Could it be the frame size, stem, or seatpost height? For some reason my knees are aching after rides. I'm 5'11" with a 30" inseam. I've been riding MTB for awhile so this injury is surprising to me. Help!
2007-10-17 18:56:47 · 14 answers · asked by Blue_Falcon 2 in Sports ➔ Cycling
- the seat is to high
-your cleats are not properly aligned to your pedaling dynamics
-your stem is to long
-your seat position is off
-your first ride in a long time
2007-10-18 10:56:27 · answer #1 · answered by ricci M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The primary issue with most riders suffering from knee issues is seat height. The seat should be adjusted so that your leg is just slightly bent when the pedal is in the 6 o'clock position. Secondly, I think that you need some assistance with biking technique. If you are fitted properly, you may not be able to touch the ground when you are seated on the saddle. You should get off the saddle and put both feet on the ground when you come to a stop. This is especially true when you have baby on-board. You want two feet firmly planted on the ground when you are stopped! Next, is that you are probably riding in too big (hard) of a gear. You are probably mashing the gears in a very hard / high fixed gear. This is a difficult and painful way to ride, so try this... it is a difficult concept to explain, but I'll give it a try. When you start riding speed and comfort pedaling is accomplished by spinning the pedals and peddle pressure. When you start your riding, you want to find a pedal pressure that feels comfortable. not really easy, and not requiring a significant downward push (kind of the mama bear push) Then you want to turn those pedals (spinning) at a constant rate.... lets say 65 or 70 rpm to start. The trick is to use the gears to keep the same comfortable pedal pressure AND pedal speed (spin @ 65 to 70 rpm minimum) at all times AND on all terrains. Once you get the speed and pressure correct you change the gears up and down to keep the same feeling going. This provides both speed and comfort on all terrains.... flats or hills. The additional things you will notice are the normal pains associated with a new exercise routine. These pains will go away with riding. But calf, leg, thigh, and butt muscles will get a workout that they have not seen in many years .... the best thing to do is get some padded cycling shorts.... wear them under your normal clothes (if they embarrass you). Just wear them until at least your 'cheeks' get into shape. They provide so much of a difference that road bikers wear them all the time! Soccerref
2016-05-23 07:20:49 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hum... Well, one possibility is you got a new bike and you are riding it crazy hard. If this is the case, as your conditioning improves your knees should get better.
I am guessing, however, the geometry is different and it is affecting your riding position and causing your knee trouble.
My first suspect is the seat is lower and is changing your pedal stroke. I always like to pull out a tape measure and get a new bike set up pretty much like my old one. Then I adjust here and there until it is exactly right.
Beyond this, there are some other possibilities:
The fore/aft positioning of the seat may be different. This too will affect your pedaling. (Remember, as you raise the seat, it changes the fore/aft positioning of the seat with respect to the pedals.) Also, since you are dealing with a different saddle, its most comfortable spot to sit may be different than the saddle on your old bike. So, you can't merely judge by where the nose of the saddle is relative to your old bike, you need to figure out where the sweet spot is.
If you changed pedal types, you may not have gotten the cleats positioned properly on your shoes.
If the bottom bracket of you new bike is wider, thus making
the pedals further apart, it may bother your knees a bit for a while, as well.
Hope this helps.
2007-10-18 02:08:43 · answer #3 · answered by sfr1224 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The most critical adjustments are the seatpost height and front-to-back adjustment of the saddle. Have them checked by someone who knows how to fit a bike to its rider. Also, move your riding position on the saddle from time to time. A place to start is to shift your butt slightly towards the back of the saddle when climbing a hill and towards the front of the saddle when descending.
2007-10-18 02:55:29 · answer #4 · answered by intrepidfae 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I got this until I raised the height of my seatpost. Try that - I understand that is normally the cause. A seatpost that is too low can cause many problems while riding.
2007-10-17 23:29:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A big cause of knee pain is poor riding geometry. Seat too far forward is usually the cause. New bike = different geometry. Also compare crank lengths on old vs. new.
2007-10-17 19:45:12 · answer #6 · answered by AT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if the front of the knee aches the seat is 2 low if the back of the knee aches its to high
2007-10-18 07:37:11 · answer #7 · answered by poozank 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The most common cause is the saddle being too low.
2007-10-19 05:15:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fit issue. Probably your saddle is too low. This happened to me a while ago.
2007-10-19 04:58:03 · answer #9 · answered by Roberto 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
go to your local bike shop and "get fitted" to make sure the bike is adjusted to YOUR body
there are no exact formulas that you can get here
they will check seat height, handlebar & stem, cranks and pedals, cleats, etc.
2007-10-18 02:38:52 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋