Solestar insoles -- relief for the feet

Over the years, I have suffered occasionally with various degrees of pain in my feet while cycling. Later on during some one day rides, I would get "hot foot" -- if you have had it, you know what it is: the nerves in your foot are telling you the foot is hot, burning hot.  Sometimes it would go away by doing one-leg riding exercises and easing the pressure off my left and right feet alternatively.  Other times I would need to get off and rest for 5 minutes before continuing.  Other times, I suffered the same tingling numbness I remember from lacing ice skates too tightly ... accompanied by searing pain as the blood re-entered the feet once the issue was addressed.

Solestar road insole - side view.  What is so special?  Read on.

Solestar road insole - top view.  Just another insole?  Well, no!

On PBP in 2011, my feet hurt, a lot. I was practically in tears at times.  I wore regular road shoes and regular cycling socks.  A big mistake for that length of event!

So what have I done over the years to manage and even eliminate foot pain?

1.  Proper cleat placement. This is the first step -- in my case I need to make sure the cleats are far enough back on my shoes so that I am pushing on the pedals directly with the balls of each foot.

2.  Larger but proper fitting shoes.  Toes wedged in are not good!  Narrow shoes are not good! Especially on VERY long rides like PBP, it is good to have shoes that give a bit of extra room.  I now generally ride one size larger shoes than I did 5 or 10 years ago ... for the same size feet.

3.  Shimano cycling sandals.  I love these for shorter rides, and my feet feel great.  But they are too flexy for me to work on rides over 100km.

4.  Metatarsal pads.  I tried these after reading some about the causes of foot pain ... but I am not convinced they had a significant impact.  Some of them were downright uncomfortable.

5.  Double and/or thicker socks.  Sometimes I avoid thin cycling socks in favor of thicker wool socks, or double socks.  This can make a big difference.  Recently I would never try a 400km, 600km or longer event riding without double socks -- the inner thin wool and the outer thicker wool.  Wool definitely.

All these steps have helped, to the point where even on a 600km ride I do not worry much about foot pain, as long as I avoid a hammering style of ride.  But there is one other major piece to the puzzle:

6.  Insoles.

I have never gotten custom orthotic insoles, but I have tried a wide range of aftermarket solutions available in cycling shops and on the Internet, as potential replacements for the insoles that come with my shoes.

Sidas insoles -- did nothing for me.

"Powerstep" -- with metatarsal pads glued on -- did not get the job done.
Downright painful!

Another common insole with different swapable arch supports for different feet.  Nope.

The only ones I have that have "worked" for me over the long term are called Bill Peterson Powerbeds.  I got them back in 2002 or 2003, and have never found them since.  As you can see below, mine are pretty ratty.  (I never should have tried gluing metatarsal pads into them.)

Powerbeds - upper side

Powerbeds - underside

Just as I was thinking I really needed a new pair of insoles, my friend David Marx at RGT Enterprises started to import and distribute a brand of insole.  Perfect timing!  These are called Solestar.  Designed in Germany.  David swore that I would love them, and that I would notice a real difference if I used them for at least 7-8 rides.

He was right!

I rode in the Dolomites and PBP with the MTB version, and enjoyed almost no foot issues.  (Well, there was that one extra long day in the Dolomites when I pushed way too hard for way too long and had a little pain, but otherwise no problems.  No foot problems at all on the 1230 kms of Paris-Brest-Paris!  Again I am practically in tears ... but tears of joy instead of pain.

David warned me that it takes awhile to notice the difference with Solestar.  Why?  Because they are designed to keep your foot much straighter and more stable in the shoe than otherwise.  This helps your pedaling motion and can even sometimes solve knee or ankle issues.  It may (according to manufacturer claims) even increase your power.  Also, because your legs stay in the correct plane, your stroke is a bit longer than before, and you may even need to adjust your saddle after the first 4-5 rides, raising it a few millimeters.

These insoles are very popular with top riders -- Andre Greipel, Fabian Cancellara et al endorse on the Solestar website.

Unlike other store bought insoles, they are thick where they need to be, thin where they need to be, they are stiff and flexible just where needed.  They hug and stabilize your foot.  There is even a depression at the rear center so that the large bone at the rear of your foot can sit down and your heel is low enough in the shoe.  They are NOT like cheap one-size-fits-all inserts that are cut to fit in your shoe.  You must get the right size.

The MTB and Road versions retail for 14,000 yen, a fraction of what custom orthotics or high end shoes cost.  With an MTB and a Road pair, if I use them exclusively for a few years, I can get that cost down into the ~1 yen per km range.  Well worth it for happy feet.

Solestar - MTB version

Solestar - Road version

This photo STARTS to show the special features.

Solestar "black" - sprinter's model.

David Marx's model friend "Igor"

Aaahhh

Thank you, Solestar!

Visit to Q 36.5 HQ to meet Luigi Bergamo

On our rest day at the Giro Delle Dolomiti, we visited Bolzano entrepreneur Luigi Bergamo, the man behind the Q36.5 cycling clothes imported into Japan by David Marx's RGT Enterprises in Nagoya.

The company's office and studio are located in the ground floor a very nice, stylish residential building on the NW side of Bolzano.  (For Q36.5, of course, a stylish building is only to be expected!)

MOB approaches the Q36.5 HQ (ground floor of building on the left).
As you can see, Bolzano is surrounded by rather high, steep slopes.

Espresso served for the guests!  Mmmm.

Luigi explains to MOB, complete with customary Italian hand gestures

Single piece garment, for the time trialist?

Jerseys.  "Vacca Boia" is apparently an Emiglia Romagna regional expression
of frustration ... when one does something stupid.  "Dammit!" or equivalent.

Q cap ... with socks behind it.

I love my Q thin wool early-winter socks.  These are even nicer, with the Italian colors.

Q's philosophy.  Not for everyone, but for those willing to push the edge just a bit!

These clothes are so pretty ... they make a great poster.

Luigi and his assistant

Inner layers on display

We had a wonderful chat about his inspiration for the brand, looked at lots of great clothes, and some of us returned home with new bib shorts, and a jersey.  All four of us were given a pair of socks and a water bottle -- the former being my favorite socks, and the latter nice cycling "swag".  Thank you Luigi for being such a gracious host!

As Luigi explained it, he wants the brand to represent the future of cycling clothes.  True, he has added some more "democratic" items that stick closer to the present and what we are all accustomed to, but his goal is to be creative and to push the envelope to something better -- clothes that help competitive cyclists achieve their best performances.  This is his dream and his inspiration.

Luigi's beautiful, Eroica-qualified F. Moser racing bike, from his early riding days.
Imagine doing climbs in the Dolomites in that gearing!

The Q36.5 items I have -- the bib shorts, hybrid Q, long thin winter tights, and now gloves and some other items -- are among my favorites and the best I have ever seen.  The jerseys, would make me look better if I lost a bit of weight!

Thank you, Luigi and Q.

Browsing

Another photo of those great socks

This is how great ultralight socks are designed ...

Silvia tries the hybrid Que -- one of my favorites

Sky Blue Parlee Morning Ride

Sky Blue with blue river, blue sky and summer Fuji in background

After an inaugural ride on the Parlee Altum R Saturday cut short due to issues with my 3T carbon seatpost and beastly heat, I wanted to take a spin yesterday (Monday) on the Parlee Altum R (now christened Sky Blue).  But the heat was even worse on Monday, over 38 degrees C (100 F) and humid in a number of cities in Northern Japan.

So I opted for a short spin before work Tuesday.  It was already hot when I left home at 7AM, but at least there was a gusty wind to dry the sweat off and add a bit of variety to the training route -- winds coming it seemed from every which way at every speed.

I headed up the river, across, and back down the Kawasaki side.  On the return I saw a fast rider a few hundred meters ahead of me and marked him as my target.  With the pedal to the floor and a really fast bike, I caught him in a few minutes.  As I neared, I noticed double tail lights, large front lights, a "cockpit" that looked as if it could hold other gear.  Of course, it was M.-san, a hard core randonneur, on his commute.

He was going at a steady speed and had many km's ahead, so I pulled him as far as Futakobashi and said my farewells.

It was very hard to turn around and come back in toward town.  Sky Blue seemed to want to head further upriver and into the mountains, at least as far as Motojuku on the Akigawa so I could soak in a swimming hole in the rushing stream and really enjoy the summer heat.  As it was, the ride was too short.  Still, I almost went through my entire 2-liter water supply in a little more than an hour.

Pointing upriver!

The Altum-R's ride is really, really sweet.  Confident, neutral, responsive but not twitchy.  I am very happy with this bike.

Welcome to the Stable -- Parlee Altum R in Sky Blue

The blue appears lighter when the bike is outside

Parlee Cycles is known for producing high-end custom carbon bicycle frames, and based in Beverly, Massachusetts, just North along the coast outside of Boston.

I test rode a Parlee bike last summer when I visited RGT Enterprises in Nagoya.  Parlees offer a very smooth, comfortable ride, while also being incredibly responsive, balanced and precise. The word that comes to mind is "refined".  I did not order one at the time, as Parlee was just about to come out with an entirely new set of their production models.  (Parlee is known for its custom carbon frames, but I am not yet ready -- and may never be -- to get a custom carbon framed bike!)  I was told the new versions would have better clearance for 622x25 and even 622x28 tires, and that is indeed the case. Parlee rolled out its new Altum line of frames last August/September -- Eurobike, Interbike, etc. -- and I had to try one eventually.

I ordered the least expensive, Altum R.  It is an 810g frame/330g fork (in "M" size), a few grams more than the 750g/280g Altum, but still incredibly light and with the same type of ride as the bikes I tried last year.

And the Altum R comes in either a beautiful sky blue or a light grey paint.  I chose the sky blue. (Parlees can be custom painted before delivery, at an additional charge).

How does the Parlee Altum R differ from my most recent carbon frame bike -- the Canyon "Shark", (which has been handed down to my son now, shipped off to Boston, MA)?

Internal Cabling. Both frames have internal cabling, but the Altum R seems much better designed.

First, Altum R has wider openings (with removable covers that snap back into place) at cable entrance/exits and under the bottom bracket shell area, so it is MUCH easier to install and replace cables.  The Canyon had cable liners to help with the INITIAL installation, but those liners were not intended to remain in place, and so cable replacement will be quite difficult.

Second, Altum R works with both mechanical and electronic shifting groupsets.  Two different groups of the cabling guides/covers are provided.  I installed a mechanical groupset -- Shimano Ultegra 6800, but I really love the Di2 on the Renovo and have been reading favorable reviews even from long distance riders/randonneurs.

Certainly for a pure road/racing bike like the Altum R, I may want to change to Di2 at some point, and I can do so easily with the Altum R.  After the flurry of activity this year, I really cannot see myself buying another bike in the near future once the Oregon randonneur is done ....  groupset upgrades, on the other hand, might be possible.  Would not have been practical with the other carbon frame.

The black hard plastic cover is removable, like a similar one under the BB. 

Rear brake cable enters toptube

Steerer and headset.  The Altum R has a tapered fork but its steerer is 1 1/8 inch, so compatible with 99% of stems being sold for road bikes these days.  The other had a 1 1/4 inch steerer, so very limited options.  Similarly, the Altum R integrated headset is very simple and straightforward, whereas the other uses a somewhat non-standard design.

You can see the Altum R's headtube cap.  3 different sizes are available.
I got the medium size cap, which is fine.  I will eliminate the spacer below the stem now
that I have gotten a few rides in and confirm I want a bit more aggressive front end hand position.

Time to cut the fork to correct length.  Nice to have a tool that serves as a guide.

Done.  Why was I so nervous the first time I did this years ago?
I was afraid I would destroy or damage a valuable piece of equipment.
I still inevitably cut the steerer a bit too conservatively, leaving need for some spacers.

Seatpost clamp.  The Altum R has a very nice integrated seatpost clamp.  I have never seen one like this before.  It works very nicely and looks durable.

Finish and Precision.  The Altum R tubing is, to the extent I can tell, nice and smooth on the inside as well as out.  The 31.8mm seatpost fit beautifully in the seat tube -- perfect and "snug as a bug".  Everything fit beautifully in this build-- press-fit BB, headset bearings, headtube top cap, seat post, etc.  I got a new tool for installing the pressfit BB, and added a little Effetto Mariposa "carbo grip" before setting the pressfit BB.

Perfect, snug fit. Smooth inside.

Pressfit BB is in

I am sure there are lots of other features I did not yet even notice.  You can find more on the Parlee site. As mentioned, I built the bike up with a Shimano 11-speed Ultegra (6800) groupset.  Nothing unusual here -- exactly the same as I had used a year ago on the Canyon.  I did add a few extras.

Dipell Bartape

Most important, I decided to try some beautiful leather bar tape.  I first places a layer of gel pads on the bars, then some of the Dipell bar tape now being imported by RGT/David Marx.  This product uses high end "sports leather" -- the same as you would find in custom shoes ordered by a top football (i.e. soccer) star.

The tape feels great -- comfortable, grippy, supple and with plenty of padding.  And my bars now smell a lot like a leather jacket -- a great aroma.  I am sorry this blog does not offer a "scratch and sniff" feature!  It is really a nice smell.

David Marx says this kind of leather bartape will last a LONG time, and can be cleaned and reapplied using new double sided backing tape if it needs to be rewound.  Unlike other leather bartapes, this one has only a single strip of cowhide on each roll of tape, so there is no "weak point".

I cannot help thinking that white bartape would have been great with this bike ... but black will look "like new" much longer.

Shelter

I added some Effetto Mariposa "Shelter" strips to protect the frame and paint job on (1) underside of the downtube, (2) drive-side chain stay, and (3) where the rear brake outer cable might rub against the seat tube.  Shelter is a shock-absorbing plastic adhesive-backed padding that has already been sold for MTB use for some time.  I got a roll of the MTB version awhile back.  It is a bit heavy and thick.
The "road" version is much thinner and lighter.  I barely can notice that it is there, but it should offer protection from at least minor dings. 

I hope the Parlee Altum R will be a "lifetime" carbon frame, not a "four year" one like my first three - Giant TCR, Cervelo R3-SL, Canyon Ultimate CF.  I am not sure the "Shelter" will guarantee that, since I can still knock the bike over, crash it, or have a pebble fly up and strike it in an unusual place. But at least I have tried to improve the odds a bit.

Cleaning out the Stable

How, you might ask, can I manage to add this bike to my growing collection?  Where can I fit them all?

Well, as noted about, I sent one bike off to my son in the U.S. for his birthday last month.

Another, the Bianchi Pista Concept 2006, has been gathering dust for quite awhile now, so it is going to go on the TCC classifieds soon after my summer travels.

And the plan is that the Oregon randonneur bike will, well, stay in Oregon for the time being.

3T Seatpost - Fail

As I took the bike out for its first real ride on Sunday morning, I had only one problem.  I worked to try and "dial in" the position, moving the seat both up and forward twice.  The 3T Ionic 25 Team Stealth post that came with the bike has an interesting "patent pending" exclusive "DiffLock" clamp design, with bolts from both sides.  The second time I tried to adjust the position and tighten the clamp (with very low torque/leverage), the bolt stripped and would not tighten all the way.

Already far from home up the river, I decided to ride with a slightly loose seat to Y's or Nalshima Tachikawa and get a replacement bolt ASAP.  The seat slid back to the far end of the rails quite quickly, but at least did not come off.  When I got off the bike at a convenience store soon after to check ... the entire left clamp and bolt were gone.  I guess it was stripped so badly that not only would it not tighten, but it fell off.  I retraced the route looking for it, but no luck.

3T - 25 Ionic team stealth -- he way it should look from the side.

3T 25 Ionic team stealth -- with missing bolt and clamp/cover. 

Instead of getting a new bolt, at Y's I got a TNI aluminum seatpost -- the lightest weight 350mm 31.6mm aluminum post I could find, and installed that instead.  At least it has an easy to use clamp.

TNI aluminum post.  Lighter than the Deda 

The last time I used an aluminum 31.6mm post, on the Ti Travel Bike, I found the ride very stiff and harsh.  But on the Parlee, even with an aluminum post the ride is great.  Confident, but not harsh.  And great to have the seat secured in one place!

(I would note that Parlee provides its own seat post with the Altum ... but not with the less expensive Altum R.  No "DiffLock" issues with the Parlee post.)

The rest of my inaugural ride went without a hitch.  This is a beautiful bike, it handles effortlessly, and Sky Blue is what I will ride when I want to remember the joy of riding a road bike -- when the sky is blue, and when I want to go fast and travel light.

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