Saddle issue solved for me???

[FreshNewbie]

I don't think your butt might be weird, but there might be a difference in your leg length. If one of your legs is longer than the other by a tiny bit that can cause a problem like that. When my SO was getting a fit for his bike the fitter asked him if he has difference in the lenghth of his legs, and then explained what might be the problem if he did. Basically if it's the case, some pedal manufacturer's produce sort of additional cleat inserts for the shorter leg.

[mimitabby]

also make sure the saddle isn't crooked!!

[ladyfish]

Also make sure you aren't using your left leg as your "down" leg all the time. I don't know what you call it, but if you always have your weight on your left leg and it is in the down position when you aren't pedaling. That might be part of your problem.

[Kano]

Interesting batch of things to consider! Thank you!

sitting crooked -- I could be doing that. I'll get Earl to watch me ride and see if he can actually pay attention to finding the info that I need! I tried to pay attention to this on today's ride, but do need to have this looked at, since I can't see it for myself!

Seat crooked -- easy to check! and fix if necessary!

One leg longer than the other -- another thing that's possible, I suppose. I wonder how to know?

And left leg down -- how did you know that it's my down leg??? I think somewhere in the depths of my mind I gave that possibility some thought, and tried to work against my natural tendency today, at least a little. It feels so strange to make myself ride right leg down!

Thank you all for the suggestions! I'm eager to give them all a try!

Karen in Boise

[emily_in_nc]

One leg longer than the other -- another thing that's possible, I suppose. I wonder how to know?

Karen,

Check out this link for some info!

Good luck!

Emily, who has a slight leg-length discrepancy herself after a pelvic fracture last year

[Triskeliongirl]

I have a 3 cm LLD, so I know a LOT about this. One of the easiest ways to tell, is do a KOP measurement on both legs, and see if they are the same or different, also this only works if the LLD is in your upper leg/hip. You can also try to measure your knee angle at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Alterhatively, standing, measure the distance on each leg from the top of your pelvis to the ground. If its a small LLD, you can solve it with either a cleat shim, or pushing the cleat a little forward on the long leg and backward on the shrort leg. If its bigger, you need more extreme measures. I visited Tom Slocum at High Sierra Cycling who built me a custom crank set with a dropped pedal on my long leg side, that continuously adjusts my leg length throughout the pedal stroke. All this is dicussed in Lennard Zinn's Cycling Primer.