Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Is toe overlap a common problem, and should I be concerned?

Just purchased a new road bike (58 cube agree gtc pro) yesterday. Test rode twice and it felt great. However, on first cycle with my spds have noticed toe overlap/ rub on the front wheel when turning the front wheel at lower speed.

Do many other people suffer with this problem? Should it be something to consider returning the bike for? Or will I just be able to put up with it. Btw the bike fits great in every other aspect, but I did not experience toe overlap on my last bike.

Going up a size may solve the overlap, but its overall fit may be worse. I am 6ft tall so didn't think overlap should be an issue.

Thanks all

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

19 comments

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 8 years ago
0 likes

Only a problem in that it scuffs your shoes.

Avatar
Quince | 8 years ago
0 likes

The only time I have to be aware of it is when slowing down or pseudo-track-standing at traffic lights. But unless it's really severe in your case, it shouldn't be an issue in practice.

Avatar
matthewn5 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Big feet, big hands here. Toe overlap surprised me at first on my Canyon Ultimate AL, but it's no problem at all except where I have to ride through a gate while doing a 180º turn. I've got better at pedaling at the right moment to avoid the front wheel...

Avatar
antigee | 8 years ago
0 likes

small feet here  22 but also a small frame cx stylee - no problem for 1000's km on roads, singletrack, gravel etc etc but some cyclepath bridges have very tight 180degree turns also ped/cycle gates at level crossings and it is easy to forget  2

Avatar
therevokid | 8 years ago
0 likes

a fan e builder should be able to straighten them out for you

Avatar
cjchallis85 | 8 years ago
0 likes

Thanks everyone for your comments. Feel much more reassured now and looking forward to my first long ride on it tomorrow. Will just avoid slow u-turns with the pedals level!!

Avatar
imajez replied to cjchallis85 | 8 years ago
0 likes
cjchallis85 wrote:

Will just avoid slow u-turns with the pedals level!!

As someone who habitually does trackstands at traffic lights, toe overlap is a potential disaster if I readjust my position and turn bars the other way. Quite a few recent test bikes got rejected immediately because of that. Some were cross bikes where low speed turns with level pedals on technical sections would also be a common thing for me, so an absolute no-no in my books.

Rode a friend's bike the other day and almost went down due to toe overlap when briefly trackstanding as I stopped bike.

Avatar
farrell | 8 years ago
0 likes

I should have been clearer, the bike is an oId Don Farrell, sit up and beg style town bike rather than a drop barred road bike. High speed descents are highly unlikely so I'm not too worried about top end performance. I can't see any damage, other than a slight bend in the mudguard where the forks have been moved back and I was considering having it sent in for a powercoating anyway so I'm not particularly prissy about the finish for this one.

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
0 likes

If forks have a crease where they are bent, scrap them. I would remove fork assy and place in vice to see if you could straighten. Ideally a black smith could use heat to allow the metal to bend more easily, but this could damage finish.

Avatar
notfastenough | 8 years ago
0 likes

I get it on my Trek Madone, which I thought was a worry, but it isn't. The only I notice it is when stationary or very slow.

Although it does make me ensure that if I have to ride through a really deep puddle, I don't slow down TOO much so as not to have it happen and have to unclip and get wet.

Avatar
farrell | 8 years ago
0 likes

A vaguely related note, I'm having some serious toeverlap this week after a crash appears to have bent my forks in.

Does anyone know the best way of resetting the forks back? I was considering a length of pipe over the fork and gently pushing.

It's a steel frame by the way.

Avatar
notfastenough replied to farrell | 8 years ago
0 likes
farrell wrote:

A vaguely related note, I'm having some serious toeverlap this week after a crash appears to have bent my forks in.

Does anyone know the best way of resetting the forks back? I was considering a length of pipe over the fork and gently pushing.

It's a steel frame by the way.

I'd be wary of this, since any tiny discrepancy in the alignment of the dropouts could affect stability at speed. I wouldn't want to discover some previously unknown shimmy on a fast descent. New forks?

Avatar
Nixster | 8 years ago
0 likes

Perhaps you have really big feet  1 ?

I have this on my bike due to being a short-a and the only time it bothers me is when I am stopped at a junction and turn the bars to the direction I want to set off in. When I set off sometimes I get shoe rub on the front wheel but as I am aware of it then it doesn't cause a massive issue. If I could resolve it by going up a size and still get a good fit then I would however it's not a big deal.

I would be careful of moving cleats to try and eliminate it - occasional issues like mine above are preferable to destroyed knees or tendonitis of the Achilles.

Avatar
CXR94Di2 | 8 years ago
0 likes

The only time you should be worried about toe overlap, is at speed, but in reality if it happens at speed then its too late and you are coming off big style. Catching toes doing slow maneuver turns is nothing to worry about.

Avatar
kace19 | 8 years ago
0 likes

It's pretty common to have a small amount of overlap, depending on frame size, foot size, fork rake and various other things. Depending on what kind of pedals you use, you might be able to move the cleats slightly to reduce it. But unless it is a big overlap I wouldn't worry. It happens to me on a lot of bikes, but only when going v slowly and turning v sharply. I have never struggled to balance it.

Avatar
Must be Mad | 8 years ago
0 likes

I have this on my bike too - and its really is not a problem.
You have to be going VERY slow to be able to turn the handlebars enough to risk rub without crashing. Just be careful with the peddling in very tight turns

Avatar
1860 | 8 years ago
0 likes

I have it on my Canyon Endurace, I worried a bit about it until I figured out that it never happens at speed so its something that you can easily manage.

When I saw what Sheldon Brown said about it... then it stopped being an issue for me:
"
Toe Clip Overlap
On many bicycles, especially those with smaller frames and full-sized wheels, it is possible for the front fender or tire to bump into the rider's toe or to the toe clip. Some people worry a lot about this, but it is rarely a significant problem in practice.
The only time it can happen is when the handlebars are turned quite far to the side, as only happens at very low speeds.

Many, many people ride bicycles with fairly severe overlap with no practical problems, sometimes having to make a slight adjustment to their pedaling habits at very slow speeds.

On smaller-size bikes with full-sized wheels, it is usually impossible to eliminate overlap without causing adverse fit/handling issues.
"

Avatar
edvelo | 8 years ago
0 likes

My little toe overlaps the one next to it, presumably from breaking it and not setting it properly!

Avatar
enrique replied to edvelo | 8 years ago
0 likes
edvelo wrote:

My little toe overlaps the one next to it...

So it only happens in one foot?...  39

Latest Comments