After around 1.5 years of cycling with no issues (following a proper bike fit), I’ve suddenly developed persistent left foot numbness, starting in the outer toes around 10–15 km into a ride.
The weird part? It started just a few rides after switching to a Fizik Vento Argo saddle — and it continued even after reverting to my original Giant saddle with all the original settings.
Since then, I’ve tried:
Reverting to my old saddle + fit setup
Adjusting cleat position (max rearward, inward, and experimenting with angle)
Changing saddle height
Adding/removing pedal spacers
Using G8 2620 insoles (various arch heights, heel wedges, metdomes)
Upgrading to a larger size of my Lake CX238 wide shoes
Working on core muscles and stretching with a foam roller.
Despite all that, the numbness always returns, and it’s really killing my riding enjoyment.
If anyone’s had a similar experience or found a solution, I’d really appreciate the help.
Thanks for the feedback, but as I mentioned in my original post, I’m already wearing Lake shoes with a wide fit and even went up a size. Not to mention that the same shoes have been perfectly fine for over 1.5 years.
Have you tried taking some extended time off the bike to let it heal and then see if it comes back now that you’ve made so many changes? Thinking pinched nerve or something…
I know you said you’ve played with the saddle height, but have you tried moving the saddle fore/aft to see if you’re pinching a nerve/cutting off circulation either on the nose or the wings?
When you reverted back, did you revert back to the old shoes, insoles, shims, etc? I.e. - go back to the original setup and leave it alone for a few weeks to see if you adjust back?
Wondering if maybe the insoles, cleat angles, changed, even slightly? For example, did you take the cleats off the old shoes, move them to the new ones, and then back to the old ones? Same with adding/removing the spacers. There’s a lot of “mm off” possibilities in all that.
I’ve had custom insoles made via multiple fitters, and I always find that I’m more comfortable going back to the original stock insoles (an expensive lesson I’ve had to learn more than once!)
Is it possible that all of this is unrelated to the issue (correlation vs. causation)? For example, weight gain/loss or maybe bibs that have had the padding wear out (compress) or new bibs, etc? Just trying to think outside the box here!
Sorry, I’ve had numbness issues in the past. It sucks working your way to the remedy!
Compressed nerve is my guess also. Where that is exactly will be the key. Could even be in your back. As one who has had nerve issues I wish you the best in figuring it out.
Have you tried taking some extended time off the bike to let it heal and then see if it comes back now that you’ve made so many changes? Thinking pinched nerve or something…
Not extensive, only max for 5 days.
I know you said you’ve played with the saddle height, but have you tried moving the saddle fore/aft to see if you’re pinching a nerve/cutting off circulation either on the nose or the wings?
Yep tried that too.
When you reverted back, did you revert back to the old shoes, insoles, shims, etc? I.e. - go back to the original setup and leave it alone for a few weeks to see if you adjust back?
Yes, my first change was to just go back to the old saddle, and nothing else was modified at that point. After a few rides with the issue not going away, I started experimenting with cleats, insoles, saddles, etc.
Compressed nerve is my guess also. Where that is exactly will be the key. Could even be in your back. As one who has had nerve issues I wish you the best in figuring it out.
What would you recommend as the next steps of figuring that out?
Sounds like you have covered the basics. Time off being an important one. I don’t think a fitter will be of much help since you went back to your original set up. At this point, if I was serious, I would see an orthopedic doctor that has some sports medicine experience.
IDK. What’s worked for me and some others was wider shoes and insoles/shoes with a metatarsal button. Sounds like you’ve tried that already. I suggest that any docs you might consult be sports medicine docs. Most docs are conservative, and when you say, “It hurts when I do this,” they say, “Well don’t do that.” Sports docs try to help you to keep doing it.
I have a feeling it’s unrelated to any recent change. It sounds like you might be dealing with a Morton’s neuroma. I’d recommend seeing a podiatrist for a diagnosis — it’s usually easy to identify.
If your shoes — whether on or off the bike — have been too narrow for too long, that could lead to the symptoms you’re describing. You don’t need to have wide feet for this to happen.
Some options (which it sounds like you’ve done) for relief include wearing shoes with a wider toe box (both on and off the bike) and using insoles with a metatarsal pad to help with spacing and reduce pressure on the nerve. These might not solve the problem entirely, but they often provide significant relief. Nerves can be unpredictable, and sometimes issues like this resolve on their own with simple changes like these. If the numbness persists or worsens, a cortisone shot might help manage it.
Maybe try some forefoot under the cleat wedges or try stacking heel wedges.
If you stack the heel wedges, keep a log and note what each increase does for you. Is there any improvement at all as you go from 1 to 2, 2 to 3 etc.
If it keeps improving, keep adding one, but note any other issues that might occur too. If your foot starts to feel like it’s falling off the outside of the pedal, you’ve gone too far.
Thanks; I’ve just ordered some. Both of my shoes have wear on the outsides of these support pads, but the ankles twist inward. See images. Should I still use heel wedges with an inside thicker area?
I bought the CX242-wide today, hoping it would help, as they have a slightly more adjustable toebox. It kind of felt more tolerable with them, but the issue is still there.
I noticed that it almost instantly stops as I get off the saddle and unclip - there’s immediate relief.
