One of the main factors in spike selection is to choose spikes that bend well around the big toe joint. This helps to prevent achilies tendon problems. See the following thread:
Well, I gotta disagree, ive been running with the demolishers for quite a while and I gotta say that they are great. I have perfect range of motion; for my big toe. And for me they are very comfortable… Id probably give them a 4 out of 5… thats my two cents
How can you disagree with a fact? Grab the shoe and try to bend it and tell me how easily it happens. Maybe it is a good shoe, but it is not a flexible shoe.
i wear nike superfly, and when i tried the adidas power sprint i had major problems with my achillies and calf. i think its got to do with the plate angles more than the ridgidity(i hope thats actually a word)
Overall plate flexibility (1-5 where 5 is very flexible): 3
Flexibility around big toes joint (1-5 where 5 is very flexible): 5
This is a weird spike. The plate is very flexible in the forefoot region and fairly stiff from just behind the ball of the foot back to the heel. In other words it is the exact opposite to a shoe that has only a forefoot plate.
It’s not really a sprint spike though. I use it for 400m/400mh.
1: Spike: Mizuno Geospark 5
2: Overall plate flexibility: 2 (pretty stiff)
3: Big toe ease of movement: 3/4 (fairly flexible)
This is an interesting spike because the midfoot is pretty rigid but the area around the big toes does bend somewhat. It isn’t as flexible as say a middle distnance shoe because the plate is still plastic but I can feel my toe moving when I put a pair of these on (not full movement mind you).
1: Spike: Mizuno SS Chrono
2: Overall plate flexibility: 2 (rigid but fair)
3: Big toe ease of movement: 5 (The shroud over the spikes allow total movement of the big toe.)
What can I say…the best spikes known to mankind…I love them.
1: Spike: Superfly G5
2: Overall plate flexibility: 2 (relatively stiff as claimed by Nike)
3: Big toe ease of movement: 4 (Not as flexible as maxcat/JSC, but better than you might think: The stiffness is really behind the big toe.)
To take a look at the other side of this coin, which shoe is the most rigid at the toe joint? Because of a chronic condition in my toe joint, I may have a need to go in the opposite direction on this one.
