[mack_turtle]

I rode some trails with some hairy descents today and noticed that the soles of my feet were aching by the end. I felt like I was clenching my feet like I was trying to hold onto my pedals with my toes the whole way down. I am riding with Shimano SPDs, if that matters.

is this a mental thing and I just need to relax my feet, or could it have something to do with cleat position on my shoes? I never get this problem accept during "long" descents.

 

[Pisgah]

Try shoes with stiffer soles or pedals with a larger platforms.

 

[mack_turtle]

these pedals have no "platform" at all. but the shoes I was riding at the time have rather flexy soles. I have some stiffer shoes, but the problem I run into then is that, with this kind of terrain, I end up walking and carrying my bike a lot and the stiff soles also kill my feet.

perhaps I should consider something like some of Shimano's "all mountain" type pedals that have a little platform?

 

[mbmb65]

It's lactic buildup. No doubt about it.

 

[mack_turtle]

So where do I get anti-lactic, 29er-specific, single speed pedals?

 

[Bro]

Do you have proper insoles for your foot arches? It could also be a mental thing, in which case you would just have to relax a bit.

 

[mack_turtle]

Superfeet black insoles, actually.

I was riding in Pearl Izumi Alp X shoes, which are fairly flexy, but I ride in them to commute to work and on mellower trails but I have never had this kind of pain

anyone have this problem when their cleats are too far forward? I recently made a big point of centering and positioning my cleats because they were crooked and putting strain on my knees.

 

[Burt4x4]

If I was wearing bowling shoes to ride my bike I too would have foot pain!!
Switch to pinned flats and 5.10s.....problem solved

 

[Crankout]

It's lactic buildup. No doubt about it.

I second that diagnosis. Felixman, or whatever his name is, opened my eyes to this possibility.