heavy single panier

commuterconvert

Hi,
I just joined the forums after lurking a while. I think this may be better for the commuting forum so please redirect me if so.

I've been cycle commuting for nearly a year now (30 mins each way with a 10 year old but well maintained & reasonably fast marin bobcat)

I started using a panier instead of a sweaty backpack and recently because of the colder weather its been getting heavier as I have to take more stuff with me.
I have the panier on the left side & just recently I've noticed that when I'm going at full tilt my left knee appears to have a bit of a wobble at the top, not major but noticeable & it just doesn't feel quite right.

Now I'm not sure if that's because of my single heavy panier or because my saddle's the wrong height or something else. An added complication is that my seat post is stuck at its current height, next time I get it serviced I'm planning on sorting that out but I've always felt it was the right height so never really bothered.
Can any of you experts give me some advice on this?

Thanks a lot! - Charlie

Yellow Cliff

There has been a debate on the CTC forum about using single panniers. I think that it might make you sit/lean slightly off to one side, but the weight is very low so I'd be surprised if it made much difference. Anyway, there is an easy way to tell - just go for a ride without the pannier!

Knee "wobble" during the pedalling motion isn't ideal - it causes loss of power and can lead to injuries (I am still recovering from an injury which may have been caused by this and started in June last year!). There are a few potential causes - saddle height is one of them.

Another cause of knee wobble is the angle of the foot on the pedals (this was my problem) - basically your foot is held in place quite rigidly by clipless pedals, with your foot held horizontally (left to right). Most people actually have a tendency to tilt their foot side to side - valgus if the outside is higher than the inside and valgus if vice versa. I have read that 96% of the population have a tilt of some kind. You can counteract this with either the Specialized Body Geometry foodbeds (About £25) or lewedge (a wedge that fits between the cleat and shoe which cost about the same).

Andy Pruitt's book contains some really useful info on this (worth noting that he collaborated with Specialized on the footbeds) and I thoroughly recommend it: "Andy Pruitt's Complete Medical Guide for Cyclists".

Some people go for a full fitting at, for example, Bikefit , but these cost £150-200. Whatever route you go, do look into it and avoid knee injuries!

commuterconvert

thanks a lot, that's really useful (& slightly worrying) information.
I'll definitely look into the angle of my foot as when I was younger I had some problems with shoes wearing down unevenly because I walked on the outside of my feet. I suspect it could be related. Many Thanks!

geoff_ss

When I was commuting I used a Caradice camper Longflap saddle bag with a quick release. I found it very convenient and easy to use, plus the extended flap was handy if I did any bulky shopping. By the time I retired I'd just about worn 2 of them out.

Obviously there was no problem with an asymmetric load and I had the option to use panniers if I needed to.

I think my right knee wobbles a bit but I haven't had any lasting problems over many years and lots of miles. I did once get a knee overuse injury but that was after a very wet, hilly 300k audax and it's been no problem since.

Geoff

Crapaud

commuterconvert: What weight are you carrying in you pannier? I commuted for over 10 years with one pannier and didn't have any probs. At the start, like you, I was putting more and more stuff in it until I realised that I didn't need half of it. Of the stuff that I did need, eg. waterproofs, I had a look around for more appropriate, more compact gear and reduced the load and bulk down until I could fit it into this rack pack...



... the pockets at the side fold down into small panniers.

Assuming that your prob. isn't physiological or to do with the bike set-up, if we know what you're carrying maybe we could suggest some alternatives to a pannier.

commuterconvert

Thanks for the reply crapaud, & sorry for the delay in replying back.

What I've got in the panier right now is a heavy d lock (lost the bracket to put on the bike), a lighter 2nd lock for securing back tyre (added after someone attempted to remove the tyre recently), a couple of spanners, spare inner tube, deodorant, work clothes (jeans + shirt + winter jacket), waterproof jacket in case of heavy rain (I wear a gore windstopper normally), small bike pump, lights.. phew, sounds heavy just listing it out.

I finally went for that weekend ride yesterday & noticed the same problem even with no panier. I've got the service booked in too so hopefully they'll free the seat post & I'll raising it makes a difference. I suspect it is part psychological but I'm paranoid about doing myself damage after Yellow Cliff's previous post so really want to sort it.

What make of bag is that in the picture? One of them sounds like a good idea, if I left my lock at work & got a spare waterproof for work too I might cram everything in.

As usual many thanks for the replies.

Crapaud

commuterconvert wrote:

I finally went for that weekend ride yesterday & noticed the 1same problem even with no panier. I've got the service booked in too so 2 hopefully they'll free the seat post & I'll raising it makes a difference . I suspect it is part psychological but 3 I'm paranoid about doing myself damage after Yellow Cliff's previous post so really want to sort it.

1. It doesn't sound like the pannier then.
2. Get them to check the whole bike set-up; make sure it fits you.
3. This isn't paranoia - it's common sense. Cycling's to be enjoyed, not endured.

It's a Trek rack pack in the pic (don't know what model). There are various types and makes. Have a look around the web to see what's best for you, but the Trek should comfortably accomodate what you're carrying.[/list]

commuterconvert

just realised I never posted an update to this thread - I went for the topeak mtx dx in the end, the one without the panniers - may cause problems with space in winter when I need to squeeze in a jacket but I find having the side pockets very useful for every day use. I also bought the panier rack to go with it without the springs (I read reports of them rattling)

I'd definitely recommend it. I haven't had any problems since so perhaps it was panier related after all. I'm still going to get my set up checked anyway to be sure but it seems less of an urgency now.

Thanks for everyone that helped me get the problem located.