Mountain Biking - Sore knees with clipless

I mounted my first set of clipless pedals this weekend and went for a fairly fast ride, really seeing the difference that these make compared to toe-clips. But this morning there was a bit of soreness in my knees, and I think I felt it a bit while riding.

I might mention that I am still more of a runner than a cyclist, running 20+ miles a week, especially recently while prepping for a 10-miler and a couple of half-marathons that I'll be doing over the next few months. It was while running that I noticed the knee soreness, but I usually don't have knee problems while running.

Is it possible that I simply overdid it for my first time pedaling with the clipless pedals, or is there some adjustment that I should make to the bike? The latches were pretty tight at first until I got them adjusted and I'm even wondering if twisting my foot outward to release them was straining my knee.

Any ideas?

Did you lower your seat? Most clipless pedals are thinner than a standard platform pedal. Also, cleat positioning can make a HUGE impact on knee pain/relief. Typically you want your feet slightly \ / as a starting point and adjust them from there.

Hopefully if you're really a "Runner", then your knees would be slightly stronger than to allow a simple twist to practically cripple you....

Something don't sound right here.... Either you don't "run" much or your knees are terribly out of shape, which is impossible if you actually are a "Runner"...

Get the picture?

"Seely" does have a good point though...Seat height definitely does have an effect on both your pedal power & the amount of strain on your legs, including the knees....

Perhaps you did "over do" it, and seely is right, the change in height could have affected your position and riding style enough to give you this soreness.

However, you should really consider going to a reputable bike shop with a "Fit Cycle" that will help determine where exactly the cleat should be attached to your shoe. This does not only figure its fore-aft relation to the shoe/pedal contact point, but also any toe-in or out (angle in/out) that your pedaling motion demands. It might seem as though it is too much to spend to fix, but its better than seeing an orthopedic surgeon five years from now.

One last point: Are you using floating or fixed cleats? To be safe, try the floating, or, if your pedals are adjustable, start off with the most float possible on your pedal system. Good luck, and don't get hurt!

sore knees is mainly caused by an alignment issue. (old age is a factor as well lol) repostion your cleats. it might take a few times. took me 4 or 5 before i found a nice setup.good luck.

Yep.. could be the cleat placement, or fore/aft saddle positioning, or even saddle height placement. A bike fit would solve your problems for sure.

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