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Conference noted::bicycle

Title: Bicycling
Notice:Bicycling for Fun
Moderator:JAMIN::WASSER
Created:Mon Apr 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3214
Total number of notes:31946

2469.0. "where should my legs burn" by TROOA::SCHAFFER () Fri Dec 04 1992 03:05

        hi, my name is len. I STARTED CYCLING SERI0USLY THIS YEAR 
    {ROAD). THE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS WHERE SHOULD MY LEGS BURN
    WHILE RIDEING REALY HARD? CURANTLY THEY BURN AROUND THE INSIDE OF
    MY KNEES. I SET THE BIKE UP USEING A PLUM LINE FOR SEAT POSITION AND 
    HEELS ON PEADALS FOR HEIGHT.THIS WAS THE SETUP I USED ALL SEASON.
    WAYNE VIERHOUT GAVE ME A SUGESTION TO USE BERNARD HINAULT'S METHOD OF
    BIKE FIT. I SET THE BIKE UP THIS WAY AND IT FEELS GREAT BUT AFTER
    TRYING IT OUT I STILL GET MOST OF THE BURNING AROUND MY KNEES.
    ANY IDEAS WOULD BE APPECIATED.
    
                                                                     
        
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2469.1don't shout, pleaseMOVIES::WIDDOWSONRod, OpenVMS Eng @EDOFri Dec 04 1992 07:2020
    Hi len,  
    
    Please don't shout (I find Capitals agressive and hard to read)
    
    I am always *very* nervous about any pain in or around the knees.  It
    could be just muscle pain but it could be something else.
    
    If you are relatively new to cycling it could be that you dont (yet)
    have the neccesary musculature to hold the knee-cap in position.. or
    anything.  If the position of the setup is relatively new, take things
    easy at first and let your body get used to it.
    
    There are many people wityh *much* more experience than I in here who
    will be able to give more info.  Or you could go to see a sport physio
    or doctor who could recommend a course of weights (if needed).  but
    thats sounds a bit drastic.
    
    For myself I am never sure through the clouded eyes as my heart tries
    to leap out of my chest and my lungs are screaming for mercy precisely
    where the pain is, but i *think* its the quads which hurt most.
2469.2MASALA::GGOODMANJIT - Japanese Induced TerrorFri Dec 04 1992 07:3613
    
    
    Hinault's position will almost definately be considerably higher than
    you rode previously. It sounds like the muscle around the knee i
    getting stretched more than it should. If the change is drastic,
    you're putting the strain on too quickly. Think of it as only having
    ever ridden 10 mile time trials then trying to do a sub 4-hour 100
    century.
    
    Move to that position slowly, gradually stretching to the position.
    Burning inside the knees is not natural...
    
    Graham.
2469.3PAIN & TROUBLEWMOIS::GIROUARD_CFri Dec 04 1992 09:2913
     I'll second the responses. Pain is nothing to fool with in the
    knee area. Generally it means damage is being done, period. This
    is true even with muscles. The pain is associated to the tearing
    of tissue. Without it, muscles could not become stronger or more
    efficient.
    
     If you're feeling anything except in the quads (or occasionally -
    depending on what I'm doing - the calves) there's a good chance
    something isn't right.
    
     Have we scared you enough yet??? :-)
    
         Chip
2469.4:*)KIRKTN::GGOODMANJIT - Japanese Induced TerrorFri Dec 04 1992 11:338
    
>>     If you're feeling anything except in the quads (or occasionally -
>>    depending on what I'm doing - the calves) there's a good chance
>>    something isn't right.
    
	What about the lungs?  :*)
    
    Graham.    
2469.5DANGER::JBELLAleph naught bottles of beer on the wall...Fri Dec 04 1992 15:4110
>    THE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS WHERE SHOULD MY LEGS BURN
>    WHILE RIDEING REALY HARD?

    Actually they shouldn't burn.... at least not the same as in
    other high-force low-rev sports.  Tired legs get more of a
    diffuse soreness as well as a generally weak feeling.  

    I would recommend downshifting.

    -Jeff
2469.6fitkit cleat adjustmentSTAR::ZIELONKOFri Dec 04 1992 16:2522
do you know if there is a bike shop around that offers "bike fitting" services?
ask wayne. he'll know. there's something called the "Fit-Kit" which is a bike
sizing method with special fitting devices sold by bill farrell in new
hampshire. stores buy the kit and (i believe) become certified in it's use and
then use it to fit people to their bikes. you pay a fee to the dealer for this
service. of special interest to you is the Rotational Adjustment Device (RAD).
this is used to set the angle on the cleats on your shoes assuming you're using
cleated shoes. misaligned cleats are *GUARANTEED* to cause knee problems.

are you in canada? i don't know if they have fitkit there.

>BURN AROUND THE INSIDE OF MY KNEES.
      ^^^^^^

by "inside" do you mean inside the joint itself  or inside in the sense of the
part of your knee toward the top tube.  if you mean inside the joint (as i
believe the others understood you) then you should lay off a little, start slow
and watch that you aren't trying to push gears that are too high. to see if
you're pedaling too high gears count your pedaling cadence. you should get
between 80 and 100 rpms. this will be slower when you're climbing a hard grade.
one revolution is one full revolution of the crank. ie count right foot or left
foot - not both.
2469.7dir/title=fitSTAR::ZIELONKOFri Dec 04 1992 16:3422
ps. did a DIR/TITLE=FIT

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2469.8REPLACEMENT PARTS AVAILABLEWMOIS::GIROUARD_CFri Dec 04 1992 17:474
    
     Lungs, Graham? Never... Ti transplants :-)
    
         Chip
2469.9where should my legs burnTROOA::SCHAFFERFri Dec 04 1992 23:057
    Sorry for shouting. The burning pain is in the inner thieghs,just above
    the knees.this is the area where i noticed the most muscle development 
    over the season .there is no pain in the inside of the knees. Over the 
    season i gradually built up to 25 miles night and one long ride on the
    weekend, usually around 60 miles. I averaged about 17 mph over rolling
    hills(nothing major). I don't think it is a knee conditioning problem,
    but i am going to check my cleets out carefully. Thanks for the input.
2469.10KIRKTN::GGOODMANJIT - Japanese Induced TerrorSat Dec 05 1992 08:399
    
    Chip,
    
    	Why don't I struggle to believe that? Course, up here, our lungs
    are specially designed to take very small breaths because of the frozen
    air. That's my excuse for always being out of breath after a run
    anyway...   :*)
    
    Graham.
2469.11NOVA::FISHERRdb/VMS DinosaurSun Dec 06 1992 07:158
    That's an important muscle to develop -- the one on the inside of the
    upper leg.  It's the VMO (short for something more or less Latin)  it's
    purpose is to keep the patella in place properly balancing the pull
    from the other muscles. A typical cyclist injury requiring therapy
    occurs if the other quad muscles are too developed, much more than the
    VMO, the knee cap isn't held in place and you get problems.
    
    ed