Cleats causing knee pain: solution sought

[PpPete]

At least one member on here was having serious knee probs with all conventional cleat/pedal systems - to the extent of thinking he was going to need surgery.
He found a solution in Speedplay pedals which (if I understood correctly) provide for a completely free "float" - so any foot angle is good.
Some of Speedplay's commercial practices are, at best, questionable... but as far as he's concerned that is unimportant as he can now ride pain-free.

Personally I disagree with Rivendell's arguments on this one - they have quite a few odd ideas on several subjects, not all of which hold water.

 

[screenman]

Let us all blame the pedals, without looking at saddle height, fore and aft, increase in mileage etc.

As for all that Grunt piffle, sorry but it holds no weight with me at all.

 

[stevejaxon]

Wow, lots of interesting ideas... Screenman, your point at looking at other factors makes sense and, Berties, yours, too, about getting a physio's perspective. I have to say I quite like the feel of being connected to the pedal, without discounting the views on doing away with cleats, and wondered, since its a bit of an investment, what other members' experience of Speedplay is and do they really allow you to rotate your foot position?

 

[thom]

I think also that the bike fit can play some part too - if your seat height is wrong, I imagine your leg doesn't move in a smooth way through the pedal stroke and your foot will not have a comfortable stable position on the pedal.
I think you can tell this if your knee does not move through a constant vertical plane as you pedal.
Might be worth finding a decent bike fitter. And improving your leg flexibility through stretching may play a part too.

 

[jonny jeez]

As posted in a previous thread:

The publishers of JUST RIDE gave me permission to reproduce this from his book

The Shoes Ruse

In this extract from his book JUST RIDE, Grant Petersen of Rivendell Bicycle Works explodes some of the myths surrounding clip-in pedals

The shoes ruse
.

Yes but can you lift your rear wheel at the lights and rotate your pedal to a comfortable position (without back pedalling) without clipless. No...a point I forgot when I rode a mates bike a week or so ago..how daft did I look at the lights.

very interesting article that.

 

[Davidc]

As posted in a previous thread:

The publishers of JUST RIDE gave me permission to reproduce this from his book ....

I've read that before (from a link from you I think) and been impressed, with reservattions.

Ignoring all the detail what's important is that all it really says is think before blindly following current fashion.

My own experience, apart from the painful consequence of clipless (and yes all the other factors mentioned in this thread were eliminated), has been that with both clipless and clips plus straps I am considerably more comfortable, and can produce more power when climbing, than with open flat pedals. I don't find any noticeable difference between clipless and strapped toe clips though.

I have some disagreements with the article. One is over the issue of down force on the up pedal. With both clipless and strapped clips (adequately tightened to stop any upward foot movement relative to the pedal) it is possible to pull upwards to ensure there's no downward force from that foot. With free feet on flat pedals there has to be a down force on the up pedal to maintain friction to keep that foot in place for its next down stroke. Another advantage of clips and clipless not mentioned there is that they keep feet where they belong, avoiding contact with tyres or mudguards, avoiding slippage from the pedals and the resulting sore shins and falls, and helping locate feet correctly after a stop.

As for expensive shoes - Aldi and Lidl both do shoes which are SPD compatible for a price much lower than that article suggests!

 

[Hont]

...wondered, since its a bit of an investment, what other members' experience of Speedplay is and do they really allow you to rotate your foot position?

I have speedplay frog pedals which fit with MTB shoes, and they allow completely free float so that your foot just finds its natural position. This, combined with moving the cleat as close to the heel of the shoe as possible, has completely stopped my knee pain. I can't recommend them highly enough as not only are they kind to your knees but they're really easy to clip in and out of as well.

 

[Hont]

Another advantage of clips and clipless not mentioned there is that they keep feet where they belong, avoiding contact with tyres or mudguards, avoiding slippage from the pedals and the resulting sore shins and falls, and helping locate feet correctly after a stop.

+1.

Would I go back to regular pedals, having experienced clipless and having just read that article - even if someone gave me the purchase price of the shoes and pedals back? Nope.

 

[Hacienda71]

The benefit I get from clipless pedals is my feet don't slip off the pedals. They have on normal pedals and I have ended up with grazed legs. I don't buy in to the pedal through the full 360 degrees hype and I think I would be as fast without them. I do like the confidence it gives me out of the saddle sprinting or going up a steep hill though.