Knees

[Tel]

Oh my aching knees!

I've had a fair few years out of the saddle and have recently started commuting to work, it's only a 3 mile round trip so not very demanding I do this 5 days a week.

My bike is set up so my leg is straight when the heel is on the pedal and so that my knee is over the ball of my foot when the pedals are horizontal, although I will check this with picture evidence tomorrow.

I'm riding single speed 36x14t on 28c tyres which gives a gear of about 68"ish which I spin reasonably well.

My knees have actually been playing me up for a few years, they creak and pop and the year before last I thought that I had cartilage problems but it turned out to be an abscess. After a couple of weeks rest it was fine. I've put my knee problems down to my martial arts practice over the last 25 years.

So is it just because I'm new in the saddle again? I'm looking to convert my bike to fixed this weekend using the same gear but I have read a couple of things stating that this is bad for your knees too and the last thing I want is more aggravation. I've also read that this is bollox.

 

[montage]

Hmmm, saddle could be too low? That heel flat on the pedal thing did not work for me, I have just been proffessionally fitted due to knee pain and my saddle was nearly 2cm too low!

Also, uphills can put alot of pressure on your knees if you sit down and grind, getting out the saddle will relieve the pressure off your knees (at least it will do if this knee pain is a saddle problem) and is better for them in the long run.

Though the fact you have knee problems outside of cycling means that my advice could be completely none applicable.


Hope it works out for you

 

[jayce]

I done my saddle height by my heel to the bottom stroke and leg slightly bent as i was having cramp so my saddle was too high when my leg was fully straight at bottom stroke

 

[Hont]

I take it you're using cleats? First thing I would recommend is moving them back as far as you can (i.e. towards the heel) as this is generally the kindest position for knees.

 

[Tynan]

iffy knees and fixed?

 

[4F]

I did my cruciate and medial ligaments through playing football and gave up rather than wait the 9 months for the operation on the NHS. For the last 2 months I have been riding fixed and I have actually noticed that it has improved muscle strength a lot and my knee has felt the best it has done for years

 

[jimboalee]

A very good excuse to own more than three bikes is :-

They will never be identical ( although similar seat position ) and if you get out on all of them regularly, your knees will adapt to a range of riding positions.

Having just one bike leads to a situation where the knees adapt and develop to suit only one riding position.

 

[02GF74]

^^^^ wooo hoooo - that is the best justification I've come across for owning several bikes!

 

[jimboalee]

^^^^ wooo hoooo - that is the best justification I've come across for owning several bikes!

You could re-adjust the seat and bars on a regular basis to vary the position by 5mm or so, but its easier to punch in four PIN numbers.

 

[ChrisKH]

A lot of this has to be taken as potential guidance; I have dodgy knees. Yet they prefer me to have the cleats mid to forward rather than at the back, and, my leg is straight on extension (no slight bend) without rolling my hips. I also prefer to do hills out of the saddle, which my surgeon told me was worse than sitting. Without doubt, the most effective cycling tip for my knees is plain old spinning; make your cardiovascular system do the work the knees would otherwise have to do.

 

[yenrod]

Tel - id do some swimming convalescence.

 

[montage]

A lot of this has to be taken as potential guidance; I have dodgy knees. Yet they prefer me to have the cleats mid to forward rather than at the back, and, my leg is straight on extension (no slight bend) without rolling my hips. I also prefer to do hills out of the saddle, which my surgeon told me was worse than sitting. Without doubt, the most effective cycling tip for my knees is plain old spinning; make your cardiovascular system do the work the knees would otherwise have to do.

How is being out of the saddle worse for your knees?...surely it is better for them (This is what I was told anyhow)

 

[Ludwig]

If you work on your upper body strength this will absorb lots of the stresses and strains which cause knee problems. Also learn to ride very much on your toes in a much more fluid action.

 

[byegad]

Gears and a freewheel will help.

 

[Cedric]

I'm no veteran, having only commuted on a daily basis for a year now, but I also have bad knees from martial arts exercises. My knees always ached by the end of the week. I actually found that lowering my saddle a fraction helped me to spin more easily. Also ankling seems to take the pressure off the knees a bit, but I understand that that's a controversial subject. Gears definately help a lot too!