newbie problems with my knees

[Smotyn]

Hi all and thanks for reading.

I am the proud owner of a trek nico dual sport, I have clipless shoes and I am totally bitten by the bug.i havent ridden seroiusly in over twenty years! I am riding to work as often as I can manage 3 - 4 miles there and back. Also I am in training for the tame ride 58 miler in july for the make a wish foundation I have lost half a stone so far but am still only just the good side of twenty stone so still have a way to go lol my problem is my knees I didnt have a problem with them before I started riding and now they are at time excruciatingly painful. I have moved my clips seat and handlebars to try and help and I am stretching my thighs out as ften as I can. I am now staying in lower gears to reduce the stress and try to increase my cadence. I am getting a proper bike set up done on saturday but would appreciate anyones thoughts on anything else I can do. My knees dont particularly hurt when I am riding but I really do feel when I am not.

Thanks for reading and look forward to all your advice and tips.

Tracey

 

[Crackle]

This is long but worth a read and if it doesn't help solve it, it will give you a good insight into possible causes

http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

 

[vickster]

Welcome and well done on the cycling

In terms of knees, check the height of the seat, when clipped in and foot at bottom of pedal stroke, your knee should be slightly bent, not straight nor very bent

Also check the angle of the cleats on the shoes. I have seen others suggest to sit on a kitchen counter and let your legs dangle. The angle of your feet on the pedals should replicate how they are positioned when dangling

I would suggest good quad, calf, glute stretches after you finish cycling - youtube will show you how to do these

Well done on the weight loss, will help the knees no end. I have a bad left knee and putting weight on p*sses it off no end!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Tracey.
Just keep cycling, I used to get pain in my right knee, still do but it's cause was an old injury, I haven't made major changes, just subtle ones over time as my fitness as increased, but I have found that the increased fitness and muscle building has helped with the pain.
With the weight loss (well done), and the increase in your fitness, most aches will go away, you can't expect to start cycling after 20 years and it be painless, when my particular pain struck as it did most rides and sometimes two or three times I just did what you do lower gears and ease up a little it passed and I could continue, as I said it still happens but not very often, though I can still feel where it would, but I now have the muscle strength to cope with it better.

 

[Globalti]

Congratulations on your determination. Knee pain can be caused by several factors as others have pointed out. I believe joint pain generally can also be caused by the simple fact that as your muscles gain strength, it takes the skeletal system longer to catch up with handling the stresses. When I started road riding I suffered pain in several odd areas but am pleased to report that it has all cleared up.

 

[Smotyn]

Thank you for your comments and advice I will stick at it and hope things improve will keep you posted x

 

[sleaver]

I hope no one minds me jumping in, but I've also recently started using clip less pedals and have got knee pains. Would anyone recommend the following that I found on YouTube?


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y3rnaGUnWQ


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ergon-Pedal-Cleat-Shimano-Cleats/dp/B0039TJYO2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1

It's my left knee and I feel like I need to turn my heel in and toes out while clipped in. Also, before clip less, I naturally put the arch of my foot over the pedal and it's now obviously the ball, so I'm wondering if I also need to move the saddle back.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Your foot should have the ball over the pedal axle. Having the arch over the pedal axle would cause stress on your foot. Pedals are designed nowadays to have "float". They also should allow you to set up your cleats with a toe-out or toe-in configuration, so your feet are in the same position viv-a vis each other as when you are walking. This keeps you from having your feet locked in a position where your knees can't cope with the unnatural tension enforced on them.

 

[Boon 51]

A good bike fit will work wonders plus a bit of extra exercise will help too..
Oh and well done from me.