Cramp

rich164h

On a longer than normal ride today I started to get muscle cramps around my hips (tensor fasciae latae muscles as far as I can see from a quick anatomy google search).

Could cleat position be a cause of this? I only started using SPDs a few months ago and haven't bothered to fiddle around trying to perfect their postion. I just put them on in the middle of the fore/aft range facing directly forward. Any idea how i should change the cleat position to stop this form happening? twist them one way or the other?

Then again perhaps it's just my body adjusting to the extra distance?

Rich

softlad

rich164h wrote:

Any idea how i should change the cleat position to stop this form happening?

you really should read the instructions that came with the pedals/cleats.....'RTFM' as the old saying goes...

cramp is usually caused by mineral/electrolyte deficiency - make sure you are drinking enough on your rides...

Veronica Bottoms

Eating bananas are great for avoiding cramps.

I'm no scientist but it's something to do with the large amounts of Potassium they contain.

rich164h

Yeah I have read the instructions but to be honest there's no detail in them, certainly not to the point of showing the optimum position. I guess it's a very personal thing so there's no way they can really tell you how to set them up for your specific preferences. Youtube is probably a better source if setup info!

As this cramp was so localised I was thinkng that this could have been due to the cleats forcing my legs to be slightly twisted and hence putting more strain than normal on these particular muscles. I'd eaten and drank well that day, and during the ride itself, so I'm pretty sure that it wasn't down to an overall salt imbalance.

Do people generally have their feet straight forward? or is there a tendancey for a slight toe-in or toe-out?

spinndrift

rich164h wrote:

Yeah I have read the instructions but to be honest there's no detail in them, certainly not to the point of showing the optimum position. I guess it's a very personal thing so there's no way they can really tell you how to set them up for your specific preferences. Youtube is probably a better source if setup info!

As this cramp was so localised I was thinkng that this could have been due to the cleats forcing my legs to be slightly twisted and hence putting more strain than normal on these particular muscles. I'd eaten and drank well that day, and during the ride itself, so I'm pretty sure that it wasn't down to an overall salt imbalance.

Do people generally have their feet straight forward? or is there a tendancey for a slight toe-in or toe-out?

Its not about how other peoples feet are but how yours are.

Sit on a table and let you legs hang free to see how your feet point and you can then adjust your cleats to suit. I did the same as you in the early 90s and paid for it big time so when I started cycling with clipless again recently I spent a couple of hours setting up my cleats and 500 miles in I have had no pain.

sampras38

rich164h wrote:

On a longer than normal ride today I started to get muscle cramps around my hips (tensor fasciae latae muscles as far as I can see from a quick anatomy google search).

Could cleat position be a cause of this? I only started using SPDs a few months ago and haven't bothered to fiddle around trying to perfect their postion. I just put them on in the middle of the fore/aft range facing directly forward. Any idea how i should change the cleat position to stop this form happening? twist them one way or the other?

Then again perhaps it's just my body adjusting to the extra distance?

Rich

I would bet my mortage that your last sentence is the answer. Too many people look for a more scientific cause when the answer is usually a lot more obvious. The only time I have ever experienced cramp is when I've pushed myself way harder than I'm used to. Yes diet, hydration/electrolytes are key, but in most cases it's just the muscles reacting to being pushed harder than they are used to.

Mike67

sampras38 wrote:

Yes diet, hydration/electrolytes are key, but in most cases it's just the muscles reacting to being pushed harder than they are used to.

+1 to that.

I had a professional bike fit on Friday, including cleats so all should be fitting perfectly.

I did a 25TT today and was cramping (inside/rear upper leg at the back...glutes???) at the end...but only in muscles that I'd not been using properly before due to bad positioning.

I never suffer from cramp normally, even on long rides, so I guess I need to do some work on my weak(er) bits

rich164h

spinndrift wrote:

rich164h wrote:

Do people generally have their feet straight forward? or is there a tendancey for a slight toe-in or toe-out?

Its not about how other peoples feet are but how yours are.

Sit on a table and let you legs hang free to see how your feet point and you can then adjust your cleats to suit. I did the same as you in the early 90s and paid for it big time so when I started cycling with clipless again recently I spent a couple of hours setting up my cleats and 500 miles in I have had no pain.

Oh yeah I know, I was just wondering if 99.9% of people set these things up with slight toe-out then the chances are that I'd need that as well. Not guarenteed of course but highly likely.

After trying the table thing it looks like some toe-out would be the right way to go. Also holding my foot up against a wall straight ahead and then forcing some toe-in does indeed start to pull on that hip muscle so I guess that with a straight foot the pressure is much less (that the forced toe-in) but over a long distance could be the cause. Thanks for the table suggestion that definitiely gives me something to try

rich164h

sampras38 wrote:

rich164h wrote:

Then again perhaps it's just my body adjusting to the extra distance?Rich

I would bet my mortage that your last sentence is the answer. Too many people look for a more scientific cause when the answer is usually a lot more obvious.

Yeah I think this also contributed. It was so locallised though I thought it must have been caused by something in particular though. I'll try the cleats in a slightly different position (as above) and also keep doing these longer distances to get used to them, so hopefully that will elliminate the problem once and for all.

Thanks guys, all this advise is much apreciated.

Rich