Balls or arches?

[ThunderGuts]

On the footpegs (obviously!). I very quickly fell into the "habit" of riding with the balls of my feet on the footpegs, moving my feet as necessary to change gear and apply the brakes. This felt natural and seemed to give me the control I want. However, I did a BikeSafe course on Sunday and I was advised by the Police observer to ride with the arches of my foot on the pegs but with my feet splayed out slightly so I can just twist my foot onto the controls, as opposed to lift my foot up and move it forwards.

The thing is, the latter feels unnatural (probably because it's new?!) and I'm also conscious that my toes are significantly closer to the ground when cornering (although probably still realistically a long way off!) as the foot is both pointed outwards and is further down in the position on the pegs.

What do people on here do? Is there a right or wrong on this, or is it personal preference?

Cheers
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TG.

[Bhud]

Balls, always. On an upright, standard bike, you can't lean the bike fully and scrape a peg unless your foot is perched on the peg with ball of the foot making contact with the peg. Otherwise your toes will fold over the front of the peg and get trapped between the tarmac and the peg.

[ThunderGuts]

[bigdom86]

i used to ride on balls of the foot until one day I had to do an emergency stop rather quickly and grabbed a load of front brake and no time for the rear and went down, not I go somewhere between ball and arch as means I can still reach the rear brake comfortably (size 11 feet), sometimes I will go to ball if on a long stretch (rare in London)

[BTTD]

[G]

[bigdom86]

[quote="G"]

[doggone]

Not sure if either option is 'recommended' but if you rest the arch of your foot there your toes can be first thing to touch down which can be hazardous if not expecting it.
On bumpy roads (and off-road) it's good to keep some of your weight on the pegs and be ready to half stand up letting the bike bounce around underneath you.
If off roading that same position gives you the ability to quickly dab a foot down which you don't have fully standing.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Heels. But I believe there's a fix for duck feet.

https://68.media.tumblr.com/90b33cb67cd798707156d2284648d954/tumblr_ow8jrhMUMj1woezklo1_500.gif
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[G]

[johnsmith222]

Both. It doesn't really matter tbh unless there's a clearance issue, or you're perhaps riding on the rear brake or putting pressure on the gear shifter. Then again, I'm not certain what putting pressure on the shifter would do.

Just do whatever is comfortable unless you have potential for clearance issues.

[evilzed]

Balls of feet feel much more comfortable and I feel more agile when doing so however since I ride in London and there's constant traffic everywhere I have to always hover over the back brake which does make a big difference if a car changes lane abruptly.

[grr666]

Balls of feet. Because I automatically grip better with my knees when I do so.
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[MCN]

[Easy-X]

Why have such an awkward bike creating such confuzzion... foot plates are much better
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[G]

[Sister Sledge]

Been sat here half an hour trying to work out which way I do it and it's both!
It depends on how much hooligan I'm putting into it.

Foot plates? Like what they measure shoe size with?
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CCM 404 DS

[chickenstrip]

[stinkwheel]

Either. Both. One of each. One on the ball, the other on the heel pointing sideways with one arse cheek hanging off the saddle. Whatever is most comfortable at the time.
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[Nobby the Bastard]

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[Kawasaki Jimbo]

Balls, same technique used in cycling and horse-riding and for good reason. If you're not on the balls of your feet allowing your ankles to rotate and your body to move you're just a sack o' spuds with all weight on the seat and no other feeling.

I hate the ungainly, splayed feet look although I think big fellas squeezed onto small sportsbikes often have no choice.

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[chris-red]

Both I suppose I move about.
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[chris_hu_cheng]

Mostly balls, but sometimes arch (when I am having to do a lot breaking/gear changes) ...

I find balls of feet make it easier to grip with legs and takes a bit of weight off the seat (mine and the bikes') seems to help prevent numb bum on longer journeys.

[talkToTheHat]

On longer, more sedate rides, arch, and quite relaxed about my grip on the bike with ankles and knees. If i'm hustling, balls. But I can't ride like that for anywhere near as long.
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