Over done it..?

[Chrisc]

Furthest I've managed so far is 16 miles last weekend so this Sat I managed to get out but the wind was so horrendous I could hardly make progress and ended up back home after ten hilly miles feeling a bit miffed that I'd regressed.
Sunday weather was also horrendous but brightened up enough to get out after dinner. After twelve miles and faced with a six mile climb back home my right knee started to twinge a little. After another few miles of 8% hill it was twinging a lot and through the last two I could barely pedal with the right leg and was in agony by the time I limped in.
Feels like the ligament on the outside of the knee has taken some stick. Bike is set up OK, cleats at the dangle angle and seat height, fore/aft OK so I'm hoping it's just my ambition exceeding my physical capability and that a week off the bike will sort things out so I can go out again next weekend.
Maybe time to finally admit to myself that I'm not twenty any more...

 

[solmisation]

Hopefully your knee will be better after a rest, but be careful when you get back out riding, if your knee starts hurting again back off and take it easy. Maybe get it checked out by your doctor.

 

[leosayer]

ChrisC,

I had the same thing around my knee. I think I was trying to run before I could walk. Rested it a few days and then took it easy and built up the miles.

No pain at all now in the knees.

Hot baths helped my pain :-)

Good luck

 

[zacklaws]

>>>Bike is set up OK, cleats at the dangle angle and seat height, fore/aft OK<<<

If I understand your new to cycling by saying that you have only managed 16 miles, I find it questionable that you may think that everything is set up OK on your bike. If something was set up wrong, unless it was a major error, then you would not start to notice a smaller error till you have done a fair bit of distance and this is maybe what is happening. Sometimes it can take up to 30+ miles before I have started getting twinges from an incorrect set up and sometimes less than 5 miles

I have two bikes with exactly the same geometry but they are both set up different for some unknown reason. My newest one I am still struggling to get the set up right and I have only one small problem to solve now, my right knee at the front and it also only starts after I have been pushing hard uphill or into the wind. My next ride out will involve just altering the cleat slightly as I have tried all saddle options to date.

What I find usefull and have now adopted as my usual practise is to carry a small dictaphone with me, and record how I feel at 10, 20, 30 miles etc and at what point I run into problems and what I was doing. Also I carry an allen key so on the ride I can make small adjustments to the saddle etc and record that alteration and how I felt afterwards. If I make any alterations then when I get home I measure them with a ruler and stick that in my notes afterwards which I make.

What I suggest is, do similar, carry an allen key, and just make slight adjustments, as I have found a milimetre can make a big difference.

According to a book in front of me, pain on the outside of the knee is caused by:-
1. Toes pointing inwards.
2. Excessive float in pedals.
3. Feet too close together.

So it sounds like just altering your cleat slightly may improve things

 

[Chrisc]

>>>Bike is set up OK, cleats at the dangle angle and seat height, fore/aft OK<<<

If I understand your new to cycling by saying that you have only managed 16 miles, I find it questionable that you may think that everything is set up OK on your bike. If something was set up wrong, unless it was a major error, then you would not start to notice a smaller error till you have done a fair bit of distance and this is maybe what is happening. Sometimes it can take up to 30+ miles before I have started getting twinges from an incorrect set up and sometimes less than 5 miles

I have two bikes with exactly the same geometry but they are both set up different for some unknown reason. My newest one I am still struggling to get the set up right and I have only one small problem to solve now, my right knee at the front and it also only starts after I have been pushing hard uphill or into the wind. My next ride out will involve just altering the cleat slightly as I have tried all saddle options to date.

What I find usefull and have now adopted as my usual practise is to carry a small dictaphone with me, and record how I feel at 10, 20, 30 miles etc and at what point I run into problems and what I was doing. Also I carry an allen key so on the ride I can make small adjustments to the saddle etc and record that alteration and how I felt afterwards. If I make any alterations then when I get home I measure them with a ruler and stick that in my notes afterwards which I make.

What I suggest is, do similar, carry an allen key, and just make slight adjustments, as I have found a milimetre can make a big difference.

According to a book in front of me, pain on the outside of the knee is caused by:-
1. Toes pointing inwards.
2. Excessive float in pedals.
3. Feet too close together.

So it sounds like just altering your cleat slightly may improve things

Thanks for the replies! I am a beginner as you rightly spotted. I have toes pointing in the direction my feet dangle which is slightly out and when I say set up right I mean as near to the recommendations as poss that I found online. Knee over pedal spindle and leg straight with the heel on the pedal etc. I've already moved my right cleat in to get that foot further out on the pedal and dropped the saddle 5mm but I'm not going to ride again this week to let this heal as best it can. Will have to take it very easy when I go out next but it's either full on uphill or flat out down from my house, no level rides at all which may also be a contribting factor although I've been steadily building up distance and thought it was going OK.
Interesting to hear that a small error can cause problems after longer distances which is what I've experienced but thought it was just down to trying to go twice as far as usual in too short a time.
I'll stick a 4mm key in my pocket!

 

[I am Spartacus]

According to a book in front of me, pain on the outside of the knee is caused by:-
1. Toes pointing inwards.
2. Excessive float in pedals.
3. Feet too close together.

So it sounds like just altering your cleat slightly may improve things

Sorry to burst your bubble about yer book, but heel out / toe in, is the way I ride and have ridden for years

 

[Chrisc]

Sorry to burst your bubble about yer book, but heel out / toe in, is the way I ride and have ridden for years

If your feet naturally point that way that's fine apparently. Mine point out a bit, like a duck!

 

[zacklaws]

Here's a link to a website, probably one of many where you might find the info you require, your problem will come under "lateral"

http://www.cptips.com/knee.htm

>>>Sorry to burst your bubble about yer book, but heel out / toe in, is the way I ride and have ridden for years<<<

And after you have berated me, you better advise the owner of the above mentioned website they have it wrong too along with every other web site and book too.

But what works for one may not work for another, I for example used to ride with my right knee moving outwards for years but finally got it to come almost straight eventually, but the problem was caused originally many years ago riding my bike with my fishing rod holdall strapped to the right side of my top tube which over a long period of time made it become a natural way of riding and that might be why now I still cannot get it right for that knee on my new bike yet on my other two road bikes I have no problem with.

 

[Chrisc]

Thanks again. I've made some adjustments but won't get out till the weekend assuming the knee recovers sufficiently anyway. I'll be taking it easy as far as possible but out the front door it's either straight up a hill or down another, nothing flat to try it out on!

 

[BentMikey]

I would think that first off you'd want to check your bike setup, and specifically the cleat angles. Secondly, I reckon it probably is a case of too much riding too soon. Keep going with little and often, and only increase distance/intensity very gradually to avoid injury. I'd be going up hills as slowly as possible and with very little power output if I'd had recent knee problems.

10 windy miles can be equal to rather more mileage in better conditions.

 

[Chrisc]

I would think that first off you'd want to check your bike setup, and specifically the cleat angles. Secondly, I reckon it probably is a case of too much riding too soon. Keep going with little and often, and only increase distance/intensity very gradually to avoid injury. I'd be going up hills as slowly as possible and with very little power output if I'd had recent knee problems.

10 windy miles can be equal to rather more mileage in better conditions.

Cheers! I'm definitely going as slowly as possible up the hills!
Just found this which tells me that the first thing to do if you have knee probs is to set the cleats further back to reduce the leverage that the pedal can exert on the knee joint. Currently got them as far forward as poss and under the ball of the foot so that might be my next tweak.
I'll get it eventually!

http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/pedalfaq.htm

 

[I am Spartacus]

>>>Sorry to burst your bubble about yer book, but heel out / toe in, is the way I ride and have ridden for years<<<

And after you have berated me, you better advise the owner of the above mentioned website they have it wrong too along with every other web site and book too.

I weren't berating you...
in the words of Neil Young when asked about singing off key ...
"it's my style , man"

some books are written just to make money....

 

[Chrisc]

Tentative ride out yesterday trying to find somewhere flattish to try my knee out. Five miles and ok. Ten today with hills and still ok. Looking down at my right leg pedalling it was hanging out right. Concentrated on keeping it straight up and down and felt better. Also moved cleats back and out. Much better. Still going to take it easy for a bit.

 

[BentMikey]

Good to hear!!

 

[snorri]

A 16 mile trip in good weather conditions is quite a long distance for a beginner or someone returning to cycling.
I t might help you just to get out on the bike more frequently for shorter trips rather than pushing your limits every time.