General Cycling Discussion - What clipless pedal is better for a sore knee??

I currently have eggbeaters on my mountain bike. I started running a month or two after using the pedals now i have a pain in my knee. I took off the pedals (2 weeks ago) and have started running again and i have no pain in my knee. So i am guessing i need a pedal with more float. The eggbeaters have 6 degrees of float. I was looking at the ATAC pedal which has 10 degrees and the speedplay has like 20-26 degrees. I really like the ATAC pedal, but the speed play has more float, but speed play also has a lot of bad reveiws. Do you guys think the extra 4 degrees is enough or should i go with the speedplays?

it is known that running gives some people knee problems... just a thought..

Mambwe,
Where did you read bad reviews of Speedplay?
The only negative I've read is about the standing
on an icecube feeling, and that only takes time
to get adjusted to.
Seriously, Speedplay are really good for bad knees
(I know I got 2 bad knees), For mountain bike I'm
guessing you're talking Frogs here?
I have x series and love em
no problem with knees, and
about 3 rides to adjust to the ice cube thing.
of course YMMV.

Marty

In addition to that 'standing on an icecube feeling', the float effect of SpeedPlay enhances the riders pedal stroke. Initially you will be forced to concentrate on a pedal rotation, and will develop a smooth efficient rotation. Eventually this will become 2nd nature to you.

Running is rotten for the body. If you really think it has something to do with the bike, though, it's probably due to fit and cleat placement rather than the type of pedal you are using.

Where do you live? If you live in a muddy area, go with the Times, dry area go for speedplay.

I also have Speedplay Frogs that I use on my road bike. I love em.
Easy to get in and out
Lots of float
Will not EVER release accidently

I have never tried them in mud/off road though........

Put they take a bit of getting use to.

Digger

I switched from an SPD type pedal to the Speedplay X-series because I was suffering from knee pain. This was recommended to me by the fitter at the LBS (he's also a Yoga instructor). Aside from the initial "icecube" feeling, I'll never go back.

Originally posted by Arsbars
it is known that running gives some people knee problems... just a thought..
I know several people who took up cycling (and gave up running) because of running-induced knee problems.

My knees are great on the bike. I can barely walk to school.

I always like to say, I wouldn't run out of a burning house! (That's how much I hate to run). ;)

I wouldn't run out of a burning house!

Hell, you may as well ride your bike out rather than carry it.

Originally posted by Cipher
I always like to say, I wouldn't run out of a burning house! (That's how much I hate to run). ;)
Same here. I tell folks that if they ever see me running they'd better run too because something horrible must be happening behind me to motivate me so. :p

i just had to say something with all these comments about how running sucks...

i grew up playing soccer, so i hated running b/c it was punishment: "go run 12 laps!"

sometime after college i discovered that running was actually pretty OK, although not nearly as much fun as cycling. but i reallsy wish i had run track in high school.

and you get SO much fitness from just a little time, no money (shoes) and you can do it anywhere in any weather.

alas, i started having knee and lower back problems as i increased my running for triathlons and adventure racing. so i now run only about once a week and ride more b/c it's way easier on the knees and back!

I, too, would like to know about any bad reviews that Speedplays (X, Frogs, Zero) have gotten. I would speculate that the bad reviews are of the "a friend of a friend says that..." variety.

All I know is that my knee problem (not a severe one) went away when I switched from SPDs to Speedplays.

Although I am only known to run when chasing a soccer ball, my fiancée is a runner (she rides a bike only to the store and such). The only time she has orthopedic problems from running is when she pushes her training too much. Her books on the subject all stress raising your distances slowly to allow the body to adapt orthopedically (which takes much longer than the cardio-vascular system).

It is no secret that running is harder on the joints than cycling or swimming, but you have to wonder whether the injuries don't come more from bad technique, an accelerated training regimen, or some pre-existing condition.

My dad had to quit running due to a bad knee, but the original injury was actually caused by a long mountain climb on a sideways slope, followed the next day by 5 sets of tennis.

After all, primitive human beings ran out of their burning huts and away from chasing tigers--they didn't ride bikes (the poor things).

Cheers,
Jamie

I had a friend who knew a guy that said his neighbor knew of a woman that dated this dudes brother that knew of a fellow that once met an old man whose son talked to somebody on the internet about a guy that rode a bike with speedplay pedals that hurt his knees......

I ride em due to knee poblems and I no longer have knee pain.

I cured persistent knee problems by doing three things:
1) Switch to Speedplay road pedals
2) Spinning faster in an easier gear
3) Adjust cleat position further back (this works!)
The Look pedal with the red arc cleat also has some float. That might work in conjunction with 2) and 3).