cramps in legs

[Pearl]

Today, I get cramps in legs during biking. How can I solve this problem. Warm up before riding not much help.

 

[smokeysmoo]

I don't know the answer, (if indeed there is one), but maybe try moving around more on the bike.

Stand up, sit down, shift weight on saddle etc, etc, and if you use cleats maybe check their positioning.

 

[PradaMTB]

I get cramp when i have too much or not enough salt in my diet, find the instep of my foot gets cramp when in the cold and damp too, not much you can do, the fittest people get cramp. I feel for you though, its one of the worst pains and always occurs in public when you have to make a scene haha!

 

[Specialeyes]

Where in the legs is the cramp? If it's in your calves (at the back, below the knee) then dehydration may well be the cause, so make sure you keep hydrated - even during colder weather. (and I think the mods might want to move the thread to a more appropriate subforum)

 

[Cycling2Live]

Hydration is extremely important. You didn't say how long or hard you were riding. Muscle fatigue can also be a cause.

 

[montage]

Where in the legs is the cramp? If it's in your calves (at the back, below the knee) then dehydration may well be the cause, so make sure you keep hydrated - even during colder weather. (and I think the mods might want to move the thread to a more appropriate subforum)

A high saddle is more likely to cause cramp than dehydration.

 

[ColinJ]

A high saddle is more likely to cause cramp than dehydration.

¿Que?

 

[montage]

¿Que?

Basing this from a lot of readings and research into Steve Hoggs and other high end bike fitters. Most people tend to have their saddles too high, causing pointed toes and rocking hips. Pointing your toes down is often a sign of a high saddle. The strain this puts the calves under is considerable, and a proper saddle height can eliminate the issue of cramping calves.

 

[ColinJ]

Basing this from a lot of readings and research into Steve Hoggs and other high end bike fitters. Most people tend to have their saddles too high, causing pointed toes and rocking hips. Pointing your toes down is often a sign of a high saddle. The strain this puts the calves under is considerable, and a proper saddle height can eliminate the issue of cramping calves.

Hmm .. I notice far more riders with their saddles too low. I saw a man the other day riding along with his knees sticking way out as he pedalled.

Having said that, I might try lowering my saddle a few mm - I realised the other day that I am pedalling slightly toes down.

 

[montage]

Hmm .. I notice far more riders with their saddles too low. I saw a man the other day riding along with his knees sticking way out as he pedalled.

Having said that, I might try lowering my saddle a few mm - I realised the other day that I am pedalling slightly toes down.

It is worth giving Steve Hoggs a google, he has some great philosophies on bike fit, John Cobb is another famous fitter.

 

[ColinJ]

It is worth giving Steve Hoggs a google, he has some great philosophies on bike fit, John Cobb is another famous fitter.

I don't know what it is with Steve Hoggs' website but my Opera Browser doesn't like it! It gets stuck in an endless loop of loading and reloading without actually displaying the page. I'll try Firefox ...

 

[ColinJ]

Ah, it loads fine in FF. I will bookmark the site and check it out later.

I often get quite a lot of back pain and a stiff neck on hard hilly rides so I could do with trying to work out what is going on.

 

[Fab Foodie]

There's a lot of crap talked about cramp and it's causes - hydration, electrolytes yadda yadda. Most of it it is irrelevant, the real causes are poorly known, but cramp is often associated with poor general condition and over exertion, hence there are a lot of cramp questions early season and few late on.

The point about toe down riding is valid though as you are over exerting the calf muscle.

 

[ColinJ]

I might try lowering my saddle a few mm - I realised the other day that I am pedalling slightly toes down.

It was difficult comparing positions on my 2 road bikes because they have different saddles and I use different pedal systems on them, but it did feel that the saddle was slightly high on my Cannondale compared to my Basso. I lowered the former's saddle by about 5 mm and have ridden about 45 miles since then. It is amazing how much difference that small change made! I don't get that feeling of stretching down with my toes now.

 

[tyred]

I would say it's just not being as fit as you could be - for me at least.

If I have been riding regularly, I never have cramps.

If I haven't been out on the bike much, I will probably end up taking cramps if I go for a long ride, and especially so if I ride fixed wheel.