I just got my first road bike and was practicing riding it in the driveway and noticed the wheel and tyre touches my shoe when I turn sharp corners (like when doing a 180 turn at the end of the driveway).
This rubbed the side of my shoe when I tried to start pedalling again out of the corner.
Is this normal?
If so, how do you learn to live with it or change things so it doesn’t happen.
Yep, its normal. Always take sharp turns with your feet at 12 & 6, foot on the outside of the turn is down (6).
Certainly for riders using a relatively rearward cleat position (i.e. foot forward relative to the pedal axle) and with relative big feet; yes…
Day to day it’s likely you’ll never have an issue… doing track stands at lights and then pulling away can result in the occasional rub…
And small bikes that prioritize handling over toe overlap. Some bike companies to to extraordinary lengths to minimize this on smaller sizes…
Oh and yes, it’s common. Especially on smaller bikes. As noted above its called toe overlap.
Yes. But you should be taking most turns with you outside pedal weighted at the 6 o clock position anyway. Its’ a good habit. You have the best control over the bike in that position while cornering and maximum ground clearance if going at higher speeds.
If I remember right, you have to be turning very sharp to have an issue.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bike without toe overlap.
jaretj
Yes normal. I have 57 cm frames and have it. I was concerned at first when I noticed it some 25+ years ago. I found that it is not a practical problem while riding. You can only turn the wheel enough to hit your toe when you are going very slowly.
Yes normal. I have 57 cm frames and have it. I was concerned at first when I noticed it some 25+ years ago. I found that it is not a practical problem while riding. You can only turn the wheel enough to hit your toe when you are going very slowly.
Yes, I agree with this. It’s a ‘problem’ that only shows up at under 3mph and in parking lots or driveways.
Go to shorter cranks. It’s all the rage! 
Joking aside as others have said, depending on a number of variables ( frame specs/size, shoe size, cleat postitioning, crank length . . .), this is not that uncommon.
I think everyone has a cousins, brothers, uncle that had a problem a way long time ago or great mishap that you can’t quite remember the details about with toe overlap and it seems to bug the heck out of some people. I have had probably 40-50 bikes in my lifetime and every one had toe overlap to some degree. In mtb and cross are the only times I have ever even noticed it. Always at very low speed climbing or descending dodging a rock, root or
hole of some sort. My advice is to not worry about it.
As the others have mentioned, its not a big deal. It has startled me when I’ve practiced track stands but that is about it.
Only one of my bikes has this issue, and that only when it’s sporting fenders. Frame size is (about) 54cm, so there’s that… My first road bike, a Trek 560 from the early 80’s, had this problem and it only bit me a couple times when starting from a stop. In most riding conditions it won’t even be an issue. If you’re taking corners that slowly, then you’ve got other problems that need to be addressed.
It doesn’t have to happen, though, even in small sizes. “Aesthetics” and the mental “need” for a stem of a certain length (and resistance to sensible wheel sizing) seems to plague small sizes with this issue.
Yes. But you should be taking most turns with you outside pedal weighted at the 6 o clock position anyway. Its’ a good habit. You have the best control over the bike in that position while cornering and maximum ground clearance if going at higher speeds.
If I remember right, you have to be turning very sharp to have an issue.
Very slow and very sharp. Doesn’t really ever happen during actual riding.
I ride a (58) cyclocross bike to commute through San Francisco. Putting fenders on a few weeks ago had a big impact on the overlap issue.
It does happen a few times/day maneuvering through traffic. Haven’t crashed yet, but it does get annoying. Probably the only reason I don’t leave fenders on full time.
Yes. But you should be taking most turns with you outside pedal weighted at the 6 o clock position anyway. Its’ a good habit. You have the best control over the bike in that position while cornering and maximum ground clearance if going at higher speeds.
If I remember right, you have to be turning very sharp to have an issue.
Very slow and very sharp. Doesn’t really ever happen during actual riding.
I agree. Even turnarounds in a triathlon are on a 15’+ road. You’ll still be going well over 8-10mph. Overlap is why your doing 2-3mph.