Fitting BFS wedges

alex_gandy

I've fitted two BFS wedges to my left cleat and seem to have successfully fixed some knee pain I had on my left side during long rides. After experimenting I've found my right knee doesn't like wedging but does anybody compensate for the difference in wedges on each side by using shims?

On the current setup I get a very slight but noticeable ache in my right hip and pain at the back of my right knee off the bike after long hard rides (60miles+). I've never had a problem with my right knee before.

Seems to me that I could do with a small shim to bump up the right side a little, what are peoples' thoughts?

Thanks in advance

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mrushton

Depending on where your based it might be worth a visit to a bike fitter like Cyclefit or one of their partners (Pearson Cycles), Cadence Sport in Derby or the fitter at the Mcr Velodrome

rdt

alex_gandy wrote:

I've fitted two BFS wedges to my left cleat and seem to have successfully fixed some knee pain I had on my left side during long rides. After experimenting I've found my right knee doesn't like wedging but does anybody compensate for the difference in wedges on each side by using shims?

On the current setup I get a very slight but noticeable ache in my right hip and pain at the back of my right knee off the bike after long hard rides (60miles+). I've never had a problem with my right knee before.

Seems to me that I could do with a small shim to bump up the right side a little, what are peoples' thoughts?

If you've shimmed (wedged) the left side but not the right, and your left leg isn't shorter than the right, then seems reasonable you may now be over-extending the right. Which fits with your symptoms. Sounds like you've probably diagnosed your problem.

Easy initial options would be to either (i) shim the right and see if that fixes it, or (ii) lower the seat ever-so fractionally to see if there's as halfway-house position that suits both legs.

I have a situation that's not entirely dissimilar, using a wedge inside one shoe that has a side-effect of increasing the stack height, compounded by a leg length discrepancy. Tiny adjustments in seat height can bring on a behind-the-knee pain in the other leg due to it beginning to be over-extend. Tiny adjustments back seem to fix the problem.

alex_gandy

Thanks, I'll try lowering the seat first to see if that helps.
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