I need better legs

[bluebug32]

(Going somewhat off-thread...) Thanks for posting this. For many years now, about once a year, usually in the spring, my left knee has hurt when pushing on a pedal. The position and circumstances in which it hurts can only happen when riding a bike.

I had never considered that it might be related to bike size/geometry. But that makes sense! I have felt that the bike in question was slightly too long. A little muscle toning is probably all it takes to get my knee working differently enough to avoid the pain, but a shorter bike might avoid the condition in the first place.

I really screwed up my body trying to make a bike with too long of a toptube fit my needs. Now I would highly suggest a bike fit as the first step in identifying the source of the pain. If the pain only occurs in the beginning of the season, it could be a case of going too hard too soon.

[redrhodie]

Here's a video for a climbing workout. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ80b...eature=related. You'll probably want to modify these exercises for your knees. I'd lower the bench, and use no weights, and I'm sure it would still be hard.

[OakLeaf]

I'm still wondering what the OP's low gear is now. Everything that's been said in the other thread about steep hills kicking the person's butt is relevant here, too.