I wanted to ask the community, since this is the first time I’ve ever experienced anything like this, so here it goes:
Last weekend I was part of a large local ride. I rode about 16 km to get to the venue, and the actual ride was another 44 km or so.
Less than halfway through the ride, I could feel my right foot getting crazy hot, like I was walking on hot asphalt, and I overheard another rider complaining of the same. On the second half of the ride, the heat went from my right foot to my left, and jokingly confirmed with the other rider that their left foot must also be getting hot.
Reading up on “hot foot”, which is apparently common in long distance riders, I have to say that I’d be shocked if that’s what was going on.
For starters, this ride wasn’t nearly as long as my typical rides. I was wearing the same shoes I usually ride with, same high-viz athletic socks, same bike, same pedals, and I didn’t overtighten any of my laces or anything like that.
Since it was a one-off, I’m not overly concerned, but I tend to be one of those “the more you know” type of people who would love to actually know what the hell was going on.
My assumption, at least during the ride, was that the sun + road riding was the culprit. These were, after all, roads I’ve never been on, so I have no way of knowing if it’s just normal for those conditions.
Anyone else experience this? Any other explanation other than “your laces were too tight”?
Youre equipment may have all been the same but that you were cycling in a group suggests that maybe your pacing could have been different? You may have been working ever so slightly harder than you usually would without noticing it.
Or perhaps time for a new pair of shoes? I dont know about hot feet, but i definitely get some agitation when my soles have worn in from skating - i dont use cleats so i have no idea how that might translate to those.
No cleats here, either, but my pace was probably faster than normal. Great thinking 👌
Complete spitballing on my part - was the sun very strong on one side or the other? Even the shadow from your bike might have kept one foot cooler with the other one having direct sunlight exposure.
The sun was strong, and I thought that it must have been from that, but the sun was opposite of the foot that was getting hot!
But I’ve been on much longer rides where the sun will be at one side of my body for hours on end, and this has never happened. Kind of freaked me out just how hot my feet felt!
