Both my knees currenly ache across the font of the knee cap normally the day after a big ride. I currently use SPDs (M324 & 520) on my bikes & have them at the loosest setting to give me max movement. I'm doing increased mileage (max 50 miles) due to training for an event I'm doing in May.
I've heard people saying that Time Atac pedals are better for knees. Has anyone got any experience of this?
Yep, switching to Times solved/avoided the pain I was getting down the side of my left knee. Seem to cope with mud much better too.
You might also like to consider Speedplay Frogs, as they have lots of float too.
egg beaters are really good for that too, mine are good but the entry and exit are vauge in comparason with shimano's though.
I heard something similiar Adrian, and tried the time pedals, I must say I hated them - seemed to make things worse for me but, we are all different!
After exhaustive trying of pedals, I found that Shimano cleats, that were properly set up for me (slightly bandy legged) produced the best trouble free results.
I would have a good look at your set up, do you wear down your normal shoes to one side, is one area, and cycling shoes, I cannot use Shimano or regular Specialised, Sidi, as they have a bias built into the sole, which loads up my worn medial knee joint.
The position of the cleat, too far forward or back may cause a cramped or extended knee action - there are many possibilities, and in my experience it takes time if you excuse the pun, to find what is causing and is best for you.
There have been a few threads about this recently. I have Shimanos which were giving me knee pain, stuck a pair of Times on yesterday and the pain was gone.
Same with me re: the Time pedals, also they don't get clogged with mud or snow.
i run eggbeaters but thought i'd give times a go, as the eggys do take a lot of looking after. put times on my road bikes to see how i got on. find them much tighter than eggbeaters, harder to clip in and out of, less float. don't think they're going to make the jump to the mtbs.
Thanks for the input. So the Time pedals get a good response apart from Woodsman who throws a spanner in the works (cheers Pete!). I have faffed around with the position of the SPD cleats in the past but to no avail.
i have had knee trouble in past,had a few ops even used my knee in a tv documentary,yes my left knee is famous
but i have found the atac to be great and have them on all my bikes
I about to go back to time
I had time cleats on my shoes and then ebayed some pedals, the old ones were stolun 8 years ago
clipping them in by hand they seem awful. My hunch is that the cleat is to close to thew shoe, the bar wedges in the gap locking any float
I think with a bit of shimming/washers the retaining bars might be freerer under the cleat. The cleathas curved edge clearlt to allow float. My bars aren't touching the curved edge
Maybe woods man shoes or cleats have worked correctly?
I haven't tried the Time ones but used to have issues with SPDs and my knees and in the end went to flats. I then bought a new bike which had Crank Brothers Acids as standard and gave them ago. No problems at all now!
Time ATACs - good for my knees, don't clog, I find them easier to clip in and out than Shimano or Crank Bros (though I agree that Shimano give a big old positive click as you clip in) and they seem to be virtually indestructable - did bend an axle on one set.
They can foul the sole of some shoes and oiling the bars helps stop them creaking.
By the way Ampthill they used to come with shims to lift the cleat off the sole slightly if your shoes needed that to give them the right floatiness
i tried shimano cleats for the first time not so long ago. felt very wierd :S
Times always felt 'loose' kije you were kinda cliped in but not going to stay put indefinately. As proven by my ability to unclip mid jump/hop. Shimano on the other hand felt more secure.
Not sure which i'd try if i ever go back to SPD's, might try shimano, but have more practice in time's.
another vote for Time here. I've had a fair amount of knee surgery and discussion with surgeons/specialist physios etc all have suggested that the float offered by Time is better for dodgy knees. Setup is equally important, particulary the 'toe in' of the cleats. I also wear Spesh BG shoes with a raised arch insole (which best reflects the orthotics I have for my everyday shoes) - on this latter point, I got the orthoptist (sp?) who made my custom orthotics to check which Spesh footbed was most similar.
I have been running Times for over ten years and wouldn't go back to Shimano's SPD system. If you are used to the clunk of the Shimano then the Times do feel a bit vague on entry as if you aren't properly attached and the feeling that you shoes can move around adds to this. But you soon get used to it and like everyone has said they are very good in the mud. The only downside is you go through cleats much quicker as they are made brass and not steal.
are you stretching adequately? I had knee pain and was sure it was the pedals, started stretching and the knee pain is gone. pedals never fitted!
are you stretching adequately?
Do you mean pre-ride muscle stretching? If so then I admin I don't do enough & I have been told that my hamstrings are tight. I must make an effort to do more stretching regardless. I did even consider doing yoga classes 🙂
