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CoachingDIAGNOSIS

CYCLING KNEE PAIN — CAUSES AND FIXES

Your knees hurt during or after rides. It started as a twinge and now it's every ride. You're worried the bike is damaging your joints.

THE SHORT ANSWER

Most often, this is because saddle too low — excessive knee flexion at bottom of pedal stroke. The fix: get a bike fit — 80% of cycling knee pain resolves with saddle and cleat adjustment.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

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Saddle too low — excessive knee flexion at bottom of pedal stroke

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Saddle too high — hyperextension causing posterior knee pain

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Cleat rotation wrong — fixed cleats forcing unnatural knee tracking

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Too much, too soon — rapid load increases outpacing tissue adaptation

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Single-leg imbalance — one leg overloading

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Low cadence grinding — high-force pedalling loading the patella tendon

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Weak glutes/VMO — knee tracking controlled by hip and quad muscles

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

1

Get a bike fit

80% of cycling knee pain resolves with saddle and cleat adjustment

2

Increase cadence

Spin 85-95 rpm to reduce per-pedal-stroke knee load

3

Add strength work

Glute bridges, squats, and VMO work fix the root cause

4

Manage load

Don't spike volume — ramp gradually

FREE DIAGNOSTIC

Get a fit assessment
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EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Daryl FitzgeraldWorld Tour bike fitter at Science to Sport

Fitzgerald's experience is that most cycling knee pain is a fit problem, not a joint problem. Saddle height and cleat position drive how the knee tracks through the pedal stroke, and getting those right resolves the large majority of cases. Check the position before assuming the joint is the issue or spiking your training load.

Hear it: Daryl Fitzgerald Bike-Fit Podcast: Saddle Height, Cranks and Fit