Pain after Cycling

[kidzer]

Hi folks, last few times i've been out cycling - not long runs, about 10 miles, not been cycling much so far this year - i've encountered pain just above my knees, mainly going up hills, so when im exerting the most effort - I thought it was just regular lactic acid buildup, and would go away eventually.

It has however been a regular thing every time I've cycled this year (and in fact, thinking back that's a fair bit because of my Uni Timetable), and it doesn't really feel like its in the muscle...more where it joins to the bones I guess - my biology isn't great, it could well just be lactic acid but in my experience that's more in the middle of the muscle.

[Lowe]

Sounds like you're working a bit too hard, or not warming up/down properly.

Google for DOMS.

As always though, if the problem persists, see a GP.

[herulach]

Youre either putting too much strain on your joints (i.e. change gear) or your pedaling position isnt right. Do you ride clipless? if so, get your cleats fitted properly (most spesh BG centres will do this). If not, consider getting the specialised BG insoles for your shoes, as they are designed to correct your pedalling action (i have them as one knee sticks in, and the other sticks out as i ride).

[JPreston]

As above, go clipless - SPD's will keep your feet pointing right with a small degree of float and also make your pedalling more efficient.

Also, check your seat height (even if you are out of your seat when you notice the pain, the ~80% of the time you are in it might be whats knackering your knees).

I had bad knees from years of Muay Thai and nothing would fix them until I started cycling everyday. That sorted them right out - I think cycling can often be actually good for your joints as it is non-impacting and flexes them through a good range of movement.

[kidzer]

Yeah, i dont ride with clips justnow...but I dont have cycling shoes either, I just use trainers as its all I have, would proper cycling shoes make a great difference to how my feet/legs are sitting while cycling?

JPreston, what are SPD's? A quick google reveals mentions of them, but no information.

[herulach]

SPDs are shimano clipless pedals, the shoes have little clips on the bottom that fasten your foot to the pedal. Rather usefully, clipless pedals clip you in.

[JPreston]

If I were you I'd get something like the M520's at the top of the page (excellent price from there):

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/acatal...NO_PEDALS.html

You can get combination pedals with a clip on one side and cage on the other - I bought a pair of these at first to get used to clipless but I don't rate them as I spent more time looking down trying to clip into the correct side - better to just go fully clipless, it's much easier.

And then shoes. These are supposed to be good and I had Spesh Sonoma's for a while which were OK but now I have some lurvly carbon-soled ones that make all others pale into insignificance ....but you'll need to think which shoes are best for your particular kind of riding.

You will fall over at a few sets of traffic lights but clipless is well worth persevering with!

[Dorza]

Thats all you need for a good pedal is a nice big pedal platform with a nice grip and a pair of flat bottomed (preferably wide) trainers/cycling trainers that will link with the pedal grips. You don't need to spend a lot either on them; I paid £10 for a pair that I thought would do the job. They look geeky, but they do a flawless job. Also adjust your seat so that your legs get a full stretch when your pedaling. Pedaling up hill when your legs can't fully extend is very bad and puts excess strain on your knees even on the flat it can be a problem.

Just to note:
Something like These = The brown stuff

These or These = The good stuff. I have the cheaper ones and my feet have never ever slipped off those pedals in the 4 years I have been riding with them. If you get those pedals you will be amazed at how your feet never come off them even when your lifting your foot as you pedal. They almost defy the laws of physics .

My personal opinion of cages is that they are very dangerous. If your falling over and haven't got time to do anything about it you'd be lucky to get your feet out of them in time to stop your self falling. Added to this is the fact that if you do fall off your bike there is a high likelihood that you will twist your ankle because they don't come out of the cage as you fall off. I personally hate the things. I haven't used clips so i can't comment on them.

After reading your first post though, I doubt it is anything to do with your pedals. This may not be the case but going on what you said it seems like a classic case of the seat being too low and or being in the wrong gear.

[kidzer]

I read some guides on seat height, stating that an ideal seat height is one where your legs are fully extended when the pedal is right down, so my seat pretty much on the money, I shall see if I can find the right sized allen key and move it down a bit and see how it goes.

Regarding gearing, I went up a hill in the lowest gear today, and it was still sore, I get pain at the back of my lower leg walking up hills, but I think thats down to an odd walking style or suchlike, i've never given much thought to my riding style though, I shall give it a google and see I guess.

Cheers

[herulach]

I read some guides on seat height, stating that an ideal seat height is one where your legs are fully extended when the pedal is right down, so my seat pretty much on the money, I shall see if I can find the right sized allen key and move it down a bit and see how it goes.

Regarding gearing, I went up a hill in the lowest gear today, and it was still sore, I get pain at the back of my lower leg walking up hills, but I think thats down to an odd walking style or suchlike, i've never given much thought to my riding style though, I shall give it a google and see I guess.

Cheers

Your leg should be fully extended with your heel on the pedal, this leaves a slight bend when you have your toe on it that forces you to engage your calf muscles. Its likely to only be an inch or so, but it could be the problem. Failing that go see a physio, i know when i was at uni it was fairly cheap to go to the open clinic.

[JPreston]

I've read (and believe) that a fully extended leg with heel flat on pedal give the absolute maximum height for the seat - any more than that and your hips have to wiggle to reach the bottm of the rotation, which causes back ache. It's OK to go a bit lower if it's more comfortable, but no higher.

Dorza is right about cages, but clipless is OK - not perfectly safe but the benefits definitely outweigh the risks. In a crash, any twisting that could damage an ankle or knee will definitely unclip the cleats first. The worst that can happen on the road is that you forget you are clipped in when pulling up to a halt and the fraction of a second longer it takes to extricate your foot is enough time for you to fall over like a muppet. Off-road is maybe more risky; the other week I went over the handlebars and planted face-first in the ground because i couldn't bail out forwards by standing over the top tube . But going over the bars shouldn't be a risk on roads.

[Konan555]

I've read (and believe) that a fully extended leg with heel flat on pedal give the absolute maximum height for the seat - any more than that and your hips have to wiggle to reach the bottm of the rotation, which causes back ache. It's OK to go a bit lower if it's more comfortable, but no higher.

You also tend to overextend your knees if you go any higher, causing ligament problems.

I've seen plenty of mentions of saddle height, but there's also the position to consider. You can adjust where the saddle sits in the clamp by a air bit. I run my saddle a bit too far back so I can climb in the saddle, but it's not optimal for comfort.

If you're not 100% on clip less, shimano do a milti-release cleat that lets go if you rotate your heal in any direction. If you fall, any yanking will release them. I have a set on the shoes I use for my 'about town' bike but they're utterly terrible off road.