Sore Thighs When Sprinting.

buddy_club

Hi, Basically i recently got a new road bike, and have been really enjoying getting out on it, when i bought the bike, i fitted some PD-M520 clipless pedals and bought some shoes to go with. I have no problem with comfort when spinning along on the saddle, but when it comes to sprinting i cant go longer than 5 seconds before my thighs really start to hurt, i have no such problem sprinting on my mtb (with flats), so i was just wondering, do my cleats need moving about on my shoes (perhaps backwards because on my mtb i ride with my foot over the middle of the axle) or is there anything i can doo to stop this issue?
Thanks

ugo.santalucia

Have you ever wondered why a bunch sprint starts 250 metres from the finish? At the speed they go, that's under 15 seconds

buddy_club

So it's expected for it to hurt? Just never had pain before on the mtb.

frisbee

buddy_club wrote:

So it's expected for it to hurt? Just never had pain before on the mtb.

Depends what you mean by hurt. I just can't push anymore? My legs are going to cramp up and I'll never be able to straighten them ever again?

Your foot position sounds a lot better on your road bike, it should start to feel more natural and transfer back to the mountain bike.

The few times that I use my mountain bike rather than a road bike, the place I can feel it, the thighs. I put it down to bar position being different, are you sprinting on the drops or on the hoods?

buddy_club

frisbee wrote:

buddy_club wrote:

So it's expected for it to hurt? Just never had pain before on the mtb.

Depends what you mean by hurt. I just can't push anymore? My legs are going to cramp up and I'll never be able to straighten them ever again?

Your foot position sounds a lot better on your road bike, it should start to feel more natural and transfer back to the mountain bike.

The few times that I use my mountain bike rather than a road bike, the place I can feel it, the thighs. I put it down to bar position being different, are you sprinting on the drops or on the hoods?

It is just very uncomfortable after a few seconds, not a pain that I can't keep going through (like I can sprint to the top of smaller hills easily enough). I sprint on the hoods most of the time.

ugo.santalucia

Dude, if sprinting didn't hurt, you'd be sprinting all the time... it's meant to hurt. You might also have a bit of lactic acid left in your thighs... sometimes the damn thing stays there for ages if you keep training hard. A week off the bike generally cleans your legs of any lactic acid

buddy_club

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Dude, if sprinting didn't hurt, you'd be sprinting all the time... it's meant to hurt. You might also have a bit of lactic acid left in your thighs... sometimes the damn thing stays there for ages if you keep training hard. A week off the bike generally cleans your legs of any lactic acid

Alright cheers

colinsmith123

I am not sure I would want to be sprinting on a road bike fitted with MTB type pedals purely from a safety point of view.

That said, prepare by finding a quiet and traffic free as possible, straight road, slight decline, free from pot holes, around 750-1000m in length. Warm up for 15-20 minutes to arrive at your selected road and rather than doing all-out sprints try doing six 'form-sprints' 85-90% effort from 20-25kph with 5-8 minute recoveries, then continue with your usual ride. Do this twice a week with at least two days recovery between efforts. Do this for three weeks and come back and let us know how you are getting on. Not knowing anything about your fitness, so cannot suggest what size gear to use, focus on finishing with a cadence in excess of 110RPM, ideally above 120RPM.

Form sprints prepare your mind and body for the harder efforts to come. Practice doing things right 'slowly' and you'll get it right when the time comes to up the effort and go that bit faster comes.

Equally as important, form sprints improve your bike handling skills.

Basically copied from my March 2011 sprint training plan from a well known track coach. Worked for me.

matt-h

colinsmith123 wrote:

I am not sure I would want to be sprinting on a road bike fitted with MTB type pedals purely from a safety point of view.

Ha ha ha! Are you having a Jimmy?
I rode spd for years before changing to road shoes.
Nothing dangerous about sprinting on them. :roll:

OP, it's supposed to hurt, unless your fit on the bike is terribly wrong, just work them more often and it'll improve over time.

Matt

buddy_club

matt-h wrote:

colinsmith123 wrote:

I am not sure I would want to be sprinting on a road bike fitted with MTB type pedals purely from a safety point of view.

Ha ha ha! Are you having a Jimmy?
I rode spd for years before changing to road shoes.
Nothing dangerous about sprinting on them. :roll:

OP, it's supposed to hurt, unless your fit on the bike is terribly wrong, just work them more often and it'll improve over time.

Matt

Cheers mate, na the fit is pretty good, just need to work on it, practiced doing short sprints up a little hill near me today, was getting less painful each time, but then I lost it on a corner coming back down again at about 30mph - f**ked up my knee and elbows pretty badly so I limped back home - but I'll be out again tomorrow I'm sure!