Gearoidmuar wrote:foxyrider wrote:Gearoidmuar wrote:I've dealt with this issue in a previous post. I used cleats for many years except in winter, and 3y ago ruptured medial cartilage in one knee, spontaneously. Was bother by this variable until nearly a year ago when I tried Catalyst Pedals, a long MTB pedal with studs. Miracle cure. Without pain in either knee since and no pain at night and no pain from walking, all of which I had.
Now, here's the beef. It's not the pedals' length which cured me, but the change in position, having the pedal axle in the middle of my arch rather the ball of the foot. I tried other BMX style pedals with this position and it's just as good and you lost NO power at all. It's remarkable that this has worked so well.
So my advice. Try this position and ignore whatever in or out angle your feet adopt.
Let me know if it works!
we have to ask again, how do you know you lost no power, did you measure with a power meter?
1. I don't have a powermeter, BUT my times on different routes on particular bikes are exactly the same and I never look at the speedo till I finish.
2. German scientists have measured it and they think that that position (mid-sole) actually gives you up to 3% MORE power.
3. Against my cycling companions, I've not suffered vis a vis them since.
So in short, you have no direct evidence that your statement is correct. Just because you complete rides at the same speed and at the same pace as your fellows does not prove anything, you may well be putting in more effort to maintain this - we don't know as you have no way of measuring. Clearly the 'scientists' aren't clear on their observations either, they only 'think' there could be an advantage but we don't even know what they were measuring against.
FWIW i can do the same ride at pretty much the same speed but have power outputs that are quite different depending on wind, temperature, traffic etc, etc.