Yesterday I tried on my boots (dainese TCI) for the first time and I had a really hard time put my foot under the shift lever. I adjusted the lever height, it helped a little but still very uncomfortable. The problem seems to be the back of the boots, the rigid back support limits my ankle movement, and prevents my toe pointing down. It seems the boots are trying to keep my foot and my leg at a right 90 degrees angle. I searched some pictures of racing boots, and they all pretty much look the same with the back support.

It is normal though? I suppose the boots are designed that way to prevent injury, Is it my riding position? or Is there something I am not doing right.

 

Hard to say but most likely it is your body / foot position. Race boots are designed to fit under the shifter. If you had said steel-toed construction boots, I'd understand the problem.

I have a pair of Dainese Torque Out. Yes, they are designed to prevent the ankle from hyper-extending and twisting during an accident. It took some miles to get used to them and find the right foot position but I did eventually. I ride on the ***** of my feet so my toes aren't anywhere near the shifter. When i go to shift, I basically slide my foot forward with my toes pointing down as much as possible. That's enough to slide under the shifter. And my foot naturally wants to straighten out, making a better shift.

I rarely soft shift when wearing my race boots. Get a nice firm kick up cause of this.

 

no no...the boots fit under the shifter fine. I have to bend my ankle to slide my boot in and out for shifting because the postion my shifter is sitting right now. when I do, I feel that the back support of the boots prevent me from extending my ankle for shifting comfortably.

 

can someone post a pic of their shifter/ peg position?

 

If your boots are new, it sounds like you haven't broken them in yet. You should expect some improvement in flexibility as they break in. Between the break in flex and your learning time on the bike, you should be fine. Just a little time and patience required. Your situation sounds similar to mine when I picked up my A* boots.

 

ah...ok, I rode 5 mins and had to give up because I was not comfortable with the shifter. I guess its just one of those things that you have to give it time to get use to.

 

Sounds like you just need to readjust your shifter postion. I can use track boots, touring boots, or steel toe work boots w/o any problem whatsoever.

 

To readjust the shifter, all I did was loosen the two 10 mm nuts and twist the linkage to raise the shifter. Is that it?

 

Correct.

 

a newbie question, when you guys shift, whats your foot position? completely under the shifter or partially under? also when you are done shifting, do you leave your foot under the shifter or on the side against it.