Knee ache

[ColinJ]

300-500 miles a week with a lot of offroad - that's some commute!

Oh, one other thing - I hurt my right knee when I got my cleat position wrong once. I only got it out by a few degrees but it was enough to force my leg into an unnatural position when I pedalled.

I now use minimum release tension on my pedals and always make sure I have plenty of float either side of my natural foot position. If you have all the float either clockwise or anticlockwise your foot might not be able to move to its comfortable position as you ride.

Are you sure you have your cleats set up correctly?

Actually, you've probably just done your knees in by pedalling thousands of miles offroad in too high a gear in too short a period of time!

 

[RedBike]

I've ridden fixed a fixed gear road bike for over a year without any issue so it don't think it was just the fact that I was pushing a bike gear. Its a combination of a few things.

The MTB is fixed wheel (yep fixed) so I was using way to high a gear.
The rides were VERY hilly and often VERY long. I think the amount of riding and the lack of recovery time is more of an issue than the gear.

I got advised by Cycle-active to drop my saddle an inch or so so that I could get my weight back easier. - Having the saddle lower hurt my knees in the first place. Once hurt they just never recovered.

I've hurt both my knees so this time its not my cleats.

 

[fossyant]

Dropping a saddle by an inch in one go is massive... especially if you are clocking up big miles.

Have you suddenly upped miles and dropped the saddle ? Both could contribute to it.

 

[RedBike]

Dropping a saddle by an inch in one go is massive... especially if you are clocking up big miles.

Have you suddenly upped miles and dropped the saddle ? Both could contribute to it.

I have been slowly upping the miles for a week or two.

I dropped the saddle for the Builth Wells Merida and got knee and leg ache but thought very little of it as the next day my legs were fine and it was to be expected with so many hills.

I had no problems (apart from a lack of power) with the saddle lower just riding for 3/4hrs.

I did a 19hr ride on the MTB with the saddle lower and knackered the knees to the point I was really struggling to even push the bike towards the end.

My knees have never forgiven me for this. A week later, despite several 100+ mile road rides, I thought my knees had recovered so I did a hilly ride on the MTB again. My knees just went half way through the ride. I had to limp (quite literally) back to the car. I haven't been able to walk right (never mind ride) since.

 

[ColinJ]

I think you've got to remember that joints are different things to muscles!

Within reason, muscles obey the principle 'What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger'. That is - as long as you don't actually pull a muscle, working it very hard and then allowing it to recover will lead to it getting stronger.

Some of the ligaments and gubbins around joints may get stronger with exercise, but all a repetitive excessive load on the surface of a joint is going to do is wear it out! Just read about the knees of former soldiers in this thread to see what I mean!

I had to give up running when I started getting twinges in my hips. X-rays confirmed that I had the beginning of osteoarthritis. My father was crippled by it and spent the last 25 years of his life barely able to walk so I'm not taking any chances. Cycling is fine as long as I use low gears and am careful mounting and dismounting the bike.

When you've seen a loved one cringing in pain or taking 20 minutes to get the car out because of mobility problems caused by knackered joints, you start to develop some caution. I'd love to run, but I can't take the risk. Every time I try, my hips hurt for a week.

It's very impressive that anybody can ride a fixedwheel MTB on the sort of terrain we have round here but as far as knees go, I reckon it's an accident waiting to happen. We all feel bullet-proof when we are younger but 15-20 years down the line we start to pay for the indiscretions of youth! I reckon having to use a geared MTB is a small price to pay for still being able to walk...

 

[RedBike]

I've been to see a sports physio. She was something of a miricle worker!

It was like one of those street scams. Guy on crutches drinks a magical drink and then can magically walk again. (although no drink was involved).

I'm still very sore and achy (to be expected) but I can now walk. Whats more there is a chance I will be on the starting line for the 24hr race. I wont be able to ride for all the 24hrs as I will need to keep stopping for long rests and to treat my knees; but at least I might be able to experiance the event.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

jeeezuz!!!!!! i wonder if william hill will take my bet on you buggering up your knees? i don't think the odds would be good. my knee ache freaked me out. i now look after them, i still wanna be commuting in 20 years time. good luck red, i really hope they are ok.

 

[RedBike]

Shaun don't worry I've no plans to do anything really stupid.

To my amazement the physio said I would be alright to race provide I keep stopping to rest and I stop as soon as I feel discomfort. The problem is I don't know if i'm going to feel this discomfort after 10mins or 10hrs.

I'm not quite able to ride just yet but the difference between how the knees feel today and how they felt yesterday is dramatic.

I've got a repeat appointment next friday afternoon to check on the knees. I wont be racing unless I get the all clear. I am also trying to stack the deck in my favour by swapping the singlespeed/fixed wheel rigid mtb for a plush geared full suspension bike.