Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - what a bummer...

I finally got my new bike all together, and today I actually had a chance to ride it. head outside, start pedaling, hell yeah it fits great! oh wait what's this, why is my knee killing me? so the knee that I twisted while stupid drunk a few months ago is hurting again, great.

I know that there have been more than a few "my knee hurts" threads on here, but here we go again...

so this is what's hurting, my left knee, just to the right of the cap, at the top of the shin bone. it wasn't really noticeable other than when I was slowing down. anyone else had something similar?

if I've done some permanent damage, then I guess I'll be switching over to single speed, eww brakes!!!! so yeah, wheee.

just put a brake on the front, and quit yer whining.

I'll put a brake on you!

Maybe your knees don't like the new gear ratio.

What ratio you runnin'?

just put a brake on the front, and quit yer whining.
werd

43 X 15

by the by, the whole brake thing was sarcasm, I'm not trying to be captain bad ass, I'm way to clumsy for that title.

If you have insurance I would consider having a doc check it out. Better to find out what is wrong rather than let it get damaged further.

yeah but I hate doctors, wizards and magicians. "stop eating glass, blah blah blah..." You're not my dad!

I really don't understand doctor offices or insurance, and the people at my work don't seem to want to explain it to me, maybe I'll threaten them tomorrow, see if that helps.

Take your bike to a good shop and have them do a fitting for you. the only times my knee has ever bothered me it turned out adjusting the saddle or stem length or stuff like that corrected it.

not a bad idea, I've definately screwed my knee up, quick story:

so I was out drinking with some friends, got drunk, almost got arrested, assaulted a cop, and then had a genius idea, FREE STYLE WALKING!!! yeah, remember that crap? so anywho, I ran towards some stairs, jumped up, landed on my left leg, and then spun 180 degrees in the air, in the process twisted my knee, but somehow still jumped off the stairs, spun another 180 degrees, landed on the sidewalk, my left knee gave out, which caused me to sprain my ankle. I got seriously awesome that night.

so yep...


ugh, I think I've answered all my questions with "I'm a jack ass." I think I'll just go to the doctor, and stop complaining about it to you all...

FREE STYLE WALKING!!! yeah, remember that crap?


it's called parquor.

I'm no doctor, but I would suggest running a really small ratio, maybe a 16t cog in the back, maybe even 17t. The pain when backpedaling would suggest that your knee is still damaged and weak from the injury. Take some time to build up strength, and try not to push it when it hurts. Also, see a doctor and get some xrays. It can't hurt.

I'll put a brake on you!

Try and catch me with your blown out knee ;)

I'll get my hoverboard, and you'll be done for!

yeah, I think I'll grab a 17 tooth this week, I have the last week of this year off from work, so I'll have a chance to do some short rides to get my knee in a bit better shape.

I'll get my hoverboard, and you'll be done for!


rolfcaust!
BTTF (I, II and III) was on usa all day yesterday!

manure? i hate manure.

it's called parquor.

"Parkour"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour

I finally got my new bike all together, and today I actually had a chance to ride it. head outside, start pedaling, hell yeah it fits great! oh wait what's this, why is my knee killing me? so the knee that I twisted while stupid drunk a few months ago is hurting again, great.

I know that there have been more than a few "my knee hurts" threads on here, but here we go again...

so this is what's hurting, my left knee, just to the right of the cap, at the top of the shin bone. it wasn't really noticeable other than when I was slowing down. anyone else had something similar?

if I've done some permanent damage, then I guess I'll be switching over to single speed, eww brakes!!!! so yeah, wheee.

Had pain in exactly the same spot (both knees, bad and worse) after changing to brakeless bike (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=3515133#post3515133) waiting for winter and rebuilding my summer whip.

After three weeks of riding, no more pain - I like to think about it as readjusting. Edit: I did modify my fit in the meantime: tilted the bars up, lowered the stem and moved the saddle forward a bit.

I had a really similar problem...****ed up my knee at some point last winter, and took serious time off cycling for most of the year. I was getting pain whenever I rode much in my left knee, causing problems with my profession (messenger). When I got back into town after travelling for most of the year I finished up the fixie wheel I'd been riding before I left, and threw together a bunch of spare parts on a classic old 10-speed frame (prismic foil-lined tubes and a skull and crossbones on the head tube). Bingo, instant fixie, which I've slowly been upgrading ever since. The most important one has been a new seatpost...the old one was one of those 10-inch bastards from the 70s and I couldn't get the seat high enough. I started getting crazy knee pain again, and decided to stick to racers while working (carbon, ultegra, roadies) and sticking to spinning/low ratios and only used the fixie for errands and commuting to school once a week. A 3 km stretch to school and back had me in horrible pain, I'd even have to wear a leg brace for the next day or so (they do help). Even if I used my brake for most of the stops, it was kililng me, much more so than riding 10 times as much daily on geared bikes. Since I got the new seatpost and added a liberal few inches onto the old height I've built up much better muscles and ligiments in my knees and the problems have all dropped away... Using the fixie at work now for the winter and loving every minute of it.

Seat height is so important for so many reasons. I've had professional fits...all poppycock as far as I'm concerned...ride around with a wrench and don't stop fiddling until you're perfect. Far as position, height, angle etc are concerned, only you can really be the judge.

knee pain is something almost every fixed gear rider must get through. it is simply due to extra stress on the knee, and all you have to do is take a few days to a week off the bike, get back on and ride the same amount of time, try again, and repeat untill it goes away. muscles, cartilige and other stuff builds up around your joint to help cushion, lube, and make the knee work properly. its just like working on specific muscle groups, but with your knee.
putting a brake on takes away some of the extra stress. your knee will be weaker, but it will most likely stop hurting instantly. however, if you ever get on a track bike or even start sprinting really hard sometimes the knee will start hurting again, because it is not ready for the stress.

and if it REALLY CRAZY hurts, you probably tore something. buy a knee brace of some kind of elastic extending thing, and dont ride your bike or run for two months. and see a doctor.
at least only with the hurt leg. i dont really know what one legged riding would be like, but i know theres a guy that does it.

I think I'm going to play around with seat height and score another cog, out of curiosity what ratio's were you running and what did you switch to after you noticed pain in your knee(s)?

I think I'm going to play around with seat height and score another cog, out of curiosity what ratio's were you running and what did you switch to after you noticed pain in your knee(s)?
I was riding 50x18 with front brake on a hilly 20 mile round trip commute. I switched to 48x18 for brakeless but moved to the city at the same time - more lights, no hills.

it's called parquor.
Parkour isn't freestyle walking, neither. It is the French precursor, and is therefore roughly 400% the more sexy and 97% the less lame.

Are you using your same old pedals and shoes?

What was the gearing on your old bike?

When my knees hurt I usually just take it easy and use more brake than usual.

egg beaters and pearl izumi's.

my other bike is 52 X 18

Weight training actually helps strengthen the knees quite a bit, as your leg muscles get stronger they take more weight and strain off your knees.

egg beaters and pearl izumi's.

my other bike is 52 X 18

With no significant change in gearing, and the same shoes and pedals, I would then look into whether your cranks are bent (or possibly a different BB spindle length causing a shift in knee/pedal alignment).

And I know it has been mentioned, but relative saddle position should be adjusted to be similar to your old bike's setup and then tweaked from there.