Bike Fit by Hoy Chris Boardman Chris Burt Phil

Author:Hoy, Chris, Boardman, Chris, Burt, Phil [Hoy, Chris, Boardman, Chris, Burt, Phil]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

WHEN PROBLEMS OCCUR

101

look for reasons off the bike first. For example – do

pedalling in the city I commute through. The most

you wear corrective insoles or orthotics off the bike

common cause is someone riding a bike that is much

for an already identified foot mechanical or posture

too small for them or with a very low saddle height

issue? If so, have you transferred this to your cycling

– often because they have jumped on a bike for the

shoes? If not, do so and see if it makes a difference.

first time or borrowed someone else’s. I don’t see

If you haven’t had your foot posture assessed but

this style of knee tracking very often at the top end of

are worried about it, seek medical advice from a

cycling, and if the bike and saddle height are optimal

registered podiatrist.

I would say it is a reflection of the rider’s weight,

hip and knee issues. Obese riders must take their

Knees in and out

knees out to the side to avoid their thighs coming

Some riders pedal in an elliptical fashion, with

into contact with their stomach. Riders with hip pain

the knee moving inwards towards the bike on the

will naturally rotate their hips as much as possible to

downstroke and then away from the bike on the

unload and therefore decrease the strain placed on

returning upstroke. This is very common and is more

the hip joint.

than likely down to riders externally rotating their

hips after the pressure of the downstroke in order to

Riders with this style who are just starting out tend to

unload the joint and return it to TDC to start the next

see it normalise as they pedal more and lose weight.

pedal cycle. Some argue this enables the hip flexors

If it persists, increasing the stance width offers the

to work more effectively – but noting the work of

best way to improve things. Just as varus wedges

many such as Martin and Brown (2009) (see the hip

(see p. 100) are prescribed to correct knees coming

section on p. 103), which has proved the negligible

in, valgus wedges can help a rider who pedals with

contribution of the hip flexors in the overall power

knees out. However, forefoot valgus affects less than

profile of pedalling, this seems less important.

10 per cent of people, and caution should be used

inserting wedges for the wrong reason as they can

Knees-out

cause pain. In short, the best solution is probably

I often see a bow-kneed or knees-out style of

either losing weight or getting a bigger bike!

A RIDER WITH AN ELLIPTICAL PEDALLING

A RIDER WITH A KNEES-OUT PEDALLING

See how the upstroke knee

Here, both the upstroke

(left) moves out while the

and the downstroke leg

downstroke knee (right)

keeps the knee out or

moves in forming an

more lateral.

ellipse if you track it.

BF_chapter_5.indd 101

03/04/2014 08:24

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