Originally Posted by ace_frehly

i'm very new to cycling. I watched "slaying the badger", got inspired, bought a trek madone 3.1 on a whim and decided to get into riding. I've ridden mountain bikes on desert trails casually for the last 20 years. I own a beach cruiser for bar/hopping and going to college football games. I've always owned a bike since i was about 5 (and usually rode them) but never been seriously into cycling.
Anyways, around august 6th i buy the madone, go riding a few times and have a great time. One day i decide my seat is too low and only raise it a little bit (about an inch). Later i found out an inch is a lot but i was ignorant. I go riding that night and get home and the tendon on the outside back of my knee is sore. I ride again the next day, same problem and i have to cut my ride short. It's sore for about 4 days, mostly a very minor ache only when i flex my knee.
A cyclist tells me i probably raised the seat too high. I don't ride for a week and take advantage of the free bike fitting that came with the bike. What a world of difference that made! (one of the adjustments was lowering the seat) well, for the first 5 miles, then the tendon started aching again. I try to ride the next day and same problem and i cut the ride short. I decide i must not have healed and it needs time to rest.

I don't ride for 10 days, take the beach cruiser on a 15 mile ride and i feel great, no pain or ache. Thinking i'm healed, i try riding 3 days later and after 5 miles the tendon starts aching. I cut it short. I tried lowering the seat a half inch from the fitting and it helped a little and make it 8 miles the next day before i run into the same problem.

Is is possible there is something wrong with my bike (i did have a nasty wreck the first ride)? Is it possible i really damaged the tendon that badly? I really feel like the bike is continuing to re-injure the tendon. I have never, ever had an injury from just riding a bike. I'm 39 fwiw.

I'm very frustrated, i have a great time on the bike. I read the forum's and i get excited and then i go out and i can't ride 5 miles on the new bike. Any ideas?