Bad knees

[tango_kid]

Hi,
i find that when im in a routine of cycling (maye 3 times a week or whaever) i have bad knees at home for going up stairs and the like. I know this may be due to a too high gear used but i dont feel the if i use a lower gear i will go anywhere near as fast or as far. Otherwise i heard that keeping a steady cadence is a good idea but what cadence is about right??
Cheers,
Mike

 

[Ben M]

Your most efficient cadence won't be the same as anyone elses, they vary from person to person.

As for your knees, higher cadence will put less stress on them. Also avoid getting out of the saddle unless you can't avoid it (run out of gears on a very steep slope)

 

[montage]

Saddle height.

 

[GrasB]

May be worth going to a LBS that fits the bike for you, you may also find your bike is the wrong shape for you to start with. I see so many people with the saddle right down low & complaining that long cycle runs play havoc with their knees.

As for staying in a lower gear, if you feel like you're going slower when spinning your legs faster get a cycle computer & try to maintain the same sorts of speed. You will take some time to get used to spinning but you will probably find it better. The other thing with spinning is that your leg motion has to be smooth, so not only are you putting less load on you knee you'll also have a less strain due to an improved peddle action.

 

[tango_kid]

My seat is not low, far from it, it is about as heigh as is a think I tried to lower the seat today but the allen key was too stiff. Also i think the bike is too small. But i cannot afford to upgrade the frame!!! As for getting out of the seat i think that may be the problem. And i cant realy afford to get the bike fitted to me as it takes soo long!!

 

[ASC1951]

Also avoid getting out of the saddle unless you can't avoid it (run out of gears on a very steep slope)

If you mean, keep the gear low and the revs up so that you don't run out of gears, that is fine - people who over-gear do stand on the pedals when they should be gearing down.

If you mean that standing on the pedals will put more strain on the knees than than turning the same gear sat down, no, the opposite is true.

The older you get and the less fit you are, the harder it is to keep the pedal speed up. Yes, the optimum cadence varies from rider to rider, but you are probably better trying a lower gear and building your aerobic fitness up by trying to maintain the same road speed.

 

[Globalti]

Where is the pain? Behind the knees often means your saddle is too high and in front means too low. This may cause you pain behind your kneecaps, which is the beginning of chondramalacia patellae, which is roughening of the backs of the kneecaps and is fearsomely difficult to cure. If this is the case, get that seat height sorted straight away and take a rest from cycling for a week or two. Don't worry about losing fitness; you lose it at a third the rate you gain it.

You really must take care to get your riding position right if you are to avoid injury. There's plenty on the web to read, have a look at Sheldon Brown's website.

As others have written don't flog your knees in too high a gear; you wouldn't flog your car up a hill in 5th gear so why flog your knees? Use those gears to keep a light load and fast spin.

 

[khumbu8000]

I found my knees were severely affected by the outward tilting of Specialed road shoes. Cleats and shoes will always be my first port of call from now on.

You can buy Lemond wedges to put between your cleats and shoe. They make a huge difference and you can really play around with them.

I can now cycle to work 30 miles every day no probs in my knees- it was a huge inconvenience/worry that had a simple solution.

Good luck.

 

[Scoosh]

Two excellent resources for knee-related matters here (Pt 1) and here (Pt 2).