Hobie Cat Forums

I just purchased a Sport Mirage Drive. After pedaling around my lake for a week I am now experiencing troubling foot pain and toe numbness. Any suggestions?

There isn't anything inherent about the Mirage Drive or its pedals that would cause it. But, evidently something about your foot and the contact between it and the pedal is causing some sort of nerve problem.

You might try wearing a different pair of shoes while pedaling. Or placing your foot on the pedal in a slightly different location. Anything that would change the contact point between pedal and foot sole just a bit might possibly help.

I cannot presume to know what your physical or health status is so this is just a suggestion as to something that might work if we're only taking about a simple nerve contact problem.

Did you have a wallet or something in your pocket?? Maybe adjust seat angle or add cushion

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3 Revo 13s

Wearing my Tevas gave me cramps in the arches of my feet. Not fun. Tried another pair of water shoes, old tennis shoes and even bare feet. No difference. The remedy was a pair of Warmer neo booties. No more cramps. So in my case, I would say shoes.

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Bicyclists wear shoes with very stiff soles. Running shoes and other soft shoes on a bike don't spread the pressure of the pedal stroke across the whole foot the way a stiff sole does, so you can get pressure points and numbness. Maybe you need to consider something similar in your Mirage-drive footwear? Something like a light weight, stiff soled hiking shoe could be the fix in this case.

In any case, whatever you're wearing on your feet, I would probably try something different.

-bob

Thanks. I will find a non pliable sole shoe. I do think that is the answer. I think it will take a week or so to heal. Happily I'm back to work for that long so I won't be sulking about being on land with an injury.

While not as efficient. You can step on top of the straps (rather than putting your feet in them) with your heels. That would be a short term solution for when you are on the water and your feet are hurting. Otherwise, I agree that a stiffer sole should solve the problem in the long run.

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Fish tremble when they hear my name

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928

Could be the nerves running from your back through your butt to legs. Adjust your seating notably and see. Put a pad under your butt. (Might tie back to the other post about the wallet in your pocket. Than can hit a nerve.)

Some folks say it helps to snug the ped straps down.

I got a much better feel with simple water shoes rather than Tevas.

Also, bike shorts with padded butt might help, and less chaffing on thighs.

I think biking shoes might work. They have solid soles and it seems that they would work on the same principle as the mirage drive. I wouldn't need the clips, just the solid bottoms.

A mountain bike shoe might be okay - but I would look for a light and stiff -soled hiking shoe. You might find one of those in a very breathable material or gore-tex, either of which would probably be a better choice for a shoe that will get very wet than the typical bike shoe. On the up side, a mountain bike shoe will have holes in the bottom for the cleats which will help to drain any water.