Toying with the idea of trying clipless pedals

[Hi Ho Silver]

I second the call to Eric Moen.

How much is your LLD? If it is a biggie (more than an inch of true LLD) you might do best with a drop-pedal system.

I am a bit intrigued by your description of your short leg having the foot externally rotated. That's something we usually see on the LONG leg. Or else on the leg of an internally rotated (weak butt) hip. Rotation to unclip comes from the hip joint (the knee really doesn't rotate, it just slews around with the leg as a whole) which again makes me wonder about that right leg and weak butt muscles.

Do you have a PT who can work with you?

Wow, you say rotation to unclip comes from the hip? Then my limited ability to rotate my right foot sorta makes sense: Ages ago I had an anterior spinal fusion (L5) and they took the bone to be fused to the vertebrae from my right hip. If I lay down on my back and relax, the whole right leg tends to flop outward.

I don't recall my LLD, but I'm sure it isn't an inch. When I was in college I did wear orthopedic shoes with a lift in the right, but it seems to me it was a pretty small lift (just guessing, maybe 1/4" at most).

Given the problems I mentioned, should I avoid clipless pedals unless I can find a PT/ bike fitter that can work with me?

Thanks for your insights!

[KnottedYet]

It doesn't all come from the hip, but a good bit of it does. Some also comes from inverting the foot. If you are supinated, you're already in inversion so that really leaves your hip to do it.

I'd think if you can get a sports med PT to address your hip (be sure to tell them about the surgery), you might find your pedal requirements change. You might find your apparent LLD changes as well. (weak-butt legs tend to look shorter, even when the femur or tibia aren't structurally shorter)

[Hi Ho Silver]

Good heavens! - I forgot to mention that the right knee has had 4 operations: a medial meniscectomy, followed by two manipulations under anesthesia to unfreeze the knee after poor post-op care (which I blame the chronic tendonitis on), and then a lateral release (which accomplished nothing).

Knotted, thanks for your responses. I'll get a PT to evaluate me before I plunge into getting clipless pedals.