My Feet Hit the Front Wheel When Turning?

If you’ve noticed your foot occasionally touching the front wheel when turning, don’t worry—it’s completely normal and nothing to do with the fit or design of your bike. This is known as toe overlap, and it happens because a bike’s wheelbase needs to be compact enough to provide responsive handling.

When Does Toe Overlap Happen?

At normal riding speeds, your front wheel never turns far enough for this to be an issue. Toe overlap only occurs in tight, slow-speed turns, such as when setting off or manoeuvring at low speeds.

How to Reduce Toe Overlap

Position Your Feet Correctly

• When taking a tight turn, place your inside foot at the 12 o’clock position and your outside foot at 6 o’clock. This prevents your pedal from striking the ground and gives your foot more clearance from the tyre. After a few rides, this technique will become second nature.

Check Your Foot Placement on the Pedals

• Your pedal axle should be aligned with the ball of your foot to ensure the best positioning and efficiency.

Mudguards Can Increase Toe Overlap

• If you’ve fitted mudguards, they can slightly increase the chance of toe overlap. To minimise this, make sure the gap between the tyre and mudguard isn’t too large.

Toe overlap is a common characteristic of many performance-focused bikes and isn’t something to worry about—it’s just one of those quirks that riders quickly adapt to. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be riding smoothly in no time!