Why do my feet have Hot Spots when I’m cycling?

We have all heard our friends describe the hot spots on their feet while cycling.  They are the bane of any cyclist’s existence.  What are they though and what causes them?  Let’s run through a few of the most common causes for cycling hot spots and how we treat them here at The Pedaler.

The most frequent cause of hot spots when we ride is ill fitting cycling shoes.  When our feet are compressed, especially in the forefoot, the interdigital nerves fire up and send signals of burning and numbness to our brains (often at the same time - the amazing power of our nervous system).  Once this has been set off, it takes a little while for it to settle down post ride.  Unfortunately once triggered, the discomfort normally returns more quickly each time you try to ride further.  There are those amongst us who are unlucky and the size and location of their interdigital nerves and metatarsals leave them more prone to this problem than most. The simple solution is wider fitting cycling shoes such as Lake or wide fitting Bonts.  Wider cycling shoes may delay the onset of the burning or solve the problem all together.

Bont Vaypor S with Cobra9 Pros

The second most frequent cause of hot spots and burning feet while cycling is pressure points.  When we ride, we squish our feet into our carbon or plastic soled shoes 90 times per minute for 2 to 3 hours at a time.  All it takes is a little more load on a particular portion of the sole of the foot to create a region of pain.  Some feet have more protuberances or shape issues than others.  If you aren’t sure whether this is your problem, then you probably need to chat to a good cycling podiatrist at The Pedaler.  Our practitioners can normally determine whether there is an issue, and whether we can distribute the load to an alternate location.  This can normally be achieved with a quality insole like the Cobra9 cycling orthotics we use.

Another common reason for burning feet while cycling is load management.  If you increase your distances too quickly then your tissue will not have the necessary time required to adapt and better manage the pressure.  If we increase our riding gradually, our feet handle the load on them better.  If we increase the load quickly or violently, then we will likely encounter problems.  The soles of our feet are a network of blood vessels, nerves, skin, connective tissue and a little fat and when we squeeze them against the pedals it creates micro trauma.  A little of this is good for adaptation. Too much is painful and leads to longer term issues.

The above are only a few of the reasons your feet might feel like they are burning while cycling.  Others include underlying pathologies (CMT, Raynaud’s, arthritis etc), poor pedaling technique, poor cleat orientation and location, incorrect bike fit and many more. With so many reasons for hot feet, creating one solution for them all is too simplistic.  Certainly organizing wider shoes for those with tight fitting shoes is a great start.  If you are unsure as to why your feet burn when you ride, maybe now is the time to drop in.

Why we sell lake shoes at The Pedaler.

We have always carried a range of cycling shoes at The Pedaler. Our cycling Podiatry background makes it perfect for us to help cyclists understand which cycling shoes work best for them. Initially we carried a range of brands however we now carry only Lake cycling shoes. Why? Read on.

Lake have been around for almost 40 years. As it is with many cycling shoe brands, the fortunes of the company fluctuate largely depending upon the latest and most contemporary options that become available. Lake has been at the forefront of cycling shoe technology for some time investing in a suite of functional and occasionally wacky options. Despite the full range of options available, some of the shoes lacked the aesthetic appeal of their rivals. This has all changed now with a fantastic custom cycling shoe range to choose from and a standard cycling range that now looks the business whilst remaining true to their core values - providing cycling shoes that make you comfortable and well fitted.

Importantly for us the Lake range pretty much covers the entire spectrum of foot types within its catalogue which is quite rare amongst cycling shoe brands. We often recommend certain brands for narrow feet or wider feet, or those with unusual toe shapes however Lake can pretty much cover the lot. As a clinician, it makes it a lot easier knowing that we are going to get a quality solution every time.

It doesn’t mean that at a shoe fitting appointment we might not recommend a different brand from another retailer, or advise a patient to stick with the option they have used previously, however we can recommend a Lake option and be confident we won’t have issues.

Another benefit of Lake cycling shoes is they fit our Cobra9 custom cycling orthotics perfectly as well. It’s a huge bonus, working easily with a shoe to provide the best and most comprehensive option as required by each client.

Finally, the guys behind the Lake product are super helpful and agreeable. We have worked with the parent company to create cool custom options and fit up entire teams with rock solid shoes. We also liaise with Lake International as required to discuss tricky fitting options. If they’re not in stock, they will source them for us as quickly as possible.

All our shoe fitting options are done via appointment to ensure we can allocate the appropriate time and resources to get the outcome we all want. We will often fit the shoes when they arrive (the range is enormous and carrying all the shoes virtually impossible) on the bike to ensure comfort is felt where it’s needed most. If required we will also then fit our prescription orthotics or ‘off the shelf’ COBRA9 devices to ensure the whole foot to pedal junction is dialled in.

If you want comfort, support or just a pair of properly fitting shoes then make a time to get your feet sorted!