Pls Check My Pedal Technique - Video

CleeRider
CleeRider Posts: 304
edited October 2013 in Road general
I'm having trouble with right knee pain which I put down to ITBS. After 3+ months of trying to resolve it through cleat/saddle adjustments (and foam rolling) I feel I have found the problem... if I pedal with my right heal down I can feel something (IT band?) clicking on the outside of the knee but if I pedal with my toes pointing down more on the down stroke it seems to go away.

How does my new technique look? I'm hoping it won't cause new problems...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml-2h-vRMnA

Comments

  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    Your saddle looks a little low and there appears to be a dead spot at the bottom of the stroke. Not sure if anyone else thinks the same.

    But you know what, if it stops the pain then I think you've probably cracked it.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
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  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    The thing that struck me was how much your feet seem to point down, not sure if that could be problematic, I've heard some people say to think of pedalling as a horizontal rather than circular thing if that doesn't sound too strange?

    What I think this means is that at the top of the pedal stroke you are pushing your foot forward and then at the bottom you are pulling it back, has anyone else ever been told that or is it jibberish :lol:
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    I confidently predict that this thread will run to at least 6 pages. Any higher offers?
  • CleeRider
    CleeRider Posts: 304
    Ben6899 wrote:
    Your saddle looks a little low and there appears to be a dead spot at the bottom of the stroke. Not sure if anyone else thinks the same.

    But you know what, if it stops the pain then I think you've probably cracked it.

    I did actually raise the saddle by about 8mm after doing this video because I had previously lowered it to try and fix my problem.

    Is it normal/ok to point my toes down so much? Will it lower my power?
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    Nothing wrong with pointing your toes down, I do the same and had a Retul fit, they mentioned it but just adjusted my saddle to suit.

    As for pedal stroke, I read something from a pro and he mentioned the act of scraping dog crap off your shoe at the bottom of the stroke for the act of pulling back at the bottom to remove that dead zone.

    Hard to tell from the angle so you may well already be doing this, but make sure you are keeping your knees in, rubbing the frame almost. Also try dropping a gear and running a higher cadence to remove strain on the knee's. I get pain in my left knee and its usually from running to high a gear or standing up and attacking. If I keep seated and spin, then I go all ride without issues.
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    To me, it looked like you were almost reaching with your foot when the pedal was at the furthest point.

    Pedalling toes down is fine, best to do what comes natually I'd have thought though?

    Also, you might find you drop your heels if your forcing your way up a hill.

    Have you tried cleat wedges? I found I had pain in my left knee when it was under pressure, but I put two wedges under it and that seems to have solved it.
  • styxd
    styxd Posts: 3,234
    hatch87 wrote:
    Hard to tell from the angle so you may well already be doing this, but make sure you are keeping your knees in, rubbing the frame almost.

    Complete bollox. If your knees are rubbing the frame then you need to use something like cleat wedges as I described.
  • hatch87
    hatch87 Posts: 352
    styxd wrote:
    hatch87 wrote:
    Hard to tell from the angle so you may well already be doing this, but make sure you are keeping your knees in, rubbing the frame almost.

    Complete bollox. If your knees are rubbing the frame then you need to use something like cleat wedges as I described.

    But surely better than having legs out wide acting like a sail?
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/686217
    Come on! You call this a storm? Blow, you son of a bitch! Blow! It's time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me!
  • Phil_D
    Phil_D Posts: 467
    hatch87 wrote:
    styxd wrote:
    hatch87 wrote:
    Hard to tell from the angle so you may well already be doing this, but make sure you are keeping your knees in, rubbing the frame almost.

    Complete bollox. If your knees are rubbing the frame then you need to use something like cleat wedges as I described.

    But surely better than having legs out wide acting like a sail?

    What would be wrong with something in the middle rather than both those extremes?

    Isn't it better from a power perspective to have the knee directly above, not to the left or right of, the peddle when the crank is horizontal?
  • johnny25
    johnny25 Posts: 344
    bernithebiker wrote:
    I confidently predict that this thread will run to at least 6 pages. Any higher offers?

    9

    With an assorted bag of verbal abuse thrown in for good measure.

    But seriously, if you have knee pain etc, seek profession advice - bike fit, perhaps, to start with?
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    Pedal circles.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    bernithebiker wrote:
    Pedal circles.

    I was just about to say, "In a minute, someone will say 'pedal in circles'.." - but you got there first.

    A fiver says 12 pages....
  • Jim C
    Jim C Posts: 333
    How easy do U find standing up on the pedals- climbing for example ?
    A common downside of pedalling heels up is that it seems to make climbing out of the saddle hard work

    Also your cadence is quite low- I counted approx 75rpm
    jc
  • mmacavity
    mmacavity Posts: 781
    http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bik ... t-is-best/
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    Wouldn't comment on someone's pedalling technique as i'm not a qualified coach/fitter, but did have IT band issues that would always come on at about the 50 miles mark, did this simple exercise for a few weeks and fingers crossed last few big rides, not had the pain, somethings worked as it's the only change i've made
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlYM3KWwrGY
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    hatch87 wrote:
    As for pedal stroke, I read something from a pro and he mentioned the act of scraping dog crap off your shoe at the bottom of the stroke for the act of pulling back at the bottom to remove that dead zone.

    That's what I was trying to explain earlier :wink:

    Push your toe trough the front of the shoe when at the top of the stroke and scrap crap off when at the bottom :)
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • CleeRider
    CleeRider Posts: 304
    mmacavity wrote:
    http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/pedalling-technique-what-is-best/

    Thanks for that link - it's allayed all my fears that toe down is in any way strange or counter-productive :)
  • bernithebiker
    bernithebiker Posts: 4,148
    CleeRider wrote:
    mmacavity wrote:
    http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/pedalling-technique-what-is-best/

    Thanks for that link - it's allayed all my fears that toe down is in any way strange or counter-productive :)

    It's less aero....!
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    If that pump scratches away your decals, I know where you can get some more......

    I'm going opt for salted for this thread.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • wardieboy
    wardieboy Posts: 230
    Kick the door, scrape the crap.
  • djfleming22
    djfleming22 Posts: 116
    I thought there was a little kick at the bottom as well ... but that might be me ... i thought you looked over stretched at the bottom of the stroke which could be causing the knee pain ... especially if you are going up hill and putting your heel down a little again at the bottom of the stroke which stretches you knee joint

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