Quote Originally Posted by Melalvai View Post

My spin class instructor told me to ride knock-kneed, with my knees almost touching the top tube, to provide stability especially during sprints. I had first gotten that same knee pain on the only bike tour I've done (744 miles in 10 days). Then it came up two years later when I joined spin class last month. I am excited that I learned something in spin class that is applicable to road riding!
If someone has inadequate hip stabilizers, they can "borrow" stability by torquing on the internal structures of the knee. (Just like a person can "borrow" stability in standing by locking the internal structures of the knee.)

Can you ask your spin instructor to teach you how to selectively strengthen your deep hip rotator muscles instead?

I often see people after the damage has been done and their knees are toast. They are paying me hundreds of dollars to adjust their bike fit and their riding posture and strengthen their butts; and paying the surgeon thousands of dollars to repair the damage caused by habitually riding knock-kneed.

There is nothing wrong with dropping into knock-knee for extra power and stability when one is in dire straits (racing to clear the intersection before the semi running the red light). It is a valid strategy for extraordinary situations. But that is something the body will do automatically as it pulls out all the stops to save itself.

Riding knock-kneed is not something one should consciously try to attain or sustain.

A strong butt is your knees' best friend!