Road Cycling - Knee numbness and pain...

Hey all, I have been fiddling with saddle height over the last few rides on my Bianchi and I have finally found a position that feels pretty good. Well, on my last ride I raised the post about a centimeter and after about 6-7 miles I began to experience numbness and muscle/tendon pain behind my right knee (only the right) could this be related to saddle height? dehydration? I had to stop twice to rest and I stretched it a bit but the numbness always came back. It was not pleasent! Any ideas on cause/soloution?

Sounds like the saddle height and fore/aft position is not correct.
Try the following steps for a "close" adjustment. Then only slightly tweek the settings till you are comfortable on short and long rides.

1) First adjust the saddle angle. It should be level or very close to level, with no more than 2mm slope up or down at the nose.

2) Put on the shoes you normally ride in. Don't forget to lightly grease the seat post and binder bolt. Have a binder bolt wrench ready.

3) Mount the bike and sit comfortably, leaning against a wall. Apply a brake with one hand (or mount the bike on a trainer).

4) Placing your HEELS on the pedals pedal backwards at 30+ rpm without rocking your pelvis.

5) Adjust seat height so the gap between pedal and heel at bottom dead center is:
--- ZERO TO ONE HALF CM. for recreational riders (-50 mi/wk.),
--- ONE HALF TO ONE CM. for experienced riders (50+ mi./wk.),
--- ONE TO ONE AND ONE HALF CM. for endurance cyclists (250+ mi./wk.).

NOTE: Modify these recommendations if your soles are considerably thicker at the cleat than at the heel.


With the pedals at the 3 o'clock position (horizontal), a plumbob or weighted string dropped from the front of the knee should line up with the center of the pedal axle. If necessary move saddle foreward or backward slightly to achieve this.


None of this is carved in stone. Just a starting point but usually very close.