Is going clipless shagging my knees?

I've been on cage & straps for years, but recently moved over to Time Aliums to experiment with clipless. I have to say, I'm enjoying the extra efficiency (especially with pulling up hills) but there's definitely a bit of a twinge in my knees - especially after a long-ish ride.

From more experienced guys, will this go away as my legs readjust to a slightly different pedalling stroke or should I be making changes now? I'm pretty sure I've set up the cleats fairly well (I did that "dangle your legs over the end of a table" thing to check alignment) - I don't know, maybe not? I'm old enough that I can't really afford to bugger up any more of my body...

adjust float maybe?

I've been clipless for just over a month now and haven't felt any adverse effects in terms of knees.. But then again I'm a relative nipper..

you may have to adjust cleat position, so your feet are above the pedal axles at the same point as they were with the learner pedals. But you may also find the pain goes after a week or so, I think a similar thing happened to me.

it's usually the twisting action required to unclip that gets blamed for knee pain, I have no idea if there's any substance to the claim. again, it's something you'll probably get over once you're used to it.

It may also be the shoes - they might mean your feet are angled inwards or outwards, which might be putting stress on your knees you're not used to.

Do you have one leg longer than the other? When pedalling do you notice your feet turning inwards or outwards?

adjust float maybe?

aliums don't have adjustable float, you stupid, stupid boy.

now, go and polish those NJS frames ready for sale

Oh I'm going to whip myself for that.

And i can't even afford NJS polish until I sell the blasted low profile. :(

saddle too high? Sometimes the case when ppl ride clipless the 1st time...

How long have you been riding the new setup?
How did you adjust it? Did you take not of your feet position at all, beforehand?

I guess it could be the unclipping movement? I know I was a bit surprised at how much effort was needed when the cleats were new, now they've worn in a bit it's getting easier. I've got the cleats positioned so the ball of my foot is over the pedal axle, or very slightly forward. My foot is pretty much straight on the pedal with a very slight turn out (as is my natural foot position). I read somewhere it was safer to have the foot slightly forward as otherwise you tend to flex your foot more?

How long have you been riding the new setup?
How did you adjust it? Did you take not of your feet position at all, beforehand?

Been riding this way for 2-3 weeks now...

As mentioned above you might want to look at your saddle height; small differences in how bent your knee is when pedaling can make your knees sore. Maybe your old shoes had your foot nearer the pedal?

it is amazing how a tiny change to the bike can have so many potential consequences

you may find that your saddle height needs to be adjusted a little as the position of your foot in cleated shoes vs trainers and clips relative to the pedal axel may be different

also the cleat on the shoe may need some tweaking

additionally it sounds like you have now changed your pedaling technique (pulling up more) which will also have put a different load on your knees

do you stretch your quads after riding? if you are now pulling up more your quads will be tightening up and thus pulling more on your knee cap as well

will beat me to it

I had a similar problem with SPDs fscking my knee up. I have a dodgy knee anyway from an old karate injury and the SPDs aggravated it. I worked out it was down to the twisting I needed to do to get out of them. I switched to Eggbeaters a while back and the problem went away.

Been riding this way for 2-3 weeks now...

That's not enough time to have adjusted, if you've set the cleats up so as to position your feet differently to how they were.

You can try: getting used to it (which may never happen or injure you, depends on your age, time riding in the previous way, etc) or adjust cleats until the position replicates the setup of the straps. Depends if your clip+strap setup was any good to begin with.

Also factor in saddle height since cleated shoes typically get you closer to the pedal due to the recessed cleat.

Bikeradar had an article I was reading the other night, but cannot find it now...

Best I could come up with was this...

will beat me to it

He usually does

I would say it's probably the saddle height. Before you would have been riding a on flats, and wearing shoes with (potentially) a thickish sole (compared to road/MTB shoes). Now you're using clipless pedals, where there's not a lot between contact and the axle and shoes which probably have a thin (yet stiff) sole. Meaning you're having to straighten your leg more than you have been used to and probably more than you should.

Lower you saddle by 1cm at most

Also factor in saddle height since cleated shoes typically get you closer to the pedal due to the recessed cleat.

If only someone else had thought to point that out.

I would say it's probably the saddle height. Before you would have been riding a on flats, and wearing shoes with (potentially) a thickish sole (compared to road/MTB shoes).

Lower you saddle, at most 1cm lower.

Anyone else want a go?

go on then, could be the saddle height

Could it be saddle height?

I think you should factor in saddle height adjustment, since it will differ when using cycle shoes with recessed cleats, but also check cleat alignment isn't kicking out your feet at an odd angle. Don't have them dead straight if your feet are naturally splayed or your left foot points in or something. Oh, check the saddle height too since it will change with cleated shoes.

P.S. Don't forget saddle height.