foot doctors on here?? :)

I really appreciate your guys input here. I have a couple of 100K's coming up in April that I'm preparing for and I don't want to suffer any longer. I'm going to look into a new foot bed and maybe try and find a Foot Specialist for Athletes. Any other comments from others would be welcome!

I bought some of those LeMond wedges (http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Lewedge+Shims&vendorCode=LEMOND&major=5&minor=6), which angle the cleat to the left or right. My street shoes wear along the outside edge, so these wedges really help me. I recently bought some SIDI winter shoes, and I wore them without wedges for a week, and I was surprised at how my knees and ankles ached to relax. Installing the new wedges corrected everything. Yes, they're over-priced, but it's worth it for a comfortable riding experience, IMHO.

I'm making the switch away from my keo's. I've had a set of keo carbons for one year and when they were new they were great. But I went through about 6 pairs of cleats (would have been more if look finally come out with cleat covers), and the pedals are shot from wear on the platform (deep groves from cleat/platform friction). Great pedals but I would have liked them to last more than a year. I've been looking at time rxs and speedplay zeros.

I bought some of those LeMond wedges (http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Lewedge+Shims&vendorCode=LEMOND&major=5&minor=6), which angle the cleat to the left or right. My street shoes wear along the outside edge, so these wedges really help me. I recently bought some SIDI winter shoes, and I wore them without wedges for a week, and I was surprised at how my knees and ankles ached to relax. Installing the new wedges corrected everything. Yes, they're over-priced, but it's worth it for a comfortable riding experience, IMHO.

Wow, you might be on to something there. Did you get some input/help from a professional fitter for this? Just curious on how much of a wedge (thickness) did you determine you needed to get it worked out.

There is a difference between knee/ankle pain and nerve compression. Numbness progressing to burning pain is a classic sign of nerve compression. What you are describing, Taskmax, sounds like neuroma type pain - well localized in the metatarsals. If this is the case, redistributing the pressure through a custom footbed, or (unsavory option here) surgery may be the options open to you considering that you already are riding on a good rigid sole. Wedges may be a fix but varus (bow legged posture) or valgus (knock knee posture) angulation applied to your knees and ankles may create other problems. I'm in aggreement with you regarding the foot bed fix as the first option of choice. Again, good luck.

Wow, you might be on to something there. Did you get some input/help from a professional fitter for this? Just curious on how much of a wedge (thickness) did you determine you needed to get it worked out.

It was the trial and error method. The box comes with a several wedges (shims) that you stack until you get comfortable. It doesn't take much to get results. When one leg is fine, but not the other, you'll find that your bad leg needs an occasional twitch maneuver. Once the shims are correct, the need to twitch will be gone.

I'll agree with those suggesting some form of custom footbed. At least it can't hurt. I've never heard someone say they tried them and they made matters worse. Do a google search for custom cycling footbed and you'll find many different options and price ranges. Wedges can be a pain to set up, increase stack height, and may compress over time.

I really like my Keos and have never felt any hotspots on them. I did clip out on accident on one occasion, but that was fixed by tightening down the pedal tension. I use the grey cleats with 4.5 degrees of float, and they feel great. That said, I don't put out massive power levels, so I will not experience the same problems as some of the more powerful riders on these forums.

Don't worry about your beginner misconception -- with time you'll learn things like Treks aren't the best bikes in the world and that it's not okay to wear underwear under your shorts.

And when you figure that last part out, you'll put your underwear on outside your shorts, where they belong.

KEO's are super cheap @ probikekit.com - I got my carbon for about $110.00 but you can find others for much less.

Wow, you might be on to something there. Did you get some input/help from a professional fitter for this? Just curious on how much of a wedge (thickness) did you determine you needed to get it worked out.

I forgot to mention the Speedplay also makes their X/2 stainless pedal with a 5mm longer axle too. They have the longer axles at the factory, and you will need to ask a dealer, like Excel Sports, to special order them for you; it takes about two days extra.

I had the same problem with speedplays, which actually culminated in plantar fasciitis in my left foot. Switched to Keo's, which fixed this problem, but now have hot spots in the right foot, which is laterally rotated more than the left. This problem is due, in my opinion, to the lack of float in the Keo's, even with the red cleats. I am wondering if the shimano system may be a better fix.

As others mentioned, hot spots can be caused by various factors -- pedals with too small a footbed, shoes that are too tight or loose, socks that are too thick or thin, cleats that are improperly positioned.

In my case, I was having bad problems with hot feet using SPD pedals. The problems pretty much went away after switching to Look pedals. However, I have had periodic problems with hot feet since then, usually when I overtighten my shoe straps or wear socks that are too thick or thin. Using shoe inserts also helps. My feet are flat and narrow, and using Superfeet inserts really helped relieve hot feet problems.

Regarding Speedplay pedals, I doubt if they are causing your hot feet as well. I tried Speeds for a while, but they had too much float for me and were causing my knees to hurt, but they didn't cause any hot feet problems.

I'm making the switch away from my keo's. I've had a set of keo carbons for one year and when they were new they were great. But I went through about 6 pairs of cleats (would have been more if look finally come out with cleat covers), and the pedals are shot from wear on the platform (deep groves from cleat/platform friction). Great pedals but I would have liked them to last more than a year. I've been looking at time rxs and speedplay zeros.
Are you saying that the pedals lasted only a year, or the cleats lasted only a year? I've used Looks for many years, and IME it's pretty normal for me to replace the cleats after a year. I start the season with a new pair of cleats every year. I just switched over from the old style Looks to the Keo's a year ago. I have the Keo Classics as well as the Sprints. The only reason I changed is because I bend a pedal spindle in a crash. I like the Keo's even better. They're easier to clip in and out of, and there's absolutely no squeaking. Ever.

Well, went to a Podiatrist today and yep, I've got a Neuroma (in both feet). The positive thing is I may be able to manage it per the following:

1) Different shoes. I returned the Carbon Specialized I picked up since I also went in for a bike fit. Looks like the Specialized shoes have a cant already built in (as one poster mentioned) and it doesn't work with my feet. Going to check out some DMT's to see if they will work better.

2) Orthotic. Looks like i need to do some searches on here for some threads on this. I'll need one.

Thanks to everyone for their input. It's much appreciated.
Task