Foot Pain

I think I just solved an annoying ball of the foot pain...finally. Thsi concerned me enough I thought I was going to have to quit riding the hard tail. The feet would ache for days after a ride.

Just FYI in case you suffer from the same:

The progression went like this:

1. Use 2-3 running (cheap) insoles in old running shoes, notice numb feet (did
this for years).
2. Consult podiatry, get orthotics, get new shoes (cheapish Shimano)
3. Hate orthotics....very painful arch, give them back for modification,
return to 3 layer cheap insoles and numb feet.
4. Try modified orthotics (thin), arch feels good, but now I bruise ball of the foot
Not numb, but painful. Bruising gets worse each ride.
5. Return to 3 layer..now numb and painful.
6. Discover my screws protrude 1mm into the shoe while moving cleats around. Not enough to consciously perceive or feel. I figure, what the heck.

Grind screws 1mm shorter, use thin orthotic, move cleat all the way back.....COMFORT!!!

Rode SS for two hours (305 to the Juniper on Smith) with zero pain, zero numbness.

Just don't forget to check the simple things. I evidently was bruising myself on that screw even with that tiny amount of protrusion.

Speaking of numbness, Dan is back on the bike!!! What a joy it was to ride with him again in the early am. He is using gears to get around the numbness (doesn't have to pull the bars so hard). We had a blast on the very humid, very tacky trails today.