Knee pain is one of the most common cycling complaints, and one of the most fixable. Your knees bend five to six thousand times an hour when you ride, so small errors in position or pedaling technique add up quickly.
Where it hurts can point to the cause
- Front of the knee: often a saddle that is too low or too far forward, or pushing big gears at a low cadence.
- Back of the knee: often a saddle that is too high or too far back, which over-extends the leg.
- Inside or outside of the knee: often cleat rotation, the width between your feet on the pedals, or foot and arch support that lets the knee track in or out.
Technique matters too
- Mashing big gears at a low cadence, which loads the knee on every pedal stroke
- Letting your knees drift in or out instead of tracking in line with your feet
- Relying on your quads alone instead of incorporating your hip flexors and glutes into your pedal stroke
- Increasing your mileage or intensity too quickly
How a bike fit & technique instruction help
We measure your range of motion and your bike, then set your cleat position and rotation, saddle height and setback from a WN Precision CAD Blueprint. We also help you understand how proper form, cadence and pedaling technique keep your knees tracking smoothly, share the work among the right muscles and increase your performance.
See what other riders say in our bike fitting reviews.
Book a fitting
A fitting and technique instruction session is $350. It takes 2.5 to 3 hours and includes a follow-up session. Fittings are held at Free Flite Bicycles (Sandy Springs and Marietta, on Canton Road) and at Bob’s Bikes in Homewood, AL, near Birmingham.
Call 404.432.5841 or email eddie@cycletechniques.com to schedule.
A bike fit addresses your position on the bike. It is not a substitute for medical care. If pain or numbness continues off the bike, gets worse, or comes with swelling, see a doctor or physical therapist.
