Bike Fit | Causes of Knee Pain and Solutions

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So many cyclists suffer from knee pain and often the solution offered through most sources is "raise/lower your saddle".
There is so much more than can cause knee pain, and here I explore many of the causes and solutions. If you have further questions, please post them in the comments and I'll try to answer as many as I can.
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[@kb3dow]

I have seen so many videos discussing knee pain and saddle height, this is the first I've seen that talks about crank length in that context - which makes a lot of sense.

[@maisetas]

and hip position and even that it can come from your spine.i noticed my left legs moves very smoothly in straight motion from ankles to hips, and my right leg is moving inwards and much closer to the bike there for iam having lateral knee pain. but i dont know how to correct it.

[@rcs2003]

@@maisetas I have exactly the same problem, but i have medial knee pain sometimes(the inner side). Not really pain, just an uncomfortable sensation of something is wrong. Maybe having flat foot? Anywhere i place the cleat, my right knee always much-much closer to the top tube than the left. The left seems always straight. Its the same effect with flat pedals. My left leg (according to my wife) seems thinner, a bit less muscular than the right. My left calve definitely smaller than the one on my right leg. Weird

[@maisetas]

@@rcs2003 no i am not flat footed at all, but either running or biking my right quad starts to hurt first and it is visibly larger than the left one.. i also have different pain, i have it on the outter part of the knee, according to my study its the lateral meniscus. as i noticed over time i gain the pain faster if i put my feet inwards and/or after prolonged period of time.i do not have the opportunity or money to visit sports terrapist to asses the real problem. if you find out , please tell abuot it.

[@scktdg]

At least in my country, I know a lot of people who just buy a bike and start to do long rides. I don’t understand why do everyone underestimate the role of a bike fitter, and why does everyone consider going to the bike fitter only if you are a pro. I believe that everyone who rides a bike, even in daily life should go to a bike fitter. Your health is your priority. Your position on the bike after 10 years will cause you problems that you never imagined. I am very unlucky not to have one in my town. Suffering a lot from the knee pain.

[@drvashpliskin]

I've been trying to figure out what I did to my knee for a year now and you just answered it. I can't believe I didn't find this video sooner. Thank you sir!

[@sambessai266]

Thank you very much! I almost thought my cycling career was over. Thanks again!

[@shankrl1]

Best vid on youtube about this. Thankyou.

[@sachinlc]

Well explained. I need to know more through Physical Therapist. Bike fitters should consider all of this, truly. 👏🏻 Thanks for the video.

[@ozzz3365]

Professional. He is really professional bike fitter. No nonsense here. Thank you!

[@happylearning6968]

very informative and helpful..thanks .....

[@sebek0311]

It's interesting what you say about cadence. I personally noticed that my knee hurts less if I keep cadence 75-80 rather than above those values

[@Gufolicious]

Riding 5k a year without ever paying attention to cranklenght. Have a 81 inseam and 90GT and was rocking a 175mm crank -.- i was always the first getting out of the saddle on hills. And very comfortable on low cadence 75-80. Changed my cranks to 165 (allthough im 178 but have short legs) and i can stay in the saddle for longer, my cadence went up drastically 85-90 now and i just feel so much more comfortable. My bikeshop always told me cranklenght doesnt matter you cant tell the difference etc. since i made the change for me it is the single most important measurement after framesize and saddle height.

[@angustroutman3494]

My problem was two fold. I have arthritis in my right hip, so in order to ease some of the pain on the up stroke while peddling using the 172.5mm cranks. I had to raise the seat which in turn would cause pain to the back of the knee from being to high. I could never find a happy medium! So for my situation, shorter crank = less rise on the up stroke allowing me to lower seat to correct height, ending back of knee pain! How nice would it be to be able to have a bike made to your body and it's range of motion...CHEAP...heaven! great video btw!

[@woutervl]

All these videos later and now I'm just convinced I'll never figure it out on my own. Also great tip in the end about muscle imbalances, one of the first videos where that's mentioned :)

[@grntchstrmdws]

I’m surprised you did not mention pedal float among the possible solutions for knee pain. Many years ago (age 49) I began to have knee pain and switched to Speedplay pedals, which allow your foot to rotate freely. Thanks to this “float” my knee pain disappeared. It felt natural from the start. Still going strong at age 61. They may not be for everybody, but I believe a lot of people got relief with them. Common sense, or intuition, should tell you that having your feet strapped to a machine in a locked position parallel to the crank is not natural. Something’s gotta give. The ankle has little mobility, so the knee takes over and is subjected to increased torque.

[@tefltoulouse]

yes! very interesting. I have battled with lower back pain and saddle height , fore aft etc for over 25 years....curiously, a high saddle (lets call it heel +5mm) is painful when riding but great for my back a few days later, whereas a low saddle (backpedal with heels , hips not rocking) gives me a great ride but pain the following days due to some sort of referred pain from tight hip angles. The former saddle height which is not that high, (nowhere near 0.885) gives me that outer side knee pain.... still trhing to get to the bottom of this!! And before you ask, yes I have tried shorter cranks! Thanks!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Davies Jonathan Interesting. Even though your responses may be seen by some as paradoxical you're doing the right thing by figuring out what does and doesn't work for you.

[@HughDWallace]

Excellent stuff. I wish you lived in Scotland so I could visit you for a bike fit.

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Hugh Wallace thank you!

[@LaborCorps]

Out of all the videos I watched you're the only one who addresses the how bent the knee is when the pedal is positioned up. That helped all my problems

[@elizaldebaliadofficial7991]

Much clearer than many others vid relevant to this topic, thank you Sir

[@unstablefakepresident8558]

My right hip is lower and my right leg is shorter. Only thing that stopped knee pain in the past was using a 165mm crankarm on the right and 170mm on the left side. Bought a new crankset in March, both are 170mm, and my right knee is back at creating pain! So I have to buy a whole new crankset so I can have a shorter right crankarm.

[@2wheelsrbest327]

Wow ! Glad I found this. Great video and your the first out many I have watched that mentions the bend in the knee. I use the heel on the pedal method to get my seat height but tomorrow I will now be out in my garage checking out my knee angle. Thank you.

[@HowManyMore]

Great video. I've been getting some knee pain recently and now got a good idea where that is coming from. My pelvis is pulled up on the right side according to my Physiotherapists. Thanks for posting!

[@peelingpedaler3635]

Thanks for demoing on a bike that is actually affordable!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Eric the Banana Peel Just using what I have on hand. ;-)

[@edwincohuo8603]

Peeling Pedaler just bought a GTR Team Disc stoked to take it on a good ride after a readjustment on my past bike fit with speed play switching from spd sl

[@alexa4438]

Peeling Pedaler that Willier is still pretty expensive for me

[@guymorris1963]

Alex A Yeah, it's way expensive for me too.

[@JitinMisra]

Bike Fit Adviser what bike is that?

[@Klips005]

Happy holidays J and thanks🙏

[@TranquilGrace]

crank length， this is quite a useful information

[@HeathCowart1]

I am trying to solve the knee pain mystery. I rode my trainer all winter then took my bike off the trainer onto the road and developed medial pain in my first 2 rides in the bottom of my Vastus Medialis very close to the Patella. One interesting clue is that the pain starts at around the 1.5 hour mark in my ride. I go from feeling no pain to significant pain after a few minutes at around the 1.5 hour mark then I can barely ride. Both of these rides had significant climbing and a lower cadence than my winter cadence on the trainer so at first I thought I had strained a muscle but it does not bother me off the bike or after the ride. I have a 100k in 7 days and am racing to figure it out.

[@thrillbilly6147]

Thank you

[@yeyeTF2]

probably the best bike fit video on youtube

yes thanks very nice video and great splanations

[@ike5150]

Great video!

[@paulwalther5237]

It seems like a shorter crank length would be the safer option to avoid knee pain. I'm guessing there's a tradeoff in power or something. As someone who's trying to get past some knee pain I would definitely like to go with the safer option.

[@ghadbanaaa]

Very helpful

[@eightytwobucks623]

Thank you for this advice

[@mikedebas5296]

It's really helpful in a professional way. Thank you. But I have a big problem, I mean as you can see from my text, my english is very poor (specially when I listen). So could you help me how can I get this video with subtitles. I know you are laughing now but when you t inish laughing, please write me back something. Thank you.

[@zakigadi6209]

Good information Thank you so much Very interesting subject

[@thestopper5165]

It would have been good if this video canvassed knee pain that arises from *cleat mis-alignment* . When I recently made the transition from flat pedals (plus good ol' velcro straps) to SPDs+cleats, a whole *bunch* of things had to change - partly because of a bunch of small geometry changes, but *mostly* because a fixed foot position is a lot less forgiving on the knee (unless you're lucky and you hit upon the perfect cleat position first time). Under the "old" configuration, my pedal straps held my foot on the flat pedals just fine (especially since I do 99% of my riding indoors on a KickR), but looking back it was kinda like having a huge amount of cleat "float": my feet could twist however they needed to in order to prevent any stress on my knees. Now with SPDs (at a default float - i.e., some wiggle room) and cleats positioned as good as I can get 'em, I finish a 30-minute ride with significant tenderness at the top front of my right knee... indicating that something about the cleat setup is askew (basically: my right knee has to take a path that puts it under unnatural tension at some point in the pedal stroke... *but I have no idea which* point). Anyhow... long story short, I will continue to tamper with my cleat angle over the next few days: it has to be something to do with the position and angle of my right foot, as opposed to seat height or seat fore-aft adjustment. Left side is perfect.

[@kevindick8905]

Any Joy's with this

[@OmarGravity]

Fantastic job on the video. I have inner knee pain (facing the frame) on the right side. Saddle was bit too high. Plus my right foot naturally is pointing to the right which could be adding strain on the knee I am guessing. Anyone else with this problem? Solution?

[@uffesommerlund6523]

visit a Chiropracoter before further damage

[@aaceytuno]

Excellent video!

[@georgebeesley8434]

amazing video on this. love to see someone who really knows what they are talking about! Would love your thoughts on my predicament. my gf and I have just begun our cycle from Alaska to Argentina, but only made it 2 days before I had to stop with a knee injury. we didn't do any training as we only got the bikes a few days before we left....bad idea i know. We then left anchorage on our hard tail mountain bikes with panniers and frame bags and way too much weight. we cycled 70km the first day and 60km on the second. half way through the second day my knee became extremely painful on the interior top part of my patella and the inside of the tendon joining the patella to the quad. We didn't do a bike fit at all and I'm sure it was due to the massive increase in volume and weight to an extent but I think mostly the riding position. We've rested for 5 days now and are keen to get going but it's still a bit painful when I cycle. we've had a bike shop take a quick look at a fitting but there aren't many places here that specialise in fitting. what would you recommend we do? do you think spds would help as now I just have flat mountain bike pedals? apologies for the super long message, but wanted to give the full picture Thanks George

[@bikefitadviser7012]

+George Beesley Wow! That is quite the trip you have planned. Super exciting. The most common approach would be to make sure your saddle height is high enough. Saddle being too low is the most common source of front of the knee pain. That said this usually creates pain in the patellar tendon and your pain is coming from the quad tendon. Still good to try though...go slow and don't raise it too much at any one time. Another thing to make sure is that your hips are far enough behind your feet...you can do this by scooting the seat back a little on the seatpost. This can help to make it more likely that your glute muscle (butt muscles) are doing more work versus the quads. You may need to shorten your stem because moving the saddle back increases the reach of the bike and while you're doing that make sure you don't need a stem with higher rise. If you're having excessive hand pressure or numbness this increases the likelihood you need a higher rise stem. I have had many clients with this problem -- one that was riding the Great Divide Trail -- and sometimes a little relief can be gotten with a simple neoprene knee sleeve. Finally, a bike change that could help is going with shorter cranks -- but bear in mind this isn't a cheap solution and is no guarantee. A new crank could cost $150-$400 and it might only be an incremental help. Good luck and let me know if any of this didn't make sense...

[@damuses1452]

Patellar tendonitis? That is the exact pain location I had in my knee after intensive cycling. I was diagnosed with Patellar tendonitis and it took a physical therapy regimen to resolve my knee pain. Patellar tendonitis manifests as pain (low constant pain all the way through debilitating crippling pain (11 of 10 on pain scale)) on the inside outer portion of the knee cap running vertically.

[@fgv3357]

Ok. So i had pain in the upper front of my knees, it definitely was the quadriceps tendon. I was riding 32km, 5 times a week, low cadence, flat feet angle, hard gear ratio and low saddle. I changed my gear ratio to make it easier to pedal so now the force i have to apply to the pedals is lower. But after watching this video i can now notice that at the top of my pedal stroke my knee angle might be too bent and my feet tend to be flat at the bottom. So i'll play with increasing saddle hight and pointing the toes down at an angle and see how i do. I havent experience pain in the back of my knee luckly. Thanks for the tips.

[@ajayparihar1096]

I have similar pain...but i didn't understand how to control the knee flexion which he spoke about...i mean how to control the excessive flexion

[@chriswinn994]

I keep trialling to resolve pain in calf, only outside of calf

[@adamkey4550]

Thank you!

[@srklgk]

Great explanation!

[@Robin_S78]

Eplained very well!!

[@Jayman001]

GREAT VID!! can you address cycling cleats, necessary or not?

[@mattsysko636]

Great content. I have a salsa Fargo that has been giving me IT band issues. I tried different seat heights and moving fore/aft. I also recently just switched from 175mm to 170mm and still IT flair up. I have 2 other bikes, giant tcx and revolt that cause me no IT band issues. Both have 172.5mm. Very frustrated because I have actually stopped riding the Fargo because it causes me discomfort and not sure how to which way to go to eliminate IT flair up. Thank you!

[@arid2923]

thumbs up! i'd love to see something on how fit affects anterior hip pain (impingement)

[@harrisongershater373]

Hey i just watched your video to try and fix an issue I have. I have pain on my inner knee when i only ride one of my bikes. Maybe you can give me some ideas on how i could adjust my cleats because i think its a cleat issue.

[@cameronsmith3966]

Hey john, I’ve getting back on the bike after a 4-5 mo. Hiatus. I was riding some fairly easy miles and increasing the climbing from day to day I developed a bit of pain on my quad tendon as you put it. The tendon right above knee cap. I did slide my seat forward a bit. That seemed to not help so I slid it back. That seemed to help a little. I still feel it every now and then after some longer climbs, Where as before it never bothered me. My sit bones and the tissue around them are a bit sore on climbs longer 20mins. Also kind of new sensation. Did I really get that soft in those few months. Like your channel!

[@dennybedford1733]

Someone adjusted my seat, they claimed they knew everything about bikes. Apparently he adjusted it too low for me. I developed a painful Bakers Cyst back in April of this year and my knee hasn't been the same since. The doctor doesn't even know what exactly caused it but told me definitely having the seat too low is a problem. Every time I ride I worry if it's going to pop again. Although the cyst is gone, I am having discomfort virtually every time I get on a bike. I used to ride 40 miles, I'm down to 7,8. 9 or none at all. I will look into a different crank size. But honestly. Feeling so discouraged. I do have toe clips on my bike. I really am not comfortable going clipless. I have been using those clips for years with no problem. But since the cyst, I notice my right foot (the leg that had the cyst) likes to flail outward. Supinate I think it means. I do try to keep my foot straight in the clip but wonder if it's better to let it naturally drift to the side? The left leg stays fairly straight in the clip. My doctor says the toe clips shouldn't be a problem judging from my chart. When I bike I can only seem to tolerate up to around 9 miles and then I either feel tight where the cyst was (back of the knee) or sore at the top of the knee with it wanting to pop again. I did get adjustments to this bike with a professional bike fitter but that was back in April right before the Doc diagnosed me. My seat was raised and some adjustments were made but he never mentioned the crank length as a possible culprit. I am not even sure what my crank length is. I am 5'3.. It really sucks not knowing what exactly caused this cyst and now subsequent pain. I have been doing squats and lunges, Pilates, using leg weights doing hamstring and quad and glute exercises and I do run also. But I've gone weeks without cycling just to avoid the pain or the possibility of pain and that's not the future I want to have as a cyclist. I miss my confidence which this has robbed me of. I don't have any friends who cycle so I feel pretty isolated and no one understands the pain and frustration I've been through so I feel pretty alone :( Anyone out there with advice would mean so much.,

[@tomasiwanyckyj9999]

Thanks for posting this video bike fit advisor!!! I started feeling pain at the bottom of my quad tendons the last few weeks from my saddle being too low. I hope it's not permanent! I am curious if I should do anything special in my mechanics or bike set up for being flat footed too. I ride an mtb btw

[@dodongbustamante9356]

how to change gear during race

[@vincem5]

great vid.. also leg length can have a big part of pelvis rocking. i ended up with 5mm of packing under the left cleat so my left leg isnt reaching for the pedal.

[@Engineerbydey]

Too bad you're not in the NYC area, I really need a good bike fit. I'm having too much knee pain on my bike.

[@ddream777]

Great stuff!

[@tatortots7317]

This helped alot

[@davidhalley9795]

Excellent video! I see why I have some lateral discomfort. Do most have issues with both knees or are they one sided like me?

[@ДмитрийМильк]

Спасибо!

[@evangelosstefadouros1351]

What about inner part of the knee ?

[@drhoads08]

Thanks for the tips. I have front of knee pain my the height has been correct. I will look at crank length and try to do higher RPM instead of more power. See if that help. Thanks!

[@mariuskaupas]

Could a bike fit fix my knee problems ( I have chondromalacia ) ? I ride a track bike on the streets, sometimes I have to grind on steeper bits. So I can't really set my cadences.

[@DragoMartinovic]

I'm wondering as well, anyone with advice?

[@levonowens4084]

Awesome!

[@natecoopman4973]

What about the inside of the knee

[@zumbaRdie]

I have experienced pain at the back of my knee (hamstring) and I belive it was too much cycling caused the issue (overload). I teach Spin 3X a week and cycle outdoor 3 days a week. So, could this be true?

[@alfredobautista1931]

I'm always getting lateral pain during long rides. How can I avoid it? I hope you could help!

[@nitinadhav9719]

Nice👍👍👍👍

[@mihaiiulianimuresan]

What about pain right below the head of fibula (outer lower leg) on the peroneus longus. Does it have to do more with saddle height, cleat angle or pronation vs. supination? Thank you in advance, your help is much appreciated.

[@carbiegirl5899]

I just discovered your channel and this video is great. My knees are causing me lots of pain but it's more in the front towards the inside area of my quads. The left is worse than the right and this possibly because my one leg is supposedly slighty shorter, though it may be more due to contracted quadratus lumbarus back muscles (as shown on an MRI scan) pulling my hips out of alignment. I'm going to try shorter cranks to see if that helps.

[@bikefitadviser7012]

CarbieGirl I have two videos coming out (hopefully tonight) that talk more about short cranks so stay tuned. Thanks for watching and if you think someone else might benefit, please share...it really helps.

[@carbiegirl5899]

Bike Fit Adviser wow thanks for replying. I'll be sharing this :)

[@charlottehicks9645]

I bought a new pair of riding shoes, cleetless pedals, and my hamstrings and gastric cramped on me so bad. I hurt for two days afterwords. My old shoes didn;t casue this to happen. I do have knee problems when not on the bike. Chonamalica and calification of the meniscus. How do I adjust the cleet to take care of this problem?

[@travoutudo]

Is there a kind of thumb rule to set the correct toe down ? Often, after pedaling over 80km under a strong pace, my IT band hurts but it feels better if I tilt down my feet. However, I don´t know if I shall do it all the time. I use to set the saddle height to the upper limit to mitigate fatigue.

[@AlexVelo]

awesome strong legs!

[@ΛάζαροςΠολυμενάκος]

Hi John. Thx for this fine video. Here is a relevant problem: when pedalling, I feel that my right foot does not fit well in the shoe; I feel that it is "in the air" inside the shoe and that it would need to go "forward" in the shoe to feel "right" and better step on the pedal. To solve this I tried adjusting the shoe cleat, the saddle and also the straps on the shoe, but the feeling of the foot " in the air" stiill remains. This does not happen with the left foot. Is this a cause of the shoe size? the cleat/saddle position? my position on the saddle!? the muscles of the right leg being less strong than those of the left leg? or my anatomy (right leg slightly shorter than left leg)? Would I need to add an insole in the shoe or a wedge between the cleat and the shoe? Or to strengthen the muscles of right leg so that they become as strong as those ofcthe left leg? Please advise. Thx, Laz.

[@amolchopade7649]

My saddle height is not too high still I feel ITB pain?

[@subodhkundalia7961]

Thank you for the video. Off late , I am experiencing pain in my right leg shin especially when I am doing 50 km plus rides. I had adjusted my right shoe cleat to make it align with the centre line. Both my cleats are attached far back on my shoe. Could you offer any remedy. Warm regards

[@donp2474]

I have knee pain on the inside (not front or back) of my left knee while riding and I have had a bike fit from my LBS. What may be the cause?

[@uffesommerlund6523]

visit a Chiropractor.

[@tayybakhan4646]

Sir can a knee osteoarthritis patient do cycling ? please guide me

[@leova12587]

I’m enjoying the bike so far kzbin.infoUgkxMesz3KOGEmwmvyKQfLfrRSUXLFzfVHZA My only real complaints are the brakes and the pedals. I feel like a bike designed for bigger people should have much larger pedals and more heavy duty brakes. I’ve only gotten two really good rides out of it, minimal downhill action, and the brakes feel like they’re already going out. A larger person has more momentum, so I think this wasn’t thought through very well. Also, I wear size 13-14 wide shoes. My feet cramp up on these pedals that are clearly made for smaller feet. Since I’m not a pro rider (and I don’t think many are who purchase this bike) I don’t think that the straps on the pedal are necessary at all. None of this takes away from the enjoyment I get from riding, however. I’ll just head to a bike shop to improve on a few things.

[@bracknell89]

I don't really understand the relationship between fore aft and back angle. Why does further forward or back require a lesser or greater bar height? Thank you for the videos!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

That's a great question. And just because your saddle is further back relative to your feet doesn't demand that your bar is higher, of course. Same goes for the reverse -- if you saddle is further forward, you don't need to have lower bars every time. But if we take a rider's perfect handlebar position as a starting point -- this is predicated on their saddle position. If their reach to the bars (the bar height and reach actually) is efficient and the rider has few if any symptoms related to the bar position, but we determine that their hips aren't in the proper place in relation to their feet this is where it can become critical. If we have to take this rider and move their saddle back slightly relative to their feet, we'll want to shorten the reach to the bars the appropriate amount to maintain that horizontal distance, but it is also likely that we'll need to raise the bars slightly (and we're talking millimeters in most cases) if we're to maintain this perfect reach setup. Moving the hips back will bias our weight onto the saddle versus the bars. The greater percentage of weight on the saddle will often require a slightly more upright pelvic posture to make contact with a wider portion of the ischial rami (since increasing weight while keeping the surface area the same results in greater peak pressures). A more upright pelvis = more upright spine = higher bar position. Again there are many exceptions to this -- in many cases if this bar height change isn't made, the rider can still be quite comfortable. BUT there are many cases where the balance on the bike and recruitment of the proper muscles is even better when it is done. Thanks for watching!

[@brostom77]

Is there road bikes for overweight people?

[@despajr]

Hi. i feel th pain on the outside of the thigh. from knee to around 10cm higher. ive tried to chnge i think everything. Probably u know what can cause that sharp pain wich is lastin for allmost 2 years now.

[@519robertthomas]

hi bfa, I usually don't have much knee unless I tick them off lol by mashing. It happens when the rider in front of me accelerates and I mash down to grab the wheel. Would shorter cranks make a difference or should I get out of the habit of mashing? TY and awesome video!

[@DjMarkieMarc]

I am experiencing knee pain after my rides some times is the front and something is on the back of my knee. I've adjust the saddle front , back and also hight. but I still have knee pain some times I get the adjustment right because I won't be in pain for one or two rides so don't move it nor adjust anymore but then on third or fourth ride I am back to having pain. I've never though my crank arm length would be off till after I saw your video. thanks for opening my eyes. I'll get fitted again & we'll take closer look at my crank arm length. I use 170 I may have to go to 165. btw I am 5'8 & 1/2" tall.

[@bikefitadviser7012]

+Marco Garcia if the knee pain is one-sided you'll also need to get really good data on your pelvis alignment on the saddle -- if your hips are uneven this can lead to unequal mechanics left to right. The key on crank length is that once you establish proper saddle height and fore/aft from measurements of knee extension at the bottom of the pedal stroke, you need to look at how much knee flexion you have at the top of the stroke.... comparing these numbers will give you an idea of whether your cranks are too long and by how much. Good luck!

[@ddessert314]

I've got a Trek aero seat post (that won't twist) and a saddle with titanium rails. I keep popping the head off the the screw on the left side (6 times so far) of the seat post bracket/clamp. When I use a saddle with steel rails, the rails eventually get bent so that the saddle is twisted. I already have a cleat spacer meant to make my leg lengths consistent. Is there some other adjustment that can be made?

[@mirceaandreighinea]

how sure are you about the tibia rotating that way? (when you talk about it at around 6:20 time) thanks for the video! regards, M

[@ericigoster7478]

Thank you for the video, I have a question. I started cycling on a road bike last year. I cycled about 1000km with clipless pedals and road shoes (also had a bike fitting done at a local bike shop, nothing pro though) and my back of the knee hurt. It hurt when I bent the foot at the top of the pedal stroke. After few months of pause, I put normal pedals and cycled about 6 months (2000km) with normal shoes with no pain. This was until end of May this year. Start of June I bought new shoes (cause last didn't fit too well) and after a good month (and a bit more than 500km) the same thing happened. Pain in the back of the knee (only on left leg). I'm 164cm and my inseam length is 74cm. My crank length is 170mm, frame size is XS. What do you reckon could be a cause to this problem? Thank you.

[@carlosrestrepo8525]

As the video says: is your saddle too high or your cranks too long. Not an expert myself, but it seems like those are two possible options.

[@umbertomasoero367]

Great video! I have a question if you don't mind. I've been fiddling with saddle inclination for a while, until I found that the most efficient for me is almost completely flat. However I did experience som discomfort, like the front of the saddle kind of applies some unwanted pressure to the perineal area. To counter that, I moved the saddle forward 5mm, without making other adjustments. It solved the problem but now sometimes I have some odd pain on the inner lower side of the knee cap. I think that maybe it was caused by moving the seat forward, but I'd like to keep it that way because otherwise I'd get saddle sores as I said. How would you go about that? I don't wanna risk messing up too many parameters all together by myself because the fit is otherwise good for power and control, and my back feels fine even on long distances, which is rare these days...

[@bikefitadviser7012]

You're right to be cautious about messing with too much. I admit, I'd be guessing to some extent without further information, but a couple things you might look at: Because the knee pain started after you slid the saddle forward, it may be the result of the hips now being just slightly too far forward relative to your feet. This has the possibility of upsetting the balance of the glutes and quadriceps. You might be able to adjust this out two different ways -- either by bringing your cleats back slightly on the shoe (which will move the foot relatively forward and therefore the hip is now relatively back behind the foot again) or you could maintain the reach to the bars AND get the hips behind the feet more by shortening the stem by the same amount that you slide the seat back (ostensibly to its original position). Any way you go, make the changes small and give it a ride or two. make sense? Good luck.....

[@umbertomasoero367]

Bike Fit Adviser Thanks! I think I'll go the stem route because the cleat position was already the result of a laborious process I went through some time ago in order to solve some forefoot numbness issue I had months ago, so I wouldn't touch that for now. I don't have a shorter stem lying around now, so maybe I could try rotating the bars back slightly to artificially decrease the reach, at least when riding in the hoods. Then I guess a couple short rides could confirm that it's worth investing in a shorter stem. Could that be a good plan? Thanks for the help!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

I think that's reasonable. Rotating the bar won't be an exact replication of what you're trying to do but it should be enough to give you an idea if you're heading in the right direction. Good luck!

[@umbertomasoero367]

Bike Fit Adviser Hi, I just wanted to update you on the whole thing...apparently the shorter stem was a good a idea, because with bars rotated back (thus allowing shorter reach to hoods) I instantly felt it was much easier to sit back on the saddle, so switching to a 90mm stem from the 100 I had I was even able to slam it back again where it was at the starting point, thus eliminating any trace of knee pain and the saddle sores issue at the same time. Thanks a lot again for helping me navigate through these issues!

[@kiball09]

Great video. What are your thoughts on KOPS? Is it a Myth? I always strive to perfect my fit and still find myself making minor adjustments. I have always used KOPS but came across an article by Steve Hogg which talks about your center of gravity (COG) over the pedal a more important method. Basically a good test would be to pedal with your arms swung back behind your hips and if your saddle height, fore/aft, and cleat placements are good you should be able pedal at the same cadence (even faster) with no arms on the bars? Have you heard of this method and is this more accurate?

[@bikefitadviser7012]

kiball09 I do believe KOPS to be a myth, yes. I think I went into this in more depth on one of my Q&As. I often use a test similar to the one you mentioned and I go over it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haqoZ2qggNVkitE This is going to be more reliable for getting your hips in the right place. Good luck!

[@Can-Am1989]

I have pain in both knees, it all started this year with a bike which I bought last Autumn. I don't remember having the pains last year but I also only rode 5 times before the winter. Now starting this year around April after approx 10 trips (15km each) both knees started hurting like a bitch, especially when starting to pedal when I'm not warmed up and when I'm off the bike it hurts when I get up from a seated position (couch, bed or chair). Pain is coming from the front side of the knees. I suspect my cranks are too long, 17.75cm and my height is 185cm. Could that be the case or it's probably something else?

[@mrouterrim]

the only knee pain I get is just on the inside vertically below my left knee

[@noko1146]

Hi, ive had an encounter with overuse of my legs causing ITB pain (could barely walk normal). I gave a few days and it seems normal until after my rides when it becomes inflammed. Ive tried ice, foam roller, stretching, and trying to adjust my cleats. I cant seem to figure out what keeps causing it. The pain is not as severe from the first encounter bt it still comes back. Do i need more rest? Could my cleats be too outboard? I keep changing the turn of my cleats but never the side to side movement, and i just read about lateral cleat misalignment causing IT band pain. My saddle is also definitely at the right height.

[@macswanton9622]

I recently bought a bike that had some unique features at a good price, and, although it was the largest frame size, I suspect it may be a bit small for me. Could you tell me what the likely symptoms would be when a top tube (reach) is too short?

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Let me start by saying that trying to fit a bike that's a little too small is much easier (and usually has a better outcome) than trying to fit a bike that's a little too big. But there are still problems and compromises: One of the more common symptoms is just feeling "unsettled" with the reach of the bike. Feeling a bit scrunched. Occasionally riders relate feeling some difficulty with normal respirations especially at higher efforts. Hand numbness or discomfort is common as are saddle issues. Many riders find they have a hard time getting their hips far back enough behind their feet which affects their balance and weight distribution on the bike and contributes to the hand and saddle troubles.

[@macswanton9622]

This is encouraging to me. Optimum control over rough downhill terrain may elude me, but my knees shouldn't suffer on the climbs. Thanks for the input!

[@brostom77]

I am overweight, and my butt hurts for sitting on bikes. It takes me days to recover before I get back on the bike. Any idea?

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Bashir Rostom That can be a really tough situation...when we carry more weight there will naturally be more weight on the saddle of course. Also, being heavier might make it necessary to have a more upright posture on the bike which will naturally displace more weight onto the seat again. I would give you a couple bits of advice: Make sure your saddle height is good to allow you to bear the right amount of weight on your feet. Make sure your saddle aft position creates a scenario where pushing down on the pedals helps maintain your rear end's position on the seat rather than having your hips too far forward relative to your feet which might make it more likely that your pelvis rolls forward and can make it difficult to bear weight on your feet. Finally, make sure you're changing gears and cadence often as well as standing up regularly on your rides even if the terrain doesn't require it. We can get awfully static on the bike which creates more problems

[@brostom77]

Thank you.

[@alaahmad1262]

I think it doesn't depend on a specific point about saddle adjustment,,whenever u feel comfortable sitting on it that's it,,every body have different adjustment,,this is my opinion.

[@31.8mm]

peace sir, i got an injury that i got few months ago when i try my frist half marathon, it's called ITBS, i got it on both right and left, now the left side is just gone and didnt come back anymore, but my right ITB always come again when i use my leg in heavy duty / long rides like out of saddle long climbs, tho it's not as bad as the first time and it will gradually gone in next days, it just annoying that i cant go as far as i want and enjoy my long rides, do you know the best way to get rid of it?

[@31.8mm]

in my case the pain is at outside of my right knee

[@31.8mm]

FYI, i feel that my right leg is easier to get locked than my left one, when i stand and put my hand on my hips it's feels straight, but when i try to pedal with my heel i feel that my right hip is more rocking/fall than my left hip

[@bikefitadviser7012]

There are a lot of possible causes for ITB syndrome -- but one of the main issues can be hip abductor strength and engagement. Often a simple mobility routine and some hip abductor exercises might get things moving. I would look at this especially since the original symptoms stemmed from running

[@31.8mm]

Thanks for the reply! i'll try that, indeed i got some muscle imbalances, in turbo trainer sometimes i feel that my right leg generate more power till my body move away from it when pedaling, and when i sit upright i can feel my right leg pull me when downstroke.. back then i also got dancer hip syndrome, but it's now 90% gone after doing exercises for front hip area, now im still trying to fix my left snapping hip syndrome that sometimes i feel.. also this right ITB.. is there some bike adjustments that i can make to prevent injury in long rides?

[@markmonserrate8009]

is it the same concept for the mountain bikes? thanks

[@MTBIKEXC]

Mark Monserrate good question, wish he’d reply.

[@aiham120g]

hallo can u help me please with my new bike i dont know how to make sure that the saddle is in the right place since about a month i have a very bad knee pain it would be geart to get more info from you or replying thanks

[@azndragon75]

No shit you must be a chiropractor cyclist LOL :P. I am guessing because there is a bench right next to your bike.

[@alaahmad1262]

This explanation is so complicated

[@kentmoore9563]

Too much information

[@alriverald]

I am begging you; stop with the further word. It is annoying to hear it so much. The correct word is farther. Please stop the further crap.

[@atomicdonky4791]

finally some one that goes into crank length

[@brostom77]

Really really really good video. Wow! thank you so much for your video!

[@bikefitadviser7012]

Bashir Rostom Thank you!