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After tips or recommendations.
In Feb moved from a Soul HT to a T130. I run Spds and always will and the new geometry places me further forward compared with the bb than previously. I've spent many hours trying to tweak my cleat position to get it perfect, but it's not right still.
Several months on I'm now getting dull ache beneath both knees for a number of days after every ride. I don't want to kill my joints so considered bike fit, but previous experience is that it's road, aerodynamic and efficiency focused. Possibly not why I need.
Thoughts?
Try sliding the saddle back or a layback post to see if it is the steeper seat post angle?
Ta, saddle is about a far back as it can reasonably go and it's an inline dropper.
ommmmmm
nothing's going to change my world...
da da da da da da da,
nothings's going to change my world...
Knee guru needed...
(sorry, heard Across the Universe the other night. Saddle too low makes my knees hurt when I don't undrop fast enough. Less of an issue since I moved to flats not that that's any help either. If I was talented I'd make that rhyme.)
I too have glass knees.
I have my saddle as far forward as it will go (on a Sherpa and on Trance 29er).
Too high or too low and I get the knee pain you describe. I also have to angle the saddle just so (just a bit down - too low at the front and I get knee pain, too high and I get numb nuts).
Are you sure you aren't having to twist your feet with the cleats not aligned correctly?
I also read on a roadie forum years ago (I used to ride long audaxes so care about these things) that the cure to knee pain was to move the cleat back a nadger.
Never done a bike fit but was under the impression that it just tells you what you already know. Good luck.
Is your seat height lower than it used to be ? I got patellar tendinosis with this,3 months of decline squats before I was pain free.People occasionally tell me my saddle is too high,and look worried when I laugh.This is worth a read https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitness/cycling-knee-pain-everything-you-need-to-know-329957 .
I too have knee problems but these are due to numerous injuries and a lot of running with little stretching. I’m almost 50 and quite time poor these days, whereas in my youth I was a cycling coach.
I have my saddle as far forward as it will go (on a Sherpa and on Trance 29er).
Too high or too low and I get the knee pain you describe. I also have to angle the saddle just so (just a bit down – too low at the front and I get knee pain, too high and I get numb nuts).
By pushing your seat forward on the rails you’re effectively steepening your seat tube angle compared to a seat pushed back. This will put a lot of pressure through your knees. People who do this also tend to pedal toes down which is relatively inefficient.
It sounds like you have your seat slightly too high; you’re lowering the tip to compensate this, because to have it level puts pressure on your balls. The effect is that It also feels like you have something to “drive” against but in reality it’s very inefficient as you’re. It recruiting as much muscle as you could be.
Are you able to sit and spin a light gear without slipping forward and constantly readjusting, or do you always have them urge to “push on a bit”? It’s like you’re “on the rivet” all of the time. I did a bike fit for a triathlete quite a few years ago. Her saddle was pretty much exactly what you’re describing. She followed the advice of a former (male) pro cyclist but was in pain and couldn’t last a full distance without tears. She had a very low at the front “dynamic” position on the bike but it was clearly all wrong for her. I went to a race and videoed her and played it back. Her seat was about 1” too high; she couldn’t just sit with her weight on her sitting bone (ischium) and spin because all the pressure was far forward and on her lady bits. She lowered the seat, levelled it off and sat slightly more upright. We adjusted her bar height and found that although she looked and felt less aero, she was significantly quicker and could now last the distance without tears.
Try lowering your seat slightly then making the seat a bit more level. Each adjustment effects the other so experiment. Also if you move your saddle back a smidgen in the rails it’ll help you recruit your big glute muscles. All biomechanics. When spinning imagine driving your legs forward (focus slightly on dipping your heels a touch to exaggerate the feel).
Are you sure you aren’t having to twist your feet with the cleats not aligned correctly?
Good thing to check that is. I was a mega faffer and often got this wrong.
I also read on a roadie forum years ago (I used to ride long audaxes so care about these things) that the cure to knee pain was to move the cleat back a nadger.
Helps to “drive through” when pedalling. And drop the seat slightly. I used to find people “tip toe” pedalling when their seat was too high. They’d then push the seat forward to try and compensate (shorten the overall distance). Again, they virtually lost the use of their glutes. I’m also speaking from personal experience here. My arse muscles (mainly glutes and piriformis) pretty much switched off. Imagine walking around in too small shoes on tip toes. Your knees do all the work. That was me on a road bike..!
Never done a bike fit but was under the impression that it just tells you what you already know. Good luck.
Obviously depending on who you visit you’d be surprised what you’ll learn. I’d recommend it any day if it’s something you’re interested in & feel you’d benefit.
Thanks all, will have another look at the saddle hight later. I'd taken it from the Soul, which I'm very comfortable on.
Shorter cranks?
By pushing your seat forward on the rails you’re effectively steepening your seat tube angle compared to a seat pushed back.
On my Sherpa and Trance, with my saddle pushed forward it is still far behind the bottom bracket compared to my touring bike (Surly Disc Trucker) and Inbred.
Not too sure what saddle position tells you here other than seat post angles have changed compared to bikes I've ridden for hundreds of thousands of miles.