Correct Foot position on pegs while riding

FerCzD
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FerCzD
Edited Date/Time 1/21/2021 3:08am
I have the bad habit to ride on the arcs of my feet, and the wear on my boots confirm it.

Is it possible if one of the fast riders posting here on vital or anyone with correct feet placement share a picture of how does the wear on your boots look like?

Thanks
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zippytech
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zippytech 7/7/2019 11:09am
7/7/2019 11:09am
My buddy ran A class for years and his boots always had a foot peg shaped spot on the the bottom of his boots right on the arch, he must have never moved his feet. By the time he got new boots it would almost cut through the soles.

I ran A class for a few years and my soles never really had any marks on the bottom at all. but I ride on balls of my feet.

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JGriff
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JGriff 7/7/2019 11:16am
7/7/2019 11:16am
FerCzD wrote:
I have the bad habit to ride on the arcs of my feet, and the wear on my boots confirm it. Is it possible if one...
I have the bad habit to ride on the arcs of my feet, and the wear on my boots confirm it.

Is it possible if one of the fast riders posting here on vital or anyone with correct feet placement share a picture of how does the wear on your boots look like?

Thanks
A great one is AJ Catanzaro on Instagram. He just had a brief video from his riding schools on Insta this morning about this very thing.

https://instagram.com/ajcatanzaro?igshid=l3l2cdk1l862
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M-M
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M-M 7/7/2019 12:30pm
7/7/2019 12:30pm
Balls of your feet 🍻
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sandtrack315
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sandtrack315 7/7/2019 12:38pm
7/7/2019 12:38pm Edited Date/Time 7/7/2019 12:43pm
When I am accelerating and hitting whoops or jumps I like being right on the balls of my feet, maybe a bit back. Entering turns or anytime I want rear break I’m forward just enough to get the rear break. Aj makes it look easy to do but try doing this in a whoop section or under large load. It takes practice going back and forth but you can get to. I also stand a lot since I’m tall, so being farther back on the pegs helps in deep ruts.

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50dippin
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50dippin 7/8/2019 9:57am
7/8/2019 9:57am
balls of the feet when riding, little more toward the arches if about to case or land hard.
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Sierra Ranger
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Sierra Ranger 7/8/2019 10:01am
7/8/2019 10:01am
Riding on your arches would be like playing basketball flat-footed. You are losing natural leg suspension.
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skeef
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skeef 7/8/2019 10:08am
7/8/2019 10:08am
Riding on your arches is a good way to conserve energy. For me being 6'3 I don't have much of an option but to get my feet as low as possible. My boots probably look like your buddies.

The kid I battle with in the desert is always on the balls of his feet. Normally passes me but in long desert races I pass him back because he always cramps up and is sitting down. He also races street bikes, the kid always has a funky but fast riding position.

If you have a problem keeping your feet in the right spot consider getting a hump in your seat. That has helped me when racing/training.
Markee
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Markee 7/8/2019 10:12am
7/8/2019 10:12am
He asked for a picture, not a thousand words.
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Turbojez
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Turbojez 7/8/2019 11:40am
7/8/2019 11:40am

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Natester551v
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Natester551v 7/8/2019 3:22pm
7/8/2019 3:22pm
Top level guys move around quite a bit, but the advice here to ride on the balls of your feet is sound.
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sumdood
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sumdood 7/8/2019 3:48pm
7/8/2019 3:48pm
50dippin wrote:
balls of the feet when riding, little more toward the arches if about to case or land hard.
Axell Hodges would probably agree.
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FerCzD
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FerCzD 7/8/2019 4:37pm
7/8/2019 4:37pm
Thanks everyone! seems that what I was suspecting was right... People with correct feet placement don't have drastic wear on their boots.

Never heard the tip to use a bump in the seat, I'll give it a try. Gotta break that bad habit somehow
AJ565
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AJ565 7/8/2019 6:49pm
7/8/2019 6:49pm
I forgot to get a picture when I was at the garage, but I look at the bottoms of my boots all the time. My wear pattern is balls of the feet, arch, some heel. You can see (at least on my boots) where the rear brake pedal wear is too.

It took me a long time to break the habit of arches. What helped me the most was riding a bicycle and staying on the balls of my feet the entire ride. It feels wrong and awkward when I get bumped around and my feet move to the arches on my bicycle now. Road bikes with clip ins make you ride on the balls of your feet.
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adiaz791
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adiaz791 7/8/2019 7:12pm
7/8/2019 7:12pm
As mentioned above, here’s a full lesson video from AJ Catanzaro - https://youtu.be/QBYTju5TtC4. He has two other videos with great tips.
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Maverick313 7/8/2019 7:27pm
7/8/2019 7:27pm
Natester551v wrote:
Top level guys move around quite a bit, but the advice here to ride on the balls of your feet is sound.
I think they move their feet a lot, but they appear to ride on their arches a lot too.
























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cwtoyota
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cwtoyota 7/8/2019 8:04pm
7/8/2019 8:04pm
FerCzD wrote:
I have the bad habit to ride on the arcs of my feet, and the wear on my boots confirm it. Is it possible if one...
I have the bad habit to ride on the arcs of my feet, and the wear on my boots confirm it.

Is it possible if one of the fast riders posting here on vital or anyone with correct feet placement share a picture of how does the wear on your boots look like?

Thanks
There are plenty of places on the track where you should be on the ball of the toe.
If you're trying to get through whoops, or you ride sand, you'll go so much faster simply with correct foot placement combined with standing and gripping the bike with your knees.

I'm a 30+A rider and always ride at 90% to 100% (I don't go cruise around)... Here are my current set of boots with nearly 100 hours on them (left) and my previous set of boots with maybe 150 hours (right). My soles outlast the boots (both are SG-12) because I move my feet around a ton. You can see where I touch the rear brake.


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gnarwhip
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gnarwhip 7/8/2019 8:15pm
7/8/2019 8:15pm
Balls of feet, squeeze tank with your legs, stick your ass out, do squats during the week.
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tcallahan707
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tcallahan707 7/8/2019 9:00pm
7/8/2019 9:00pm Edited Date/Time 7/8/2019 9:03pm
One major benefit to hours and hours on a road bike (and all the other training) is the leg and core strength to ride the bike properly. Weighting your pegs, steering with your ankles, riding on the balls of your feet, squeezing with your knees, and opening up the hips require a certain level of body function that most weekend warriors simply don't have. AJ is right. It's lazy riding. It's a lot of focused work to be able to control the machine in the most efficient way possible.
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snackfedbear
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snackfedbear 7/8/2019 9:13pm
7/8/2019 9:13pm
tcallahan707 wrote:
One major benefit to hours and hours on a road bike (and all the other training) is the leg and core strength to ride the bike...
One major benefit to hours and hours on a road bike (and all the other training) is the leg and core strength to ride the bike properly. Weighting your pegs, steering with your ankles, riding on the balls of your feet, squeezing with your knees, and opening up the hips require a certain level of body function that most weekend warriors simply don't have. AJ is right. It's lazy riding. It's a lot of focused work to be able to control the machine in the most efficient way possible.
Ill second the lazy notion and am guilty of falling back into old habits when I ride. I start off with full intentions of riding unhinged at the hips on the balls of my feet and in the attack poison the whole time. Then my heart rate gets elevated and I get tired and lazy. Start standing up with my knees way less bent, on the arches of my feet, and looking right in front of me. I think it takes going out and doing motos solely focused on technique rather than trying to do whips or pass/stay in front of someone you’re doing motos with.

But damnit throwing a whip after passing your buddy is fun!
GoggleFiend904 7/8/2019 9:24pm
7/8/2019 9:24pm
I ride on the balls of feet well. Usually in the attack position or high speed stuff. In corners or when coming into them, my feet are probably all over the place. I ride desert and can say being on the balls of your feet is the best option when 4th-5th gear over rough terrain
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aees
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aees 7/9/2019 1:26am
7/9/2019 1:26am
It is not a clear cut scenario always riding on the balls of your feet, and for who this is applicable. If you look at Herlings when he ride sand, he is not that much on the balls of his feet in situations when people say you should be.

If you are a tall rider (tall legs) with bigger feets for example, it complete screws your position on the bike being on the balls of your feet since you end up so far back you hang of your arms instead.

Shorter person (specifically with shorter legs) or average height, sure in some situations.

If you have bigger feet, it is almost more being on the toes of the feet (against footpegs) in deep ruts to avoid ripping them of the pegs.
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mysterion117
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mysterion117 7/9/2019 2:48am
7/9/2019 2:48am
I was always taught balls of your feet. Anything else feels weird. Even on mountain bikes I’m on the balls of my feet
zippytech
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zippytech 7/9/2019 8:56am
7/9/2019 8:56am
I don't really think anyone can say that there is correct position. There have been so many champions that had so called improper technique win over guys that was always picture perfect. In the end it all comes down to what works for you.
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aees
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aees 7/9/2019 10:42am
7/9/2019 10:42am
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/07/09/359096/s1200_AB35224F_4649_4EA3_8ACC_19A663EA3654.jpg[/img] [img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2019/07/09/359097/s1200_B9D25ADB_1DB2_4864_9B1A_D02D20D4D337.jpg[/img]


Supercross and whoops, with not the tallest guys in the class. Not really representative for MX?
aFACEdismembered 7/9/2019 11:25am
7/9/2019 11:25am
Arches of my feet for everything except deep ruts and tight woods, then it's balls of my feet or my size 12 boots get blown off.
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cappelmans
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cappelmans 7/9/2019 11:30am
7/9/2019 11:30am
Follow AJ Catanzaro on Instagram. He regularly posts videos on proper riding positioning and technique. Great follow if you need a heads up on the subject every now and then.
mattyhamz2 7/9/2019 11:31am
7/9/2019 11:31am
aFACEdismembered wrote:
Arches of my feet for everything except deep ruts and tight woods, then it's balls of my feet or my size 12 boots get blown off.
Lol, having a size 12 or bigger foot comes with some very unwanted issue. This being one of them. I've caught my toe in the ground and had it rip my foot under the peg. That one hurt! Along with catching it on an embankment and ripping my foot backwards.
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aFACEdismembered 7/9/2019 12:42pm
7/9/2019 12:42pm
aFACEdismembered wrote:
Arches of my feet for everything except deep ruts and tight woods, then it's balls of my feet or my size 12 boots get blown off.
mattyhamz2 wrote:
Lol, having a size 12 or bigger foot comes with some very unwanted issue. This being one of them. I've caught my toe in the ground...
Lol, having a size 12 or bigger foot comes with some very unwanted issue. This being one of them. I've caught my toe in the ground and had it rip my foot under the peg. That one hurt! Along with catching it on an embankment and ripping my foot backwards.
For deep V'ed out woods ruts I just sit down and lift my feet next to the radiators. I've gotten pretty good balancing in that position. Laughing
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