LOOK KEO spacers?

[SwissVan]

My left leg is shorter than my right leg' date=' therefore I would need to get spacers between my shoe and cleat. Is it commercially available? Any suggestions? Thanks

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Yep they are available, not sure where in SA. Try the large bike shops that also do bike fitment (Cyclelab?).

I went through the process of trying to find them commercialy and the only place I found was Pedal Pushers in Australia (Steve Hogg)

www.cyclefitcentre.com

 

Cost me 48 Oz dollars (MOSTLY SHIPPING COSTS) for 2 shims (1 x 2mm and 1 x3mm).

 

As you can see would be quite easy to make yourself.

 

Wheither shimming helps or not depends on your problem, in my case (lower back / hip pain) my right leg is 12mm shorter and shimming it (5mm) had no effect, in fact seemed to make it worse...

 

 

 

 

 

[SwissVan]

Has anybody ever done a serious study on the effect of fitting a shorter crank vs fitting spacers to the shoe sole? I know for instance that Sheldon Brown is against fitting a shorter crank' date=' and I have always believed that this was the general opinion. But is this based on science, or hearsay?

[/quote']

This is based in common sense.

If you make the crank longer on the short leg side, the pedal will be closer at the top (good) but further away at the bottom (bad)

vice versa if you do it on the long leg side.

You can move the saddle sideways a few mm (needs a special saddle clamp add-on), or you can insert spacers (home-made, or leWedge spacers) to even out the legs.  You can get lewedge is SA (Cycle Lab sells 'em)

1cm is not a lot.  My first advice is: ignore it.  However, if spacers helped on the SPDs, then use spacers on the Keos.

Moving the saddle sideways is an option if your leg length discrepancy is caused by shifted hips/pelvis.

First prize is fixing the muscle imbalances by stretching/exercising.  This might very well be in the back, rather than in the legs.

Barend...well said...You are spot on..I couldn't have done it better!

 

 

 

Guys! Sequoia is talking about fitting a SHORTER crank arm on the short leg side, not a longer crank. A shorter crank would mean that the short leg does not have to reach as far as it would with the existing longer crank. 

 

The big problem with the shorter crank on one side theory is the cost and limited crank length options vs the cost of a shim and endless shim thickness options.

 

QED

 

 

 

 

 

[Minion]

 

in fact seemed to make it worse...

 

Did you fit it to the correct shoe

 

 

Guys! Sequoia is talking about fitting a SHORTER crank arm on the short leg side' date=' not a longer crank

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I was wrong .

You're right, it does actually make sense. Your foot moves down at the top, but that doesn't really matter since it'll move down anyway from the pedal stroke.

 

[Troi Sport]

before prescibing a "cure"

one should consider where the the leg length discrepency occurs - in the upper leg or lower leg.

 

if only on the lower leg, meaning the Femurs are of similar length, use the Spacer to compensate for the lack of length in the tibia/fibula
if only in the upper leg consider the shorter crank length - lessening the strain on the knee, but maintaining equal range of motion through the hips. This should counter a secondary injury caused by the pelvis "dipping" to one side

 

 

Chances are it will be a combination of the 2.

[SwissVan]

in fact seemed to make it worse...

Did you fit it to the correct shoe

Guys! Sequoia is talking about fitting a SHORTER crank arm on the short leg side' date=' not a longer crank

[/quote']

I was wrong .
You're right, it does actually make sense. Your foot moves down at the top, but that doesn't really matter since it'll move down anyway from the pedal stroke.

 

He he you joke about fitting it to the correct shoe... well I did try it on the long leg side as well (after deciding it made things worse on the short leg side), and allthough it did not solve the problem it felt better than when it was on the short leg side...

 

The short leg issue does not seem to be the problem, seems like a have a stiff SIJ (sacro ilac joint) on the left side, basicaly means a pelvis assymmetry issue.

 

Leg length discrepancies in the range of 1 - 1.5cm are generally not considered a reason for compensating by with shims, although it would depend on the individual case and where the discrepancy exists, as Shamus said in the lower or upper leg.

 

[SwissVan]

before prescibing a "cure"

one should consider where the the leg length discrepency occurs - in the upper leg or lower leg.

 

if only on the lower leg' date=' meaning the Femurs are of similar length, use the Spacer to compensate for the lack of length in the tibia/fibula
if only in the upper leg consider the shorter crank length - lessening the strain on the knee, but maintaining equal range of motion through the hips. This should counter a secondary injury caused by the pelvis "dipping" to one side

 

 

Chances are it will be a combination of the 2.

[/quote']

 

Very true, it is important to get an accurate measurement, namely by a scan or x ray of both legs and to have the x ray technician actually measure the lower and upper leg bones.

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Shamus I like your signature, however I always remember you for something else I saw you do once when you crossed the finish line at the Mossel bay SA STD Distance Triathlon champs (last century...), something along the lines of a kiss my butt gesture? Think you won that race !