black'n'yellow
Guest
Bike size is not relevant to this discussion. It would only be relevant if the issue was upper-body related, which it isn't. Foot position is the most likely cause, possibly because the cleats may be set too far back.
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Bike size is not relevant to this discussion. It would only be relevant if the issue was upper-body related, which it isn't. Foot position is the most likely cause, possibly because the cleats may be set too far back.
on the road
Über Member
Get off your high horse.
black'n'yellow
Guest
what size horse are we talking about..?
Col5632
Guru
- Location
- Cowdenbeath
Maybe he has bought a slightly bigger frame than he needed cause he is only 14 and still growing and feels he will grow into it?
I'm no expert but sounds like a shoe/cleat problem to me
I'm no expert but sounds like a shoe/cleat problem to me
Left one is fine. 
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Hmm ... a friend is 5'10" and rides 56 cm bikes. I am 6' 1" and ride 58s. It is possible that the bike is too big and that is affecting how you have had to set it up for a comfortable reach to the bars. You could try a shorter stem and sitting further back.
This is certainly the a good starting point
Old Plodder
Living at the top of a steep 2 mile climb
- Location
- Surrey/Hants border
Cranks too long?
Should be approx one fifth of leg length. (If the bike is too big for you, so are the cranks, most likely.)
As several people have said, most likely your foot positioning using cleats is wrong.
Ride with ordinary pedals for a while to see how you get on, regarding to pain.
P.S. There should never, normally, be pain in the ball of your foot on any short ride, especially if using proper cycling shoes.
(You might suffer it if you do 100 mile plus rides though.
)
Should be approx one fifth of leg length. (If the bike is too big for you, so are the cranks, most likely.)
As several people have said, most likely your foot positioning using cleats is wrong.
Ride with ordinary pedals for a while to see how you get on, regarding to pain.
P.S. There should never, normally, be pain in the ball of your foot on any short ride, especially if using proper cycling shoes.
(You might suffer it if you do 100 mile plus rides though.
)
black'n'yellow
Guest
so a shorter stem is going to cure his lower leg pain..??
paulw1969
Ridley rider
- Location
- Long Eaton, Notts.
I would agree with what has been said regarding the cleat position.....its difficult to tell from the photo but the cleats do look a little too far back...try moving them forward a little 5 mm at a time say and give it a try.......do a couple of rides on separate days before coming to a decision.........this may be the easiest way to find the reason why you are struggling. I had foot burn when i first went over to road shoes/cleats....tweaked the cleats forward....end of problem.....you may be different....but at least you can try it rule it out if it does not work tand it wont of cost you anything
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
So bike size doesn't make any difference to your legs ... Try doing a century ride on a child's bike then and see if your legs still feel good at the end!
If the bike is too big, then the rider has to sit further forward to reach the bars which means that the knees will be more bent at the top of the pedal stroke than if (s)he could sit further back. A shorter stem would allow the rider to move back, thus reducing the bend in the knee and making other subtle positional changes possible. Ideally, of course - make sure the bike fits!
So, the answer to your question is ... possibly! Experimenting with a shorter stem is a lot easier than buying a new bike.
black'n'yellow
Guest
it's already fairly clear from the pic on page 1 that the bike appears to be a reasonable fit for him - his position is certainly in the ballpark. Assuming you can see the pic and interpret it properly, that kind of obviates the 'shorter stem' comment, no..?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
If you read my first post, you'll see that I don't agree!
black'n'yellow
Guest
what, the post where you said the stem "doesn't look especially long"..?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That's the one. This one in fact ...
So that would be where I said that the knee looked a bit too bent but it was hard to tell for sure from that photo.
And the fact that the stem didn't look especially long meant that it is probably the right size for the frame and a rider who fits it. If however, the bike is too big for this particular rider (which it looks like and and sounds like it might be) then a possible way to improve the fit would be to fit a shorter stem, which should be possible.
Which is what I posted in the first place!
The best possible solution to this problem is to get someone who really knows what they are doing to set the bike up properly for jazloc, and if it turns out to be impossible to get the right position on that one, to advise on a replacement bike that does fit.
The End!
