jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
fair comment! I misread it....@jay clock , he says it's not like he is hugely overweight in the OP and correct. He is quite short though
Concerns of an unfit person
- Thread starter tpw123
- Start date
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Hey everyone, thanks for such a large volume of helpful replies. All of you are pointing towards the fit of the bike but I was sure to google that stuff before I started and sorted it out so that my knee is slightly bent when at the bottom of a revolution (using the foot to on the pedal, if that's of any relevance)?
The bike is definitely too big for me altogether, but I cannot afford to replace it, which is why I'm making do with the saddle adjustments, but still feel the pain.
@ColinJ As to the question of wether I could walk 5KM without feeling pain, yes. Or atleast I may feel some slight ache in my calves after walking that distance, but it's nowhere near as severe as the pain I'm describing in this thread that I get in my thighs. It's as if walking is of pedestrian (no pun intended, lol) intensity to me, but the struggle of turning the pedals on my bike when there's anything that even remotely resembles an incline is wearing my legs out like I'm doing squats or something. It's ridiculous.
@screenman On what gears I use, my bike has 3 front gears and 7 back ones, it's an off-road bike rather than a road bike, and I tend to use the 2nd front gear and 3/4th gear for most of my ride... none of it is especially hilly(as far as I'm aware), although it sure feels like it is.
I know ofcourse that poor fit can cause pain, but I just wouldnt expect it to be so sudden and after such little work since poor fit is more of a posture issue, no? So pedalling for a kilometre, even if the fit were somewhat off, shouldn't be leading to my thighs aching and cramping. Seems a bit extreme to be a fit issue, but what do I know?
Just to shed a little light on exactly why I'm concerned, I know an unfit person should and will feel the trials of their physical condition, but the amount of pedalling I have to do before I feel the pain is definitely worrying little. My main concern is that I could have some kind of circulation problem and my muscles are cramping under any kind of load that isn't just very, very low intensity. I intend to ask my doctor before anyone mentions that, it's just I felt I'd also post here.
Thanks, and sorry for my slow response, I forgot I registered and posted if I'm being honest!
The bike is definitely too big for me altogether, but I cannot afford to replace it, which is why I'm making do with the saddle adjustments, but still feel the pain.
@ColinJ As to the question of wether I could walk 5KM without feeling pain, yes. Or atleast I may feel some slight ache in my calves after walking that distance, but it's nowhere near as severe as the pain I'm describing in this thread that I get in my thighs. It's as if walking is of pedestrian (no pun intended, lol) intensity to me, but the struggle of turning the pedals on my bike when there's anything that even remotely resembles an incline is wearing my legs out like I'm doing squats or something. It's ridiculous.
@screenman On what gears I use, my bike has 3 front gears and 7 back ones, it's an off-road bike rather than a road bike, and I tend to use the 2nd front gear and 3/4th gear for most of my ride... none of it is especially hilly(as far as I'm aware), although it sure feels like it is.
I know ofcourse that poor fit can cause pain, but I just wouldnt expect it to be so sudden and after such little work since poor fit is more of a posture issue, no? So pedalling for a kilometre, even if the fit were somewhat off, shouldn't be leading to my thighs aching and cramping. Seems a bit extreme to be a fit issue, but what do I know?
Just to shed a little light on exactly why I'm concerned, I know an unfit person should and will feel the trials of their physical condition, but the amount of pedalling I have to do before I feel the pain is definitely worrying little. My main concern is that I could have some kind of circulation problem and my muscles are cramping under any kind of load that isn't just very, very low intensity. I intend to ask my doctor before anyone mentions that, it's just I felt I'd also post here.
Thanks, and sorry for my slow response, I forgot I registered and posted if I'm being honest!
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Hip Priest
Veteran
I can't help but feel that it's a bike fit issue. When I took up cycling I was 8 years older than you, much heavier than you (still am!) and very unfit, but I never experienced the cramping you describe until I got my first road bike and went out with the saddle too low. It kills the thighs.
A quick stop and a spin of a hex key, and the pain was gone.
Is there any way you could ask a friend or family member to take a photo of you on the bike so we can have a look at your position?
A quick stop and a spin of a hex key, and the pain was gone.
Is there any way you could ask a friend or family member to take a photo of you on the bike so we can have a look at your position?
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
In terms of gears you may be pushing too "big" a gear. If you have three rings in the front and 7 on the back, start off in smallest front and biggest rear. On a flattish road that will feel ridiculously easy. SO change the back one down a couple of cogs. Keeping doing that no further than cog 5 or 6 on the back and aim to be spinning at about 100 pedal revs per min. It may feel like a fast mad pace but is more efficient
Once you get to 5/6 on th back, if you still are spinning like a dervish then change the front gears to the middle ring, and the back to the biggest. see how it feels.
Just count each time one of your feet passes the top. If you are doing say 60rpm you will find it tough. About 85-95rpm should be doable and is more efficient. I liken it to lifting cement. Could you lift 100kg? No, you would be knackered. Not 50, nor 20, even 10 would be tough. 5kg might be comfortable. So use your gears to replicate this. Lifting 5kg 20 times will be much easier than 100kg in one go.
Oh, and pump tyres to the max
Once you get to 5/6 on th back, if you still are spinning like a dervish then change the front gears to the middle ring, and the back to the biggest. see how it feels.
Just count each time one of your feet passes the top. If you are doing say 60rpm you will find it tough. About 85-95rpm should be doable and is more efficient. I liken it to lifting cement. Could you lift 100kg? No, you would be knackered. Not 50, nor 20, even 10 would be tough. 5kg might be comfortable. So use your gears to replicate this. Lifting 5kg 20 times will be much easier than 100kg in one go.
Oh, and pump tyres to the max
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Dusty Bin
Guest
you were doing fine, until you typed that.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Well, if you can walk ok then you should be able to do moderate cycling without it hurting the way it is!
If it feels too hard, I don't understand why you are only using the middle gears? I suggest that you try what jay clock suggested a couple of posts back.
How straight is your leg when the pedal on that side is at the bottom of its stroke?
If it feels too hard, I don't understand why you are only using the middle gears? I suggest that you try what jay clock suggested a couple of posts back.
How straight is your leg when the pedal on that side is at the bottom of its stroke?
The reason I was using the middle gears is because I read that it's actually better in the long run to keep your cadence between 60-75RPM by gear-shifting according to the incline/decline of the surface, rather than using a lower gear and just going mental on the pedals, as in "most efficient in terms of energy spent", but I guess it's more of a case of efficiency in terms of speed for someone who feels comfortable with the difficulty?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Hmm ... I usually pedal between 80 and 100 rpm! I think your low cadence isn't helping you. If you were to use a gear that lets you ride at the same speed at 90 rpm as you are doing currently at 60 rpm, then you would only be exerting 2/3 of the force on the pedals, which would certainly be easier on your leg muscles.
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
The 65-75 sounds wrong. Current thinking is around 90-100rpm. I cycle thousands of km per year and I would have hurting thighs if I did it at 60-75rpm. 60 means a full second to bring the foot round. I did a turbo session today which had some stuff like that and it hurts like hell
Try spinning faster
Try spinning faster
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Not quite. Current magazine bollocks is 90-100 RPM because "Lance did it". In the real world, your cadence should be in a range you find comfortable. Not every rider can grind and not every rider can spin.
Here's an example
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jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
The guy is in pain at 65-70. Try a little faster and see what happens
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
This absolutely.
Pedal at the rate you feel most comfortable with and it'll likely be the most efficient for you. Ditch the computer and training schedules and just get out and pedal for the fun of it. The fitness will come quite rapidly.
Bike fit though sounds like it may be a bigger issue. A poorly fitting bike really works against you.
Dusty Bin
Guest
Cadence - schmadence. No point trying to force yourself to pedal at an artificial rate. Your natural cadence will change as your fitness improves, so just go with it.
