XX1 and Knee Pain

[Ryanpmb]

What length is your new crank? If you have changed the length then thats probably the cause. If this is the case, have a full setup done again as your knee angle will be significantly different.

With regards to cleats, it will only make a difference if you are using new pedals?

 

I highly doubt a 32 will cause the problem... a 32/42 ratio is pretty close to a 28/36 on a 10x2.

New pedals, new shoes, change of cleats... OP says it's a new bike and first MTB. So the setup will be significantly different to his road bike. Cranks length, seat position, shoes, cleats, stem, bars... all will play a part.

 

A proper setup is the answer.

[V12man]

My guess will be MTB shoes that don't support the Valgus tilt in the foot, casuing excessive pressure on the knee or as V12 suggested an ITB.

 

Don't overcomplicate it... every one has an ITB - in fact - every one has two - one on either leg.. although I bet you don't know the opposite of that tilt out of your head

 

@the OP - Just do the damn stretch - it works, and if you have ITBFS (Ilio-Tibial Band Friction Syndrome), it will go away and you can address the setup issues to avoid a re-occurrence - although doing the stretch regularly does help - you just don't have to do it quite so often.

 

In about 80% of cases, pain on the side of the knee is ITBFS - forcing big gears generally presents as pain at the front of the knee - generally top or bottom of the kneecap initially.

[Wyatt Earp]

Don't overcomplicate it... every one has an ITB - in fact - every one has two - one on either leg.. although I bet you don't know the opposite of that tilt out of your head

 

@the OP - Just do the damn stretch - it works, and if you have ITBFS (Ilio-Tibial Band Friction Syndrome), it will go away and you can address the setup issues to avoid a re-occurrence - although doing the stretch regularly does help - you just don't have to do it quite so often.

 

In about 80% of cases, pain on the side of the knee is ITBFS - forcing big gears generally presents as pain at the front of the knee - generally top or bottom of the kneecap initially.

 

Yeah, I am pretty brain dead, know very little about bike set-ups and knee pain.

[NotSoBigBen]

Yeah, I am pretty brain dead, know very little about bike set-ups and knee pain.

 

:w00t: :w00t:

[Li Mu Bai]

So I recently put XX1 on my hard tail. I'm running a 32 front ring.

 

I've been getting pain in my left knee after about 50km of riding and one of my buddies thinks its because the ratio is so large. He figures its causing me to grind up the climbs with too much for my knee to handle.

 

I've been cycling for a while, mostly road, and have some good power. Riding elite this year.

 

Thoughts? Could it be that the granny gear in my XX1 is too large and causing my knee pain? Would swapping to a standard 2x10 be the answer?

Could be several things but, I had something similar when changing from 26"to 29" and running 2x10 instead of 3x9 for the first time. It was a deep inner pain rather than they typical side ITB pain, most felt when massaging.

The efforts you are using do take some getting used to and your body is letting you know it is battling to cope.

Take time to build up into the new gearing. I found that this lasted a few months and went away as I got used to the new platform.

I will be using XX1 crank (32T) but 10 speed rear (11/36) soon, and am expecting some adjustment to follow.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Li Mu Bai

[V12man]

Yeah, I am pretty brain dead, know very little about bike set-ups and knee pain.

 

Yea yea yea... heard that before...... STS....

[NotSoBigBen]

Could be several things but, I had something similar when changing from 26"to 29" and running 2x10 instead of 3x9 for the first time. It was a deep inner pain rather than they typical side ITB pain, most felt when massaging.

The efforts you are using do take some getting used to and your body is letting you know it is battling to cope.

Take time to build up into the new gearing. I found that this lasted a few months and went away as I got used to the new platform.

I will be using XX1 crank (32T) but 10 speed rear (11/36) soon, and am expecting some adjustment to follow.

 

Ok so help me out here gents/ladies ...... as I understand with my limited knowledge when you go 2*10 vs 3*9 you probably 'lose' 2 or so 'easy' gears and maybe just maybe 1 or so 'hard' gear not so?

 

How much time do you spend in those gears ...... Surely there is still a big enough selection of gears to cover the same kind of effort/cadence you had so it should not really matter?

 

So perhaps the wrong gear selection is more the problem than the gears themselves, i.e. riding bigger gears than the legs you got?

 

#ekwondermaarnet

[Paulst12]

New pedals, new shoes, change of cleats... OP says it's a new bike and first MTB. So the setup will be significantly different to his road bike. Cranks length, seat position, shoes, cleats, stem, bars... all will play a part.

 

A proper setup is the answer.

Nope, he just said its his 'first' mtb... not a brand new one.

Just hard to understand how a league rider wouldnt have a proper setup done. Its the first thing any cyclist should have done.... just ask Dangle... wait he lost his mind in his BIKESHOP

[V12man]

Ok so help me out here gents/ladies ...... as I understand with my limited knowledge when you go 2*10 vs 3*9 you probably 'lose' 2 or so 'easy' gears and maybe just maybe 1 or so 'hard' gear not so?

 

How much time do you spend in those gears ...... Surely there is still a big enough selection of gears to cover the same kind of effort/cadence you had so it should not really matter?

 

So perhaps the wrong gear selection is more the problem than the gears themselves, i.e. riding bigger gears than the legs you got?

 

#ekwondermaarnet

 

2 x 10 vs 3 x 10 I have a gear comparison spreadsheet somewhere - essentially you normally lose your very lowest gear and very highest gear on the 2 x 10 - neither of which you normally use - obviously there are some variations depending on cluster and chainrings you choose, but mostly 2 x 10 just eliminates duplicated gearing on a 3 x 10 - of which there is more than you think.

[kandui]

Move your saddle forward by a few mm.

[Ryanpmb]

Nope, he just said its his 'first' mtb... not a brand new one.

Just hard to understand how a league rider wouldnt have a proper setup done. Its the first thing any cyclist should have done.... just ask Dangle... wait he lost his mind in his BIKESHOP

Brand new or new to the rider, it's still a different bike.

 

I think we're saying the same thing. Proper setup required.

[avatar]

sorry, I missed most of this, BUT there is no way that you can grind too a big gear with a 32 in the front and 10-42 at the back, even the women in the world cup xco ride 34's. I just bought xx1 and it came with a 32T and the first thing I did was to replace it with a 38T because you would spin out at 35kmph on the flats

[New Landy new life]

I suddenly developed a knee issue when I changed my bottom bracket due to a failed bearing and the replacement given (only one available at the time) was 4mm further to the chainring side.

After two long rides the issue dissapeared luckily as I assume my joints got used to the new position. So far so good.

[Ryanpmb]

sorry, I missed most of this, BUT there is no way that you can grind too a big gear with a 32 in the front and 10-42 at the back, even the women in the world cup xco ride 34's. I just bought xx1 and it came with a 32T and the first thing I did was to replace it with a 38T because you would spin out at 35kmph on the flats

His knees are sore from spinning so fast in 32/42!

[DBK]

Don't overcomplicate it... every one has an ITB - in fact - every one has two - one on either leg.. although I bet you don't know the opposite of that tilt out of your head

 

@the OP - Just do the damn stretch - it works, and if you have ITBFS (Ilio-Tibial Band Friction Syndrome), it will go away and you can address the setup issues to avoid a re-occurrence - although doing the stretch regularly does help - you just don't have to do it quite so often.

 

In about 80% of cases, pain on the side of the knee is ITBFS - forcing big gears generally presents as pain at the front of the knee - generally top or bottom of the kneecap initially.

 

Yep, pain in inner knee. Not the knee cap. Could be a bit of ITB, but mainly inside the knee. I will get a proper set-up sorted out ASAP.

[Hairy]

mmm Been running a 1x1 (32x20t) for some time and the knees have been good to go.

 

Double check / fiddle with your saddle height a little too.