If you haven't already, you need to get a bike fit. I never knew how good
of a thing it was until Saturday morning. This is definitely a case of not
knowing what you have until it's gone.
Rewind to several years ago. I would go on long rides, and my knees would
hurt a little bit. If I got in the car for a long drive my right knee would
just hurt like anything. I've always had knee problems through the years,
being a heavy guy and all. So it was what it was and I never thought much about it beyond that. I accepted that if I wanted to go on long bike rides my knees would hurt.
Now fast forward to this past spring. I went to Halter's and got a bike
fit. New shoes and pedals, some wedges because my feet are screwy, tweak
this and that, and so on. Anyway, the bike felt better and I saw my average
go up. In the end I didn't say to myself, "Wow this was the best money ever
spent." But it was good, for sure. I then rode my bike and didn't think
anything about it. And you know, now that I think about it, my knees never hurt after long rides anymore. But it never really struck me this was happening.
Fast forward to this past Saturday. With the cold weather, I put on my old
spd road pedals and wore my winter shoes. About 10 seconds into the ride I
can feel it's different. Not right at all. About an hour into the ride, my left
knee is starting to really hurt to the point I need to slow down. By the
end of the 2 hour ride, both knees hurt. I am thankful to get home.
I got in the car to go to Lancaster with the family for the weekend. By the
time we got there my right knee and various tendons were just screaming at
me. Last night, back home, I walk up the steps to go to bed, my left knee is still complaining a little bit on the steps.
So the point here is to get a proper fit for your bike. It makes a world of
difference, even if you don't realize it.
of a thing it was until Saturday morning. This is definitely a case of not
knowing what you have until it's gone.
Rewind to several years ago. I would go on long rides, and my knees would
hurt a little bit. If I got in the car for a long drive my right knee would
just hurt like anything. I've always had knee problems through the years,
being a heavy guy and all. So it was what it was and I never thought much about it beyond that. I accepted that if I wanted to go on long bike rides my knees would hurt.
Now fast forward to this past spring. I went to Halter's and got a bike
fit. New shoes and pedals, some wedges because my feet are screwy, tweak
this and that, and so on. Anyway, the bike felt better and I saw my average
go up. In the end I didn't say to myself, "Wow this was the best money ever
spent." But it was good, for sure. I then rode my bike and didn't think
anything about it. And you know, now that I think about it, my knees never hurt after long rides anymore. But it never really struck me this was happening.
Fast forward to this past Saturday. With the cold weather, I put on my old
spd road pedals and wore my winter shoes. About 10 seconds into the ride I
can feel it's different. Not right at all. About an hour into the ride, my left
knee is starting to really hurt to the point I need to slow down. By the
end of the 2 hour ride, both knees hurt. I am thankful to get home.
I got in the car to go to Lancaster with the family for the weekend. By the
time we got there my right knee and various tendons were just screaming at
me. Last night, back home, I walk up the steps to go to bed, my left knee is still complaining a little bit on the steps.
So the point here is to get a proper fit for your bike. It makes a world of
difference, even if you don't realize it.