cleat position and leg pain

[Mr.Gib]

Lately my calves have been acting up. They feel strained at the top close to the back of the knee. Also some tendonitis in one leg where the hamstring tendon conects to the top of the fibula. The thing is the season is winding down here in Canada and I am hardly riding. My rides are shorter, easier and at best twice a week. And yet my calves feel stiff and sore all the time. Furthermore I rode 6000 km this summer with no such discomfort.

Anyone had this problem? Solutions.

I mention cleat postion in the title of this thread because I understood that if you had your cleats too far forward - and the pedal spindle ahead of the ideal position on your foot that you were more likely to suffer calf strain. Is this right? Right niow my cleats are almost all the way back and the pedal spindle is right under the ball of my foot. (I wear size 45 shoes).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[RTW]

I had knee pain that was relieved by moving the cleat on the shoe. It was a pain staking process. I would move it a fraction of a mm, torque it down and ride 16km, then do the same again. Ultimately though it was caused by being a he-man and turning large gears when climbing.

However, I would see if you can get someone in your LBS or a coach to look at your riding, cleat position and position on the bike. They may be able to advise something.

Of course, all of this might be nothing to do with the cleats at all. If you ride lots, and it sounds like you do, and haven't suffered up until now, then I think my first port of call would be the doctors or the physios.

Rch

[Tippster]

have you ever been fitted on a bike by an expert?

[RTW]

Moi?

[Mr.Gib]

I spin easy gears - approx 100 rpm (bad knees make this mandatory for me).

My fit on the bike is fundamentaly correct. I have a lot of experience in this area. I am so sensitive that I can tell if my seat is 1 mm too high or low. I also move back and forth on the seat depending on the situation so I am not in any single position to long.

Cleats are angled to accomodate natural placement of foot - toes slightly out. Using Shimano road pedals with the cleat that allows float.

I am in physio - ultrasound, tendon stripping, stretching, hamstring curls on weight machine.

[Sparta]

Perhaps different shoes that allow your cleats to go back a bit further. Steve Hoggs oat the Q and A of Cyclingnews has written a lot about his topic in various answers in the archive.

[bobalou]

I had very similar problems. Use the Lewedge shims from lemond.

http://www.lemondfitness.com/products/lewedge/

or better, WW link here:

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum ... php?t=4807