Knee Pain

David Justice

Is there a real good way to set up seat position on a Mountain Bike? I've been riding many years and can't seem to get the pain worked out of my right knee. It hurts right in the front of the knee. I ride hard and have a habit of staying in higher gears. Even when clinbing I often stay in the higher gears and stand up and hammer. The way I have been doing the set up is to sit in the saddle and with the peddles at mid position I take a plumb bob and set the front of my knee to just in front of my peddle axel. Is this wrong?

devon inbred

it might not be you riding position, the first clue is when you say you are pushing big gears all the time, i used to be a cog masher and spent 6 months in physio putting my knee back together so pick a gear lower and learn to spin the gears especialy up hills, you will find your speed and fitness will increase, also try long deep stretches of your legs this will help reduce the tension on the muscle groups.

hope this helps

__________________
Simon K

An hour in the woods cures a day in the office!

SteveDel

from experience, definitely use the gears! That's what they're for!
At 50 yrs of age, I have managed to keep my fitness up and to maintain a right knee with no anterior cruciate ligament, through commuter riding (hard) on a daily basis. The gears have taken the strain of the knee, but allowed lots of movement, and with the addition of the strapless toe-clips on the pedals, I get to pull up as well as push, which is the optimum movement for knee exercise. Your set-up is also fairly right. I have found that at full extension - when pedal is at bottom of rotation, the leg has a slight kink, (about same as when you lift heel from floor but keep toes on ground when standing). This allows flex and takes a lot of the repetetive strain from the joint. Toe clips also help here.

Keep on rolling!

David Justice

Thanks for all the advice. I think my problem may be to much pressure from overgearing. I'll work on that.

MOkokopelli

Also check cleat position...

I can get knee pain from various sources. Luckily for me, I've found them. I have to set my right cleat position so that my heel almost touches the chainstay on the pedalstroke, otherwise I get kneepain. Lateral stress on the leg during the pedal stroke can be painful to many people. Check all sources.

Good luck.