[Red Bread]

dth656, I ride a lot of both road and off road and knee pain is usually due to poor fit or a change in setup. I'd venture to guess that your change in pedals and cleats probably moved the cleat away from the ball of your foot, and that combined with less float works against you. If the soles of your new shoes are a different thickness than the old ones, and if the spindle height on the new pedals is different, it's possible that you're overextending your knee.

A proper fit is priceless, road or mountain, and a good fitter will be able to adjust things for your needs. It's best to take as much of your own stuff as possible; saddle, shoes, pedals, riding shorts, gloves, and if possible, bar and grips.

The distance from the top of your saddle to the spindle of the pedal should be the same for all riding, on all bikes. Some folks will lower the saddle position a centimeter or a little more for a cyclocross or downhill bike, but big adjustments from the ideal position are generally bad. The horizontal relationship between the saddle and the bottom bracket should also be constant for each bike, and specific to your fit.

Knee pain is bad, and should be addressed before it gets worse. A good fit should address this issue and provide a good dose of happiness.

[lopealle]

Originally Posted by Buegie

Your weight doesn't factor into the frame size. Things that matter are your height, inseam, arm length, etc. The only place your weight might matter is in your choice of wheels. You probably won't be able to go with something uber-lightweight, you'll want something slightly more sturdy. But on a used entry level bike, you really won't be finding any super lightweight wheels anyway.

i can wait on the super lightweight stuff if its above my budget.

Originally Posted by Feyd

Couple tips:

Since you are over ~185lbs (Me too) depending on the bike you get you're definitely going to want to stay away from low spoke count wheels.

I had a set of wheels built for me when I got my CR1 a couple months back. Velocity Deep Vs (recommended for people over 220lbs) laced to some 32hole Ultegra hubs. Pretty much as bomb proof as you can get in a road wheel. Also ditch the 23mm tires for some 25mm or 28mm tires so that you can run lower pressures. This will also help minimize pinch flats + make your ride lots more comfortable. If you can't afford a full set, maybe just look at getting a rear wheel built up.

Invest in some good riding clothes. If you are going to go "crazy cardio" you'll want to get some cycling shorts/jerseys, etc. Forget about looking goofy, these clothes are designed the way they are for a reason and will wick moisture away from your body/pad the areas that need to be padded, etc. If you are modest at first you can get some "cycling boxers" that you can wear under your regular shorts that have the moisture wicking materials/padding.

And enjoy it.. it becomes very addictive.

Pic from last Friday ~ 5:30AM here on the lake.

when you say getting wheel built for you. are you saying you went to a ike shop and had them? thats a awesome looking bike.

Originally Posted by MisterSkiMask

I prefer mountain riding, but it is hard to put aside enough time to get to the trail head, and get a ride in these days (wife and I had our first baby this year). I am fortunate to live in a very bike friendly area, but there are places and times that I just don't go because of traffic.

i did some mountain bike riding on a trail onthe base im stationed at (ft. Stewart) man that stuff is brutal. it was fun though. maybe i will try and get into both sports eventually. i know my area is not a biker friendly neighbor hood either. but there is a long stretch of highway availiable so i know i will definitely be riding on that.

Originally Posted by MisterSkiMask

Agreed, he will get way more for his money if he can find a used bike that is a good fit.

If buying new, I would avoid buying your "entry" bike online, go to a LBS, the prices will be very close if not the same, they will be able to help you make the right decisions and get it set up. Also shop will often discount accessories for people who recently purchased a bike from thier store. My shop did this, and the offered a free 100 mile tune up.

but the proces on bikesdirect.com are awesome.




as far as the bike on bikesdirect.com what bike do you guys recommend? wow and they have free shipping if i read it correct. and i have new budget of $450 ( i found $50 at walmart.) i spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday over the phone and he said theat my size is between 52-54. so if we were to go by that what would you guys reccommend?

[MisterSkiMask]

Originally Posted by dth656

slightly off topic questions, because i think that road cyclists may have more experience with it.

questions:

-is there something else i should be trying (in terms of cleat, pedal, seat combos?)
-has anyone else had knee pain after riding? was there a similar root cause?
-do the roadie "fit" sessions that i've seen advertised at bike shops address this sort of thing? i was thinking of going by a bike shop w/ my bike, and both pedal/shoe combos and seeing if there is something in my posture, leg extension that was causing an issue
-any other advice?

i've posted this on mtbr.com too, but thought i'd try to get a roadie viewpoint as well. thanks in advance

First, I consider myself a mountain biker who rides on the road for exercise, lately my road riding has far outweighed my mountain riding. My point is, I started on a mountain bike and use mountain bike gear when I ride.

I use the same type of pedals on both my road and mountain bike, Crank Brothers Candy http://www.crankbrothers.com/pedals_candy1.php my reasoning is that if I am redlined on a steep loose trail I want my gear to be familiar, I want my shoe to pop out of the pedal the same every time in case I really need to get out quick, and I can use the same shoes which I like and are comfortable on either bike. These pedals are not as streamlined and light as “road” pedals, but they are easy to get in and out of, the hold your shoe securely, and (importantly for this conversation) they don’t lock your shoe/foot into confining position, they allow for a bit of pivoting on the ball of your foot (if that makes sense). Your knee is not forced into an unnatural position.

I will concede that perfectly set up gear that allows no slop and is lighter would be more efficient, particularly if 1/10s of a second matter, but for recreational riding in an imperfect world I like my mountain pedals on my road bike. An added benefit is that mountain shoe have a bit more of a sole to them and the look like normal shoes when you get where you are going, you don’t get the tap-tap-tap with every step.

[dth656]

redbread,

thanks for the input. the new pedals are a lot thicker, and the new skate style shoes also have a much thicker sole (so i raised the seatpost by about 5mm to compensate for the added distance between seat and spindle centerline).

i'll try some pedal extenders (to increase the q-factor), then i'm going to schedule a fit session at a local bike shop, and take the old pedals/shoes with me. the specialized BG fit session, tho pricey, seems fairly comprehensive. fingers crossed

Originally Posted by Red Bread

dth656, I ride a lot of both road and off road and knee pain is usually due to poor fit or a change in setup. I'd venture to guess that your change in pedals and cleats probably moved the cleat away from the ball of your foot, and that combined with less float works against you. If the soles of your new shoes are a different thickness than the old ones, and if the spindle height on the new pedals is different, it's possible that you're overextending your knee.

A proper fit is priceless, road or mountain, and a good fitter will be able to adjust things for your needs. It's best to take as much of your own stuff as possible; saddle, shoes, pedals, riding shorts, gloves, and if possible, bar and grips.

The distance from the top of your saddle to the spindle of the pedal should be the same for all riding, on all bikes. Some folks will lower the saddle position a centimeter or a little more for a cyclocross or downhill bike, but big adjustments from the ideal position are generally bad. The horizontal relationship between the saddle and the bottom bracket should also be constant for each bike, and specific to your fit.

Knee pain is bad, and should be addressed before it gets worse. A good fit should address this issue and provide a good dose of happiness.

[Feyd]

Originally Posted by lopealle

when you say getting wheel built for you. are you saying you went to a ike shop and had them?

Yep... but not all bike shops build wheels. Just call ahead first. Again for you I'd recommend a Velocity Deep V wheel (32 hole) + some double butted spokes + however much hub you can afford. This can be something you do a bit down the road after you get over the initial bike expense. But if you start putting serious miles on a bike I'd bet you're going to end up with broken spokes/wheels out of true, etc.

Originally Posted by lopealle

as far as the bike on bikesdirect.com what bike do you guys recommend? wow and they have free shipping if i read it correct. and i have new budget of $450 ( i found $50 at walmart.) i spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday over the phone and he said theat my size is between 52-54. so if we were to go by that what would you guys reccommend?

I'd say go into a shop and get measured for real.... even pretend you are buying a bike if that's what you need to do to have it done. There is lots more to a quality fit than height/weight/inseam. So much more your head would litterally explode. I'm not saying that you need to go to a $300 fitting (what a good one will typically cost) since that in and of itself would kill your budget, but at least talk to someone in person who can actually measure you... at least hitting the big points. It won't be 100% perfect, but at least you'll have a good starting point and be able to test ride a couple sizes and see what fits you well.

If at that point you decide to go to bikesdirect then so be it.. you'll at least be armed with good info.


I'm 100% confident that if the bike doesn't fit.. you'll end up in pain and stop riding altogether. Then you would have wasted time/money and potentially lost a great hobby.

[dth656]

misterskimask,

until now, i've followed the same thought process. i've always used the same type of pedal on all of my bikes (shimano m535, or whatever they are calling it these days), and very similar types of shoes (something close to lower end sidi mtn shoes in terms of geometry, sole stiffness, etc).

i've also always used the same amount of cleat tension over the years.

Originally Posted by MisterSkiMask

First, I consider myself a mountain biker who rides on the road for exercise, lately my road riding has far outweighed my mountain riding. My point is, I started on a mountain bike and use mountain bike gear when I ride.

I use the same type of pedals on both my road and mountain bike, Crank Brothers Candy http://www.crankbrothers.com/pedals_candy1.php my reasoning is that if I am redlined on a steep loose trail I want my gear to be familiar, I want my shoe to pop out of the pedal the same every time in case I really need to get out quick, and I can use the same shoes which I like and are comfortable on either bike. These pedals are not as streamlined and light as “road” pedals, but they are easy to get in and out of, the hold your shoe securely, and (importantly for this conversation) they don’t lock your shoe/foot into confining position, they allow for a bit of pivoting on the ball of your foot (if that makes sense). Your knee is not forced into an unnatural position.

I will concede that perfectly set up gear that allows no slop and is lighter would be more efficient, particularly if 1/10s of a second matter, but for recreational riding in an imperfect world I like my mountain pedals on my road bike. An added benefit is that mountain shoe have a bit more of a sole to them and the look like normal shoes when you get where you are going, you don’t get the tap-tap-tap with every step.

[Red Bread]

dth656, you might have better luck using separate shoes, or moving to stiffer soles on both. Road shoes tend to benefit greatly from stiffer soles, flex in the sole can lead soreness when riding long distances. If you're having knee issues, one of the best solutions is a set of Speedplay X-series pedals. I played soccer, surfed and snow boarded for years and have wonky knees, but Speedplays keep my knees happy. They have 35 degrees of float, and a little horizontal float too. It would require using separate shoes for road and mtb, but for many reasons, this makes more sense. Shoes are a more personal thing, so try a lot and find what works. After years with Sidis, I've found that my feet seem to really prefer the newer Specialized shoes.

[Buegie]

Originally Posted by lopealle

as far as the bike on bikesdirect.com what bike do you guys recommend? wow and they have free shipping if i read it correct. and i have new budget of $450 ( i found $50 at walmart.) i spoke to a guy at a bike shop yesterday over the phone and he said theat my size is between 52-54. so if we were to go by that what would you guys reccommend?

BD seems like a good idea until you factor in assembly ($100+) and a year's worth of service ($100+) which should be free when you buy your bike from a shop. Your $500 bike is really a $700 bike and if you spent a little more cash you could have gotten something that actually looks cool (like a CAAD, entry-level Trek, etc.) I'm not trying to get you to spend more money, just realize that you're going to be spending more than what is listed on the webpage.

I still say you're better off trying to find something used off craigslist. If you know what you're looking for, you can get something that's far better quality than a new bike off of BD.

[lopealle]

today is the big day im going to get sized for a bike. does it really cost that much to put a bike together? good thing a friend of mine does some serious mtn biking. he puts his bikes together all the time.

[dth656]

Originally Posted by lopealle

today is the big day im going to get sized for a bike. does it really cost that much to put a bike together? good thing a friend of mine does some serious mtn biking. he puts his bikes together all the time.

if you have a few basic tools, and instructions (the park tool website is great for how-tos), you can do quite a bit. i built up a mtn bike a few years ago, and there were a few things that I had done at my local bike shop:

-headseat installation (needs a relatively expensive tool, and i didnt want to screw it up)
-bottom bracket installation ( i couldnt get it seated properly, so ended up going to the LBS)


stuff you could do yourself:
-install, adjust shifters and derailleurs
-install cranks/pedals/chain
-install cassette

[lopealle]

ok guys so i made it to 2 bike shops in savannah.

first shop:
so i tell them i would like a road bike and my budget is $500. first thing he says is well ok we can do that. so he takes me to a cannondale slice ($800 price tag btw). the bike was awesome. but once again way out of my budget. so again i have to remind him that my budget is $500 and he takes me to another bike with a 1k price tag. im dude do you not understand budget? then i start asking him questions about bike and thins like that and he totally blows me off. so i leave.

second bike shop:

this dude is awesome. doesnt pressure me into buying anything brand new. he real patient answers all my questions in detail. i tried out a couple bikes. asked him his thoughs on bikesdirect.com. he says he bought a couple off there and there is a couple in the store being assembled. he recommended one for me and it was awesome. so im gonna go ahead and get this: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...laxy_al_xi.htm i even get free assembly and everythig. overall i say it was a pretty awesome experience. so i will be ordering my bike today and hopefully have pics up for youg guys by the end of next week.

thanks for all you guys help

[MisterSkiMask]

Originally Posted by lopealle

ok guys so i made it to 2 bike shops in savannah.

first shop:
so i tell them i would like a road bike and my budget is $500. first thing he says is well ok we can do that. so he takes me to a cannondale slice ($800 price tag btw). the bike was awesome. but once again way out of my budget. so again i have to remind him that my budget is $500 and he takes me to another bike with a 1k price tag. im dude do you not understand budget? then i start asking him questions about bike and thins like that and he totally blows me off. so i leave.

second bike shop:

this dude is awesome. doesnt pressure me into buying anything brand new. he real patient answers all my questions in detail. i tried out a couple bikes. asked him his thoughs on bikesdirect.com. he says he bought a couple off there and there is a couple in the store being assembled. he recommended one for me and it was awesome. so im gonna go ahead and get this: http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...laxy_al_xi.htm i even get free assembly and everythig. overall i say it was a pretty awesome experience. so i will be ordering my bike today and hopefully have pics up for youg guys by the end of next week.

thanks for all you guys help

Awesome, looks like you found a good shop to work with.

Enjoy your new toy.

[lopealle]

damn it the bike i wanted is sold out
but no worries i will find another

[lopealle]

never mind i got it. now what type of helmet shouls i buy?

[Buegie]

Originally Posted by lopealle

never mind i got it. now what type of helmet shouls i buy?

congrats, what size did you end up getting?

As far as helmets, you need to try a few on. They all fit very differently, especially Giro and Bell, which are probably the two most popular brands. I use a Giro Ionos personally though.

With a helmet you're basically paying for two things: ventilation and lightweight. Whatever you decide on though, ebay usually has the best prices.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by lopealle

never mind i got it. now what type of helmet shouls i buy?

What ever fits. I use Giro and Lazer, Bell tend not to fit my head well. All helmets, from $20 skate style helmets to $300+ pro-line helmets have to meet identical safety standards, so as mentioned, money gets you lightness and better ventilation. Since you live in Atlanta, a good, mid-level helmet is probably your best bet. For your first one, it's probably best to get one form your local shop to ensure it fits well.

[Feyd]

Originally Posted by lopealle

so he takes me to a cannondale slice

What a moron that dude must have been... The slice is a time trial bike.. LOL.



Glad you found something... Keep us posted on how you like it.

[lopealle]

Originally Posted by Feyd

What a moron that dude must have been... The slice is a time trial bike.. LOL.



Glad you found something... Keep us posted on how you like it.

yea i was thinking that bike is way out of my league. i just received an email saying my bike will be delivered thursday. so i will definitely beee going to the bike shop that day. and getting it assembled and testing out. im so excited i use to be into bikes big time when i was younger. but they were bmx type bikes. like for flat land tricks and stuff like that. you guys know any good bike forums?

[Feyd]

roadbikereview.com

bikeforums.com


Lots of good info on both sites. Lots of cool people over there, but be careful because there are a TON of elitist pricks too... especially on RBR.

Kind of funny to think so, but E90Post can't hold a candle to the amount of attitude/asshole'ishness that comes along with road biking... pretty insane.

[lopealle]

Originally Posted by Buegie

congrats, what size did you end up getting?

As far as helmets, you need to try a few on. They all fit very differently, especially Giro and Bell, which are probably the two most popular brands. I use a Giro Ionos personally though.

With a helmet you're basically paying for two things: ventilation and lightweight. Whatever you decide on though, ebay usually has the best prices.

i ended up getting a 58. im pretty excited. within the next couple of months i will be able to talk the bike lingo with you guys. so gimme some time.

Originally Posted by Feyd

roadbikereview.com

bikeforums.com


Lots of good info on both sites. Lots of cool people over there, but be careful because there are a TON of elitist pricks too... especially on RBR.

Kind of funny to think so, but E90Post can't hold a candle to the amount of attitude/asshole'ishness that comes along with road biking... pretty insane.

i didnt think it could get any worse then e90post but there are surprises everywhere. im gonna have to check out those sites when i get a chance.




you know what sucks, this thread is probably gonna die in the next week because noobody talks about bikes. i had to dig far back for this one.

[Buegie]

Originally Posted by lopealle

you know what sucks, this thread is probably gonna die in the next week because noobody talks about bikes. i had to dig far back for this one.

we'll keep it alive...I'm riding tomorrow morning with a buddy, we haven't had good luck riding together so far though. First time he got a pinch flat after hitting a big pothole on a fast descent (~45 mph). That wasn't too big of a deal though. The second time, his wedding ring slipped off and went skipping into the grass. Luckily he eventually found it though...

[lopealle]

damn you guys ride 45mph? thats good he found his ring. im not gonna have anybody to ride with. i told all my friends about me starting this riding for a new hobbie and they just laughed at me and called me gay. uugghh...of course i got the speedo jokes too. but no big deal. this seems like a fun hobbie and it will get me in better shape. i have gained 70 in the last 2 years due to a back injury so now its time to drop them off. how do i go about installing a bottle holder? i seen a bike with 2 of them. one on the frame and the other on the back of the seat.