Help !!!!!! Leg pain with new S.P.D pedals !!!!!!!!!

daz51

Hey,

I put some new S.P.D pedals on my road bike and the troubles have begun.

My left leg it totally comfy its the right leg which is trouble. When i ride both sets of muscles at the top and bottom of my leg hurt at the back.

I have already lowered the saddle 5mm and that as not helped!, any ideas ?????

lower it more ???

Regards D

p.s we have been tightening the pedals up over the last few weeks as they were brand new and have worn in.

lochindaal

I had a similar problem when I first got SPD pedals. Your saddle should remain at a correct fit height there is an article about it on here somewhere.

What fixed it for me was slight adjustment of the cleat. A small amount can make a big difference to your pedalling stroke. I would suggest trying it in a different position.

daz51

i,e, move the cleat on the shoe ???????? backwards or forwards ????

gkerr4

try both - cleat positioning is a bit of a black art by all accounts. - make sure you make the changes to both cleats though - not just the right leg.

tjm

also check the angle of your feet compared to when riding non spd pedals. I found I had a slightly twisted cleat- didn't notice anything wrong except lots strange of muscle and knee pains but only in one leg. I eventually realised I was peddling slight heal out on that side (or rather not heal in as I naturally do). Twisted the cleat a fraction and it is fine now.

Garry H

gkerr4 wrote:

try both - cleat positioning is a bit of a black art by all accounts. - make sure you make the changes to both cleats though - not just the right leg.

Not right. Only do this if your gait is exactly the same on both sides. If, for example, you walk with your left foot slightly turned out, your cleat positioning should reflect this. We are not all built symmetrically!! The setting of the cleat should place your foot in the same position on the pedal, as you adopt when walking. The float in the cleat will compensate, to some extent, for a slight error. Any good LBS should be able to advise on cleat positioning.

GEPC

Also look at loosening the binding on the actualy pedal slighly. Allowing a little more movement on the peddle can make a difference.

Gr.uB

lochindaal wrote:

What fixed it for me was slight adjustment of the cleat. A small amount can make a big difference to your pedalling stroke. I would suggest trying it in a different position.

Very very true. Hold each shoe heel down on a flat surface with the SPDs facing each other. How is the right shoe different from the comfy left?

Don't make too many adjustments at once or you will lose what you have done. i.e. don't change shoe cleat position and or saddle height. If your saddle was fine before put it back up and look at your shoe first.

Rich Hcp

The saddle could be too low, now...

daz51

surely though if its muscular pain i am over or under stretching ??? Knee pain would indicate the direction of my foot etc being wrong ????

Gr.uB

Muscular pain could be your muscles having to work in a different way than they want to or are used to. So I would say not necessarily.

pneumatic

I had this problem to start with when I fitted SPD's. I adjusted the offending cleat on the shoe until it was ok. It took me a couple of ten mile rides to be sure, though.

Since then, I haven't touched them and they've been fine.