Hi all...just wanted to give you an update after our interesting posts about how far apart feet should be spaced. After receiving lots of replies telling me that my seat was too low, I had the brilliant idea of emailing Lennard Zinn at Velonews. His reply to me was that most women should have their cleats set so that their feet are as close to the crankarms as possible without rubbing. He didn't give me the why, as it is evidently a subject he is convering in his upcoming book.
SO....I moved my feet inboard a bit. I actually moved the cleats out about 4mm or so (which as you know has a big impact on foot position.) Lo and behold, NO KNEE PAIN and I rode another century today just to make sure ;> And as an added benefit, my feet felt better, too (and that's at about 93 degrees today).
The funny thing is, I had already moved my feet in closer early in the season and ended up moving them back out a bit again. I think it was just too early in the year and I wasn't feeling "one" with my bicycle as I am now. I think the farther out position had me rolling my feet outside a bit on the downstroke. I had a lot more power at the bottom of the stroke today.
I think I have about another 3mm to spare yet. Now the question is, do I move them even further together? (I think Lennard would say yes). Perhaps I will wait a week or so before I experiment again.
Cat Dailey wrote: :: Hi all...just wanted to give you an update after our interesting :: posts about how far apart feet should be spaced. After receiving :: lots of replies telling me that my seat was too low, I had the :: brilliant idea of emailing Lennard Zinn at Velonews. His reply to :: me was that most women should have their cleats set so that their :: feet are as close to the crankarms as possible without rubbing. He :: didn't give me the why, as it is evidently a subject he is convering :: in his upcoming book. :: :: SO....I moved my feet inboard a bit. I actually moved the cleats :: out about 4mm or so (which as you know has a big impact on foot :: position.) Lo and behold, NO KNEE PAIN and I rode another century :: today just to make sure ;> And as an added benefit, my feet felt :: better, too (and that's at about 93 degrees today). :: :: The funny thing is, I had already moved my feet in closer early in :: the season and ended up moving them back out a bit again. I think :: it was just too early in the year and I wasn't feeling "one" with my :: bicycle as I am now. I think the farther out position had me :: rolling my feet outside a bit on the downstroke. I had a lot more :: power at the bottom of the stroke today. :: :: I think I have about another 3mm to spare yet. Now the question :: is, do I move them even further together? (I think Lennard would :: say yes). Perhaps I will wait a week or so before I experiment :: again.
As someone who apparently can ride centuries any day of the week without a moments notice, it's clear that you must be at "one" with your bicycle. I'm green with envy....
On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 20:27:02 -0400, "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Cat Dailey wrote: :: Hi all...just wanted to give you an update after our interesting :: posts about how far apart feet should be spaced. After receiving :: lots of replies telling me that my seat was too low, I had the :: brilliant idea of emailing Lennard Zinn at Velonews. His reply to :: me was that most women should have their cleats set so that their :: feet are as close to the crankarms as possible without rubbing. He :: didn't give me the why, as it is evidently a subject he is convering :: in his upcoming book. :: :: SO....I moved my feet inboard a bit. I actually moved the cleats :: out about 4mm or so (which as you know has a big impact on foot :: position.) Lo and behold, NO KNEE PAIN and I rode another century :: today just to make sure ;> And as an added benefit, my feet felt :: better, too (and that's at about 93 degrees today). :: :: The funny thing is, I had already moved my feet in closer early in :: the season and ended up moving them back out a bit again. I think :: it was just too early in the year and I wasn't feeling "one" with my :: bicycle as I am now. I think the farther out position had me :: rolling my feet outside a bit on the downstroke. I had a lot more :: power at the bottom of the stroke today. :: :: I think I have about another 3mm to spare yet. Now the question :: is, do I move them even further together? (I think Lennard would :: say yes). Perhaps I will wait a week or so before I experiment :: again.
As someone who apparently can ride centuries any day of the week without a moments notice, it's clear that you must be at "one" with your bicycle. I'm green with envy....
You rock.
Admit it Roger. You hate her...with a passion. <eg>
I think I have about another 3mm to spare yet. Now the question is, do I move them even further together? (I think Lennard would say yes). Perhaps I will wait a week or so before I experiment again.
Cat
But.. but... no references??? No solid physiological reason backed by research??? Oh my... see how low we have dragged you!! 🙂
Glad you found an informed, if unsubstantiated, answer that has solved the knee problem. When I have found a position that solves a problem like yours, I pay attention and stick with it for a while. If everything feels good after a few days or more, I tend to forget I even had the problem so I stop worrying. But I am not riding with the same intensity as you. If I was, I would probably end up moving the cleat outwards after a week of adjustment just out of curiosity.
"Dan Daniel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Cat Dailey said:
I think I have about another 3mm to spare yet. Now the question is, do
I
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
move them even further together? (I think Lennard would say yes).
Perhaps
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
I will wait a week or so before I experiment again.
Cat
But.. but... no references??? No solid physiological reason backed by research??? Oh my... see how low we have dragged you!! 🙂
Glad you found an informed, if unsubstantiated, answer that has solved the knee problem. When I have found a position that solves a problem like yours, I pay attention and stick with it for a while. If everything feels good after a few days or more, I tend to forget I even had the problem so I stop worrying. But I am not riding with the same intensity as you. If I was, I would probably end up moving the cleat outwards after a week of adjustment just out of curiosity.
Actually, I will probably buy his book to find out the reasons why he makes this recommendation, so hopefully it will be more substantiated then. And I think I am going to do exactly as you suggested....wait a week and then go slightly farther and see how it feels.
Thanks all, Cat and I don't get to ride centuries every day;> but I do have off on Wednesdays and Saturdays, so...what the heck? The hub was off in Mississippi so I had no one to rush home to ;<
