Over the last few weeks I have been struggling with knee pain in my left leg associated with mountain biking. When I first started riding mountain bikes like any other newbie mountain bike rider, flat pedals was the way to go. As I got deeper into riding and pushed myself much harder I made the transition to clipped/cleats.
When I first started using cleats getting them set up for me was a pain in the butt. But however, when the set up job was complete my riding seamed to improve 100%.
I never suffered with knee pain for a least 2 years of using cleats. So when the pain struck, I was completely taken aback by it and I could not fathom out how and what would sort it!
After lots of cusses and tantrums I decided to go back to flat pedals, this was a bold move as I did not know how this would effect my riding. To my amazement my speed did not decline, but efficiency did. I found that my left foot would move outwards whilst road riding, and both feet would not stay on the pedals over rough ground. Again lots of cusses and tantrums followed,,,OMG, "I sound like a 5 year old!"
My pain in my left knee has gone since using flat pedals and now I find myself at a crossroads with which route to take,,, I could get a pair of "Five ten high shoes" As these would keep my feet glued to the pedals, so they say! The reason I say Five ten high is because they would give me some ankle support and stop me from rolling my feet.
The other route would be to go back to cleats, but with my DX shoe and pedal combi! So far I have tested the DX route due to the fact that I already have them in my possession and the Five tens cost £75. Not a route I'm prepared to take whilst I'm on a 3 day a week at work!
Yesterday I went out on my full susser with the DX combi fitted. I had the cleats all the way back on the shoe and my seat quite high. I spent about half an hour riding leisurely before feeling pain in my left knee again, so I stopped and went home!
When I got back home I decided to move the left cleat nose out which should result in my heel inward toward the chain stay. I found this relieved the pain whilst shifting my left foot inside the shoe, and when I was using flat pedals I found that my left foot would point toes outward naturally anyway. This felt weird as it feels like I am stomping on the left pedal and my right leg is just doing no work!
As things stand, my plan is to go out again today and see if any more pain occurs. If more pain occurs then I will ditch the cleats forever and buy a pair of Five ten high shoes instead! But then again it's my birthday in June so all the ear ache I have caused and dropping "Five ten high shoes" in there too, may get me a pair! We never really grow up do we?? ;-)
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However, due to high levels of spam all comments are subject to moderation and comments will not be published that are:
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Skipratt's mountain bike blog seeks to encourage readers to leave their comments and allows a link back to sites that participate.
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This blog is all about my life… my life of mountain biking and ideas I’ve acquired through the years. As an average everyday mountain biker, the learning doesn’t stop. I try to feed my mind in my own little way by writing and promoting this blog. I would like to share what I have learned through this blog with you. Let this blog be an additional resource for your mountain bike needs, and maybe you'll find some much needed ideas you may not have given much thought to before.
My name is Paul Walton, an engineer slave and spare time mountain biker/blogger. Blogging about mountain bikes has become and undying passion, spending most weekends and afternoons on the internet blogging. As well as riding bikes, writing about it also is what I love to do.
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11 responses to "Mountain bike knee pain"
I have been using flatform ever since, and I haven't tried cleats, and I never had such knee pain experience. Sir have you ever known of
Kinesis and tried one? What can you say about their DJ's?
where is the pain in the knee ? do you spin a low gear or churn a high one ? you might be over or under extending it .
The pain is right across my knee cap, I use to use big gears all the time but decided to try pedalling faster at a lower cadence.
Today I went out for a ride and got on better than yesterday with a few minor adjustments to both cleats. I found that I moved the left cleat the wrong way so moved it in the opposite direction. This help but did not feel quite right and made me feel like I was stomping on the left pedal. So I decided to move the right cleat the same way as the left. which solved the problem! The only other adjustment I have made since getting back was to move my saddle back slightly and nose down a little.
All though I have no pain, I do get niggle warning type feelings in both knee's. But I'm OK with it for now. I have switched my DX pedals over to my Scott hard-tail to test that bike out,, WOW, the weight difference with doing that!
I am seriously thinking flats and High ten's for both bikes!!!
Aerrox, I own a Kinesis maxlight XC, last years model but gave it my nephew. Kinesis is a good frame as it can be built up in to pretty much anything. With the right size frame of course!. They are strong but not light and handle really well on single track and the down hills too, but climbing was a bit of a bummer, it never felt good enough!
I am not sure what you mean by dj's!! Are talking dirt jump? If so, I'm sorry I have no idea as I'd bloody kill myself with a jump bike. :-)
175mm cranks ?
as the pain isnt in a certain area of the knee it sounds like its general pain from moving quicker than what it would be used to . if you could get a decent go on 170s it might help with spinning a high cadence . you might have a slighly different range of motion in your left leg than the right that is only becoming noticeable at high revs with your feet locked into position ( my right heel rotates out slightly ) when your happy that the pain is subsiding maybe think about doing squats to strengthen and stabalise the knee
I'm not sure on the cranks size I have now, but it sounds like good advice. As for moving quicker being cause of pain I'd say you are probably right as it all started when I changed from low to high and also when I made adjustments to the cleats!
Thanks perry much appreciated!
thanx sir Paul, I had a personal look on the frame and it is a dual slalom frame, the KD 415 and KD 515, any of your friends in MTBing used this frames?
I have the links of the frames at my latest post at my MTB blog
http://aerox-mountainbiking.blogspot.com
I have had knee pain as well. Played a lot of Volley Ball in my younger days and thought it might be volley ball knee. Started wearing a knee sock/brace, a neoprene jobby, and doesn't bother me any more.
However, recently after spending a week spinning, a full weekend of riding, and another week of spinning, most times wearing the brace, my knee was bothering me. Went to the saw bones, got an MRI and found I have something from birth. Doc said I could have a procedure or get on with it. Chose the latter.
I would get it checked it. Use that free socialized medical system you have there in the UK and find out what's the cause of the pain. You could have problems with your meniscus, which happened to a friend of mine.
Not sure it was that serious as I have now solved the problem, touch wood!! I opted for the DX pedal and shoe. Pulled the cleats on both shoes all the way back and pointed the cleats outward so my heals are inward, think that's right, not sure without looking LOL... No more knee pain though to date, but 4 days in Cannock chase this weekend will say for sure!!
As for the free medical system here in the UK,, Ibuphophen!!!
A meniscus injury can also cause knee pain. The meniscus is a “C” shaped piece of cartilage which helps the bones glide past each other. Miniscal tears can occur in a golfer when a flexed knee puts excessive torch on the meniscus causing a tear.
Chris
Knee Pain Explained Here
Again this sounds like a problem that could be effecting me due to the fact that I only feel it whilst riding. I do not use cleats now as the pain returned, so I opted for flat pedals instead.
Sometimes I get a dull ache but because I'm not locked in I have more range of movement on the pedals. I have recently found out that my posture is very poor and find myself slouched to one side and putting more torque on my left leg than on my right!!
It would also seem I have more muscle mass on my left leg than what I do on my right. So I have tried to focus a lot on single leg pedaling, this is quiet difficult with flat pedals.
Thanks for your comment mkoutsoukos...