Knee pain and saddle position

[Cataboo]

I'm pretty sure I need one of my cleats adjusted too. I feel like it's forcing my left knee into a position it doesn't like.

which pedals do you use? How much float? I use speedplay frogs so that my knees have a lot of choice over where they end up - but saddle height makes a huge difference in how happy my knees are and the cleat has to be in the right spot on my shoe.

[Owlie]

I'm using SPDs.
The pain is mostly my left knee, which may be made worse by that cleat. Another fun fact--I pulled out my Castelli shorts (the ones with the scorpions on the outside of the leg openings), and noticed that the scorpions were beginning to peel off on the inside of the left leg more than they were on the right. Could be an artifact of washing or whatever, but makes me wonder.

[Catrin]

Did your LBS adjust your cleats to this bike? I know that you are saving money for a fitting, but perhaps they would be willing to take a look at it and not charge much?

It sounds like the pain I had when I was relegated to using toe cages after return to spinning class awhile back after my injury. I had terrible sharp pains from time to time from my left knee from those da*n things. Thankfully I can, now, clip in for spinning, but your pain sounds like that. Wondering if your current cleat adjustment has your left knee just slightly off.

[Becky]

Wondering if your current cleat adjustment has your left knee just slightly off.

This. It's amazing what a tiny tweak in cleat angle to do to improve comfort...

[OakLeaf]

Fore/aft cleat placement (which is a matter of how far your knee and hip extend, which muscles are bringing you power and what's going on in your ankle) can often benefit from an expert eye and measurement.

Side/side and rotational alighment are more, if they're off, they're torquing your knees every pedal stroke. You can feel that if you pay attention. Find someplace you can spiin steadily, preferably a reasonably flat road. Have whatever tool you need to re-position your cleat accessible. After you've warmed up, focus on how your knee joints feel. Does it feel like your tibias are being pulled to the outside or inside of your knee joints? Uncomfortably turned? A lot, or just a little?

Reposition your cleats (I always have to think way too hard about which way everything has to go, since my shoes are upside down when I'm moving the cleats ) and try again. See if that helps.

[Owlie]

Side/side and rotational alighment are more, if they're off, they're torquing your knees every pedal stroke. You can feel that if you pay attention. Find someplace you can spiin steadily, preferably a reasonably flat road. Have whatever tool you need to re-position your cleat accessible. After you've warmed up, focus on how your knee joints feel. Does it feel like your tibias are being pulled to the outside or inside of your knee joints? Uncomfortably turned? A lot, or just a little?

That's it exactly on the cleat adjustment! I can't articulate it off the bike, because I can ignore it until the last five or so minutes of my workout. Sounds like I need to scoot it a little closer to the bike.