Triathlon - Aero position problems: Knee pain, Power from the glutes

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jctw769
09-04-07, 03:36 PM
I'm trying to troubleshoot 2 main problems with my aero position. I've followed the Slowtwitch positioning articles as best I could. But once I rotate my body forward and down, I have 2 problems:

1. Pain in the patella. Saddle height is fine, 155 degree bend at the knee. So the reason I have this pain is mind boggling. I'm using the following rationale: Multiple internet sources telling me knee can be 2-5cm forward of pedal spindle at 3 o clock. So because we're rotating the entire body around the BB, the associated knee pain from ignoring KOPS is negated, right? So why's it hurt in the front of my knees?

2. I have completely decreased power coming from my glutes. Seems like all my power is coming from my quads instead. Shouldn't i be using the glutes (larger, stronger muscle)? If I move back on the saddle to isolate the glutes, then to keep my hip angle correct I must sit up more and lose aero positioning, or I will decrease the hip angle, robbing more power. What should I do?

chrisesposito
09-04-07, 08:21 PM
Not knowing anything about your cycling history, I'm a bit shooting in the dark here.

Is the knee pain unique to the new position (i.e., no knee pain in the old)? How much time have you given your body to adapt to the new one?

One of the best medical referrals I ever got was to a physical therapist who was also a triathlete. After a session or two with him where I explained where things hurt and he tweaked the fit for my body and problems, all the pains went away.
jctw769
09-07-07, 08:03 PM
no the knee pain is new to this position definitely. I did several laps around the park and it was very apparent. but if i'm rotated forward shouldn't the new KOPS knee point in space be rotated as well?

I have gone back to a slacker seatpost angle and higher aerobars because I'm simply faster using my glutes. I am still completely baffled as to why if you're rotated further forward around the BB you use more quads for power. Seems like simply the angle gravity is taking you in relation to the BB is countered in a muscular sense by the quads instead of the glutes.

And here's the real mystery pertaining to that: triathletes want to conserve their quads for the run... Anyone know what's going on here?