# Hip Pain....



## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

Hey All,

Started to get really into a road bike, well at least on the trainer. Had 2 sessions of a bike fitting and still getting pain in the inside portion on my right hip. I believe it feels worse since I switched my crank from a 170 to a 172.5 length

i'm 5'8" on a 2011 54cm Specialized Allez.

Some recommended changes that we made were 40cm FSA compact handlebar, and Speedplay pedals with a spacer since my right foot was hitting the crank while pedaling.

So what can be some causes of the hip pain. I've given it a few days off, and just took a few pedals and felt it almost immediately.


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## slow.climber (Nov 25, 2010)

When you say 'inside of the hip' I think you mean groin. Or more specifically, the perineum, Perineum - Wikipedia

Most of your weight should be carried on your 'sit bones' (ischial tuberosities),
Tuberosity of the ischium - Wikipedia

If the saddle is not wide enough, or if you're too far forward, your weight is transferred to the perineum and that can cause this pain.


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## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

It sounds like your bending your knees too much - but you should probably get it checked out. It could be a number of things. Even a cyst or something. A doc can help you pinpont the source of the pain and you can then adjust your fitting accordingly. You may want to get a second opinion on your fitting as well.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

I Definitely think it's not the perineum. It's if you place your hand on your hip bone, the area right in front of that. It's the right side that has this issue.

I really like having a road bike, but this is discouraging :-( My hybrid on the trainer never really gave me any pain, and this has been a kind of frustrating process. I do appreciate the help though :-D


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## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

How did you come to decide what bike to get? Did you ride it before you bought it? I'd get a tape measure and start matching up the specs from your hybrid to the new bike. Make note of the differences. Try not to get discouraged you'll get there. Maybe bring both bikes to your fitter so they can see what is working for you.


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## torch511 (Mar 4, 2012)

The size of the bike is correct - it should be a 54cm.

Since you switched the crank to a longer one, your leg must travel further, meaning your hip and knee must flex more. If you were having pain before in the front of your hip then it makes sense that it got worse with the new crank.

Not a doctor but was an EMT so I have some medical knowledge. It's impossible to diagnose someone over a paragraph online but it sounds like you have tendonitis. Imagine Carpel Tunnel for you hip. A tendon is getting rubbed the wrong way and has become inflamed. At this point no matter what you do, changing position or equipment is most not going to stop the pain as you must wait for the inflamation to pass. If you experience the pain all the time, then you should see a doctor. If you do not get the pain off-bike, then just take a break from the bike for a couple of weeks and try again. If you feel ANY pain once you start back up, then stop and you must work on bike fit.

Someone else with more experience with bike fit can help you out there. I think common sense would dictate that your leg is not moving as it should, but how to fix that (pedal, cleat position, shimming the cleat, saddle, etc.) is beyond my scope.


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Get checked out by a DPT or someone else competent with sports injuries.

It could be any number of things that may be causing it: could be femoroacetabular, could be nerve related, coule be muscle, tendon or ligamentous origin, could be groin related, could be spinal issues...

There's too many things to rule out, and if several fit sessions don't help, you need to get it checked out.


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## Danger Mouse (Apr 8, 2010)

Most issues like this tend to stem from lack of flexibility, lack of strength, or poor body alignment. Most of which can be fixed with the proper corrective exercises. A good physical therapist or personal trainer could help to correct them, but I find good, knowledgeable ones are extremely difficult to come across.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

Some key points worth noting...

1) You don't experience the pain/ discomfort on the hybrid (albeit, on a trainer).

2) Both the 'hip' pain and the need for a pedal spacer are on the right side.

3) The pain worsened going to a 172.5 crank (presumably swapped with the OE 170mm crank) on the Allez.

All are open to interpretation, but based on this limited info and not knowing your cycling background, I think the pain _might_ be caused by incorrect fore/ aft saddle position, your symmetry (or lack thereof) on the Allez or lack of flexibility - or some combination of all. 

The combination of crank length and incorrect saddle fore/ aft (most likely, too far back) _may_ be causing you to stretch the area of discomfort through the pedal down stroke. I'd first check KOPS, and (depending on the findings) consider reverting back to 170mm cranks. 

The symmetry issue is tougher to diagnose, then remedy, and (IMO) requires an experienced fitter with a good eye, but it can be done. No one ever_ always_ agrees on fit issues, but this is one area where I think Steve Hogg offers some solid advice, so the link below might be worth a read:
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/blog/2011/01/bike-fitting-philosophy-basic-premise/

Lastly, because a drop bar bike requires a more angled pelvis, I think incorporating some stretches to improving flexibility would be a plus.
http://centurycycles.com/page.cfm?pageID=219


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

BigBird said:


> Hey All,
> 
> Started to get really into a road bike, well at least on the trainer. Had 2 sessions of a bike fitting and still getting pain in the inside portion on my right hip. I believe it feels worse since I switched my crank from a 170 to a 172.5 length
> 
> ...


Like a groin pull?

Do you notice it doing other things or using your hybrid, or is it unique to the Allez?

Do your knees track well when you pedal?

Why'd you get a longer crank?

I don't entirely agree on the idea of copying fit from your hybrid. I think different classes of bikes often end up having a few changes that effect each other enough to matter. But, I've also noticed that my road bikes and mountain bike have pretty similar saddle positions relative to the bottom bracket. So I think it's worth comparison. I recently copied a setup from one bike to another using the Park Tools fit sheet.

Park Tool Co. » ParkTool Blog » Road Positioning Chart

A and E give a good way of uniquely describing saddle position. Since different saddles are different (the wrong saddle can sometimes do weird nerve stuff, btw) their method of using the nose as a landmark is somewhat approximate. But I think it could give you a sense of if things have been changed a whole lot, or just a little.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

torch511 said:


> It's impossible to diagnose someone over a paragraph online but it sounds like you have tendonitis. Imagine Carpel Tunnel for you hip.


After reading more about this, I believe this is my case now. And it only has started since jumping on the Allez.



180 said:


> You may want to get a second opinion on your fitting as well.


Probably a good idea. But I am so deep in $$ already with this bike, that might have to be a later option.



PJ352 said:


> All are open to interpretation, but based on this limited info and not knowing your cycling background, I think the pain _might_ be caused by incorrect fore/ aft saddle position, your symmetry (or lack thereof) on the Allez or lack of flexibility - or some combination of all.
> 
> The combination of crank length and incorrect saddle fore/ aft (most likely, too far back) _may_ be causing you to stretch the area of discomfort through the pedal down stroke. I'd first check KOPS, and (depending on the findings) consider reverting back to 170mm cranks.
> 
> ...


PJ Thanks!! I think all your points are correct and thanks for the links. I will be using them!



AndrwSwitch said:


> Do you notice it doing other things or using your hybrid, or is it unique to the Allez?
> 
> Do your knees track well when you pedal?
> 
> ...


The pain only started with the Allez. I think I favor my right side more i believe, like it takes a little more to reach the bottom of the stroke, but that could be in my head. My splay is totally almost 45 degrees from straight on my right foot, hence the speedplays. 

I got a longer crank because I got a Ultegra compact crank that had the 172.5 on it. I'll check the saddle position between the two bikes and see.

Thanks so far for the helpful suggestions, but I hate not being able to use the bike right now because I was get a lot more exercise in. I am also pretty inflexible, so I might have to do more stretching as pointed out by PJ.

keep the great suggestions coming.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

With all due respect, people bolting more expensive cranks to their bikes before they even roll them out of the store are a bit of a "wtf" to me. Granted, it's a largish swing in weight for a drivetrain upgrade. But meh, it's still not that big and it's at the spot where frame designers and mechanics choose to add things like batteries, and even ballast on a race bike that comes in under the regulation weight.

How does your riding position on the new bike compare to the hybrid? Especially if you're not a flexible person, going to a much more aero position can really mess with the muscles around your hip joint. You're asking muscles that are used to working one position to work in a more extreme position. This can be problematic. I push my range of motion a little bit with the setup on my road training bike, but I always have a little further I could go, and sometimes do if I'm trying to make a new PR or hide from the wind. IMO, if you don't have that little extra available to you, you're too far. Anyway, I notice that my positions on my road and mountain bike are fairly similar, as long as you don't look at my arms and hands. As in, the angle of my back relative to the horizontal is not too different, although I am a little more upright on the MTB when I ride the grips. My 'cross and commute bikes are set up more upright, so more like the MTB.

The point of all that being, if you ride the hybrid and the road bike back to back, I think a good starting point would be to feel like all you've really changed is the position of your hands. If the position of your back and hips worked for you on the hybrid, they should work for you on your road bike too. When you've got the bike to stop hurting you, you can think about "fastering" your riding position.

I asked about your knees because I have Speedplays and a little spacering too. I let my fitter talk me into some fancy insoles with cants at the same time, and actually I think that made a much bigger difference. However, my knees tended to wander, and the insoles and cants were more to fix that. Better crank arm clearance is just a bonus that happened to come with the package.


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## EHietpas (Feb 9, 2012)

Just out of curiosity how heavy are you? If your a big guy, which I am, this maybe part of your issue. I run A LOT and had a few injuries in my lower body. I lift hard 3 - 5 days a week and I know I have strong legs. If your a heavier person and your not in the best of shape you could have all kinds of issues. 

Again if the pain is bad go to your doctor and get checked out.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> With all due respect, people bolting more expensive cranks to their bikes before they even roll them out of the store are a bit of a "wtf" to me. Granted, it's a largish swing in weight for a drivetrain upgrade. But meh, it's still not that big and it's at the spot where frame designers and mechanics choose to add things like batteries, and even ballast on a race bike that comes in under the regulation weight.
> 
> How does your riding position on the new bike compare to the hybrid? Especially if you're not a flexible person, going to a much more aero position can really mess with the muscles around your hip joint.
> 
> I asked about your knees because I have Speedplays and a little spacering too. I let my fitter talk me into some fancy insoles with cants at the same time, and actually I think that made a much bigger difference. However, my knees tended to wander, and the insoles and cants were more to fix that. Better crank arm clearance is just a bonus that happened to come with the package.


as with most things...I bought the bike, never rode it, and just wanted some upgrades to add after i started riding. as you probably know it's an addictive type of sport. and I didn't want the triple crank in the first place, so I got a decent deal on the compact double and it was sitting in a box and installed it before being fit a second time.

It's interesting that you mention your knees wander...as sometimes I go heel out every so often, but usually my issue is that I was not getting enough float initially with the Keo Carbons, and hitting the crankarms, and then compensating by bending my knee in and that probably contributed to my hip/pelvic pain now. 

Talking about more aero positioning, I do remember i tried to use the drops on the factory bar once and that also killed my hips, so i rested and never did that again. It's also one of the reasons that my fitter got me to buy a compact bar instead. He also made me use a 90mm/15 degree stem from the 100mm/12 degree that came with the bike. 

So basically it seems like i should just be riding this bike like a hybrid? 

ah all these variables...:mad2:



EHietpas said:


> Just out of curiosity how heavy are you?


I was 143 pounds and when i started to use the trainer 3-4 times a week, i went down to 133 pounds...probably around 135 now. I'm 32 years old, so i'm definitely getting less flexible than before also.


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Danger Mouse said:


> Most issues like this tend to stem from lack of flexibility, lack of strength, or poor body alignment.


That is sensible, simple information. 

Lack of flexibility – you’re presumably in a lower, more stretched out position. Your body may need some time to adapt. Are your rides too long maybe? Are you spending time in the drops? If so, that is just a more extreme position which you need to have the proper flexibility to handle. The different positioning (from a hybrid) is working different muscles. Maybe you are pushing it too much…which leads to a

Lack of strength – Possible that you are going too hard for too long. Is your form intact through most of the ride? Is your upper body relaxed or does it get sloppy after some time? Do you feel OK after you get back from a regular (non hammer) ride? Or do you feel wiped out?

Poor body alignment – well, you said you got a fitting so I can only assume that the guy made the adjustments you needed. 

If I had to guess, which I do so take it with a grain of salt, I am thinking it’s mostly due to a lack of flexibility with a sprinkle of pushing too hard.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

People my age acting like it's old seems to be a theme for today. That reminds me, I need to shave, the gray stubble is way too apparent right now...

32 is not old. If physiologically your training response "should" be a little slower than a 17-year-old's, you can still make up for it by sleeping enough, something the teenager will refuse to do.

I get making immediate impulse upgrades. Buying a new bike is exciting. I actually managed not to with my nicer road bike and all subsequent road bikes, but my LeMond was the the fourth bike I owned starting from when I started riding bikes again at 14. Maybe try to hold back and only buy things that actually address actual problems until you can actually ride your bike without pain, though...

I'm not sure how you're riding your hybrid, but you're not a different person. I don't think variations in riding position on upright, non time-trial bikes should be particularly big. You still need some bend in your back. You still want to be centered a little forward of the bottom bracket. You still want the same range of motion in your knees. If you look at some of the online fit guides, particularly Peter White's or Sheldon Brown's, you'll notice that they barely distinguish between fit for flat bars and fit for drop bars. I think they can do that because they're giving you a way to use your body as the measuring stick and fit a bike qualitatively. Also, I think neither of them rode singletrack, so it's easy for them to discount compromises that mountain bikers sometimes make. 

I like drop bars a lot better than flat bars for road riding. I feel like my arms and shoulders are in a more relaxed, natural position. On my two better-fitting road bikes, the drop bars go where I want my hands to be, and not the other way around. I've tried to draw a comparison between the handlebar setup on my road bikes and my mountain bike, but it's difficult. My hands are further apart on the mountain bike, so the effective reach is a bit more than what I measure. Also, I can't switch between the brake hoods, bar ramps and bar corners, because the bike has only grips. And bar ends, but they're not quite the same. The best I've come up with is that the reach on my mountain bike is somewhere between the reach to the bar tops and the reach to the hoods on one of my road bikes, and I use less drop. I think you can use that to at least ballpark the rightness or wrongness of your road bike's handlebar position, though - they shouldn't be so far that the reach from the saddle to the handlebar clamp is the same on both bikes, and if the amount of drop is wildly different, like 6", that's probably too much.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

I scanned the fit sheet from the last fitting...


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Was the bike okay before the fit? It looks like they raised your saddle and left the bars pretty much in the same place.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Was the bike okay before the fit? It looks like they raised your saddle and left the bars pretty much in the same place.


The before was right after the bike was built, so before the 1st fitting was completed.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Make a fit sheet for your hybrid, and compare. You need a tape measure and a plumb bob. Without some context, your fit sheet just looks like a list of numbers to me. It may be more meaningful to other posters, but nobody can fit you over the internet.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

understood. I just put it up as a point of reference. maybe someone has more knowledge about what they actually mean. And as you said they are just a bunch of numbers, especially to a n00b like myself.


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## robc in wi (Sep 8, 2011)

A few years ago I played around with saddle height (went higher) and ended up with sore hips. It was my hip flexors and raising my saddle about 1/2 inch caused it. I lowered the saddle back to where it was and the pain cleared up and has not returned. Point is, it doesn't take much to create a soft tissue problem. I think that stretching, and a different fitter might help. I'm 5'7" with a 32" inseam and ride 170 cranks exclusively. I'm also 53 and ride about 150 miles a week.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

BigBird said:


> ...I didn't want the triple crank in the first place, so I got a decent deal on the compact double and it was sitting in a box and installed it before being fit a second time.


Can you clarify this? Are you saying you swapped the crankset and have ridden with it without being refitted?



BigBird said:


> It's interesting that you mention your knees wander...as sometimes I go heel out every so often, but usually my issue is that I was not getting enough float initially with the Keo Carbons, and hitting the crankarms, and then *compensating by bending my knee in and that probably contributed to my hip/pelvic pain now.*


Yes, this is telling. When a cyclist does this unknowingly, it's called excessive knee frontal plane motion, sometimes resulting in medial (inner) knee pain. In your case, doing so to 'compensate' points to a problem with form and /or cleat set up. My guess is you'll need shims and/ or wedges to correct - the latter being more likely.



BigBird said:


> Talking about more aero positioning, *I do remember i tried to use the drops on the factory bar once and that also killed my hips*, so i rested and never did that again. It's also one of the reasons that my fitter got me to buy a compact bar instead. He also made me use a 90mm/15 degree stem from the 100mm/12 degree that came with the bike.


Also telling. Likely lack of flexibility, so until you improve, the bars should be about level with your saddle. As you build fitness/ flexibility, they can be lowered, slowly.



BigBird said:


> So basically it seems like i should just be riding this bike like a hybrid?


Not like a hybrid, but the saddle to bar drop should be 'less aero' and 'more relaxed' - at least for now.



BigBird said:


> I was 143 pounds and when i started to use the trainer 3-4 times a week, i went down to 133 pounds...probably around 135 now. * I'm 32 years old, so i'm definitely getting less flexible than before.*


lol.. some day you'll look back on that statement and laugh.


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## prome (Jul 9, 2010)

There absolutely is hip pain that is joint related and feels like groin. <<I am not a physician or in the medical field.>> I have a torn labrum in my left hip and moderate condromalacia, and symptomatically it presents as pain in the inner side of the groin -- not around the side and back. I recently had a cortisone injection in it, which they delivered into the joint space by going through the FRONT of the groin (not a pleasant injection experience, though it helped a lot!). This was diagnosed via MRI. So in addition to seat position, fit, sprains, strains and all the other real possibilities, just wanted to add that actual structural joint issues in the hip can very well present as groin pain in a way that you wouldn't normally associate with hip. At least I didn't.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

could i put a pedal spacer on one side only(drive side)? or should i do both? 

btw as an experiment last night, i moved the saddle forward 3 cm, it seems like i'm really over the cranks and close to the handlebars..it is closer to the hybrid saddle to handle bar distance though...is that too close?


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

I don't know.

Did you compare the saddle set backs relative to the bottom bracket? That's the measurement that's really important here. Park Tool suggests using a plumb bob, and measuring the horizontal distance down at the crank. I did it that way when I copied a fit recently, and it's quite straightforward.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> I don't know.
> 
> Did you compare the saddle set backs relative to the bottom bracket? That's the measurement that's really important here. Park Tool suggests using a plumb bob, and measuring the horizontal distance down at the crank. I did it that way when I copied a fit recently, and it's quite straightforward.


i created my own pseudo one on the quick using string and a screw...just trying to see what would happen...can't really pedal or do much right now with my hip pain :cryin:


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Are you experiencing pain off the bike now?

A 3cm difference is pretty big, so if you're now closer to your hybrid setup by that much, it'll probably be helpful.

If you've moved your saddle forward of where it is on the hybrid, you're probably going to end up either sitting on the tail of the saddle, which will feel totally weird, or putting too much weight on your hands. As long as the reach on my bikes isn't way off, I can usually adjust fore/aft by moving the saddle to where my butt wants to be. But I've been riding for a pretty long time, so my body seems to have a good idea of what my riding position should be, even if the equipment's not supporting it as well as it could.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

AndrwSwitch said:


> Are you experiencing pain off the bike now?


I have been since i've started with the road bike thing the last month or so. it's been on and off as I've trained, but this pain is lingering the longest. :mad2:


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

BigBird said:


> I have been since i've started with the road bike thing the last month or so. it's been on and off as I've trained, but this pain is lingering the longest. :mad2:


That's a really important detail.

Go see your doctor. Pain that lasts this long often benefits from physical therapy. At the very least, you should get it checked out and make sure you haven't damaged something.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

AndrwSwitch said:


> That's a really important detail.
> 
> Go see your doctor. Pain that lasts this long often benefits from physical therapy. At the very least, you should get it checked out and make sure you haven't damaged something.


... and to that I would add; OP, stop playing fitter. Clearly, you're winging it here, and that's likely to result in making matters worse. 

If you don't trust your fitter, seek out a knowledgeable one. But by all means, seek out some pro advice/ assistance, both medically and for bike fit. 

Not trying to beat you up here, but yours is a good example for those of the mind that 'anyone can fit themselves'. It's simply not true.


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

PJ352 said:


> ... and to that I would add; OP, stop playing fitter. Clearly, you're winging it here, and that's likely to result in making matters worse.
> 
> If you don't trust your fitter, seek out a knowledgeable one. But by all means, seek out some pro advice/ assistance, both medically and for bike fit.
> 
> Not trying to beat you up here, but yours is a good example for those of the mind that 'anyone can fit themselves'. It's simply not true.


trust me..i have not tried to play fitter. I waited to use the bike until after my first fitting. My fitter said use it after the first session, while we wait on parts (handlebar and pedals) and see if you can get adjusted to it, and work on some of the muscles. Then when the parts came in, I got a second fitting. In the meantime, I was not sure if what I was feeling was just something to just overcome (soreness, etc.) or something more serious, which is the obviously the latter scenario now.

I thank you for you and the others for your ideas, and I think that the input has been invaluable.

The only thing I have done is as many times discussed in this thread, is try to get closer to my hybrid fit, but that is just playing around with moving the saddle closer, because right now I can't really pedal. It was a matter of me just jumping on the bike and seeing how it feels. I was going to revert back to the setting from the fitter and possibly seek another one out.

I think that I have tried to do this the right way, and that's what makes it so frustrating. :mad2:


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

and not to belabor the point...the only other reason i brought up a spacer idea, is because my fitter has charged me labor to install the new handlebar, and said with the speedplays in a custom spindle length, I would have to go from the Speedplay Zero CM (he originally said Light Actions would be ok, but then said we would get more from the Speedplay Zeros) to the Speedplay Zero Stainless, which is another $70, plus a custom fit fee for the new spindles, which I believe is another $80. 

All in all I have spent money on a new stem ($30), new pedals ($130), new handlebar($80), labor to install them, plus the fit fee ($160), so I do not think I have been trying to play fitter. All of those costs are on top of the bike that is pretty much the cheapest model out there. So, on the contrary, I looked to them for all inputs and purchases thus far (except the crank), and obviously it hasn't been successful. 

Hence me coming on here asking for advice from people that do this everyday, and the advice I think has been better than that I have received from my fitter.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

The points in your last two posts are well taken, and if I came across as gruff or snarky, I apologize. Up until you started making adjustments on your own, I do think you've tried to do this the right way (and sense your frustration).

On that note, it may be that your fit issues are beyond this fitters capabilities. I'm also not playing internet fitter here, but I suspect the pedal extension was more a work around than a fix for the anomalies with your pedal stroke. A wedge (or possibly a shim) would normally be employed, but that's for a fitter working one on one with you to decide after seeing you spin.

So, to answer your previous question re: installing a pedal extender on the_ left _side, I'd vote no. The purpose of corrective measures on the right is to realign your knee/ foot with the pedal axis in an effort to attain symmetry.. or at least get closer than you now seem to be. 

As you say, you have a fair amount invested in this, so it might be in your best interest to give your body some time to heal, then seek out a more experienced fitter. Obviously, if the pain doesn't subside, that needs to be addressed first.


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## country road (Feb 3, 2012)

I just bought a new bike, got fitted and everything. I felt pretty comfortable on it. My first two rides were around 18-20 miles; my usual route and speed. The third ride I decided to change the route a little and added a few more miles on. At about the 28 mile mark my left hip started to hurt so bad that I wasn't sure if I was going to make it home without walking. I checked the saddle with my18 inch level and it was level. I tilted it down in front about one half bubble and I haven't had the pain since then. For some reason I had the feeling that there was something about the way I was sitting and just couldn't figure out what was different from my old bike. I just thought it was the way the new bike felt compared to my old one.


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## PJ352 (Dec 5, 2007)

country road said:


> *I just bought a new bike, got fitted *and everything. I felt pretty comfortable on it. My first two rides were around 18-20 miles; my usual route and speed. *The third ride I decided to change the route a little and added a few more miles on. At about the 28 mile mark my left hip started to hurt *so bad that I wasn't sure if I was going to make it home without walking. I checked the saddle with my18 inch level and it was level. I tilted it down in front about one half bubble and I haven't had the pain since then. For some reason* I had the feeling that there was something *about the way I was sitting and just couldn't figure out what was *different from my old bike*. I just thought it was the way the new bike felt compared to my old one.


Based on the bold statements, I think the first two paragraphs and the 'most common causes' might strike a chord with you:
CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS -


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## BigBird (Aug 28, 2011)

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to update that I did have a medical issue, FAI/torn labrum in my hip, and was not a sizing/fitting issue. I will hopefully get it taken care of in the Fall and get back on a bike.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

prome said:


> There absolutely is hip pain that is joint related and feels like groin. <_> I have a torn labrum in my left hip and moderate condromalacia, and symptomatically it presents as pain in the inner side of the groin -- not around the side and back. I recently had a cortisone injection in it, which they delivered into the joint space by going through the FRONT of the groin (not a pleasant injection experience, though it helped a lot!). This was diagnosed via MRI. So in addition to seat position, fit, sprains, strains and all the other real possibilities, just wanted to add that actual structural joint issues in the hip can very well present as groin pain in a way that you wouldn't normally associate with hip. At least I didn't._


_


_I suffer from this injury. I sustained it a few years ago as a runner. It is the reason that I got into road biking in the first place. It is not always in you groin where it is felt though. I can spend about 10 minutes on my hybrid before it hurts. I can go all day on my road bike though with little pain. I would be inclined to check it out with a doctor before I start changing the bike all around.


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## ESTrainSmartBlog (Feb 25, 2013)

BigBird said:


> Hey All,
> 
> Started to get really into a road bike, well at least on the trainer. Had 2 sessions of a bike fitting and still getting pain in the inside portion on my right hip. I believe it feels worse since I switched my crank from a 170 to a 172.5 length
> 
> ...


I'm a bike fitter and own a small Personal Training & Coaching Contracting/ Consulting business. I am proficient in many training methods and often use corrective exercise and motor control training for rehabilitation and performance purposes.

You were on the right track when you mentioned crank length, then almost everyone unfortunately steered you on the wrong path. The corrective exercises will help if you know which muscles are tight, weak or both. Myofascial adhesions might also be contributing to your lack of flexibility. Motor control deficits (neuromuscular control) can also create symptoms similar to muscle imbalances.

With regards to your bike, the only thing I know for certain is that your crank is too long. You're feeling hip pain because it's forcing your hips to flex further than it's capable of. Crank length is related to seat tube angle, so as you approach a 90deg STA, you can normally use a longer crank. I don't recommend making any additional handlebar, cleat, shim, saddle modifications until your crank length is optimized. Going too short will cause you to lose a lot of power, but on the bright side, your hip will improve greatly. Getting the length that best matches your flexibility and mobility will keep your hip within safe limits while maximizing your available range of motion for power production. I provide bike fittings online if you're interested.


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## Guod (Jun 9, 2011)

ESTrainSmartBlog said:


> I'm a bike fitter and own a small Personal Training & Coaching Contracting/ Consulting business. I am proficient in many training methods and often use corrective exercise and motor control training for rehabilitation and performance purposes.
> 
> You were on the right track when you mentioned crank length, then almost everyone unfortunately steered you on the wrong path. The corrective exercises will help if you know which muscles are tight, weak or both. Myofascial adhesions might also be contributing to your lack of flexibility. Motor control deficits (neuromuscular control) can also create symptoms similar to muscle imbalances.
> 
> *With regards to your bike, the only thing I know for certain is that your crank is too long. You're feeling hip pain because it's forcing your hips to flex further than it's capable of. Crank length is related to seat tube angle, so as you approach a 90deg STA, you can normally use a longer crank*. I don't recommend making any additional handlebar, cleat, shim, saddle modifications until your crank length is optimized. Going too short will cause you to lose a lot of power, but on the bright side, your hip will improve greatly. Getting the length that best matches your flexibility and mobility will keep your hip within safe limits while maximizing your available range of motion for power production. I provide bike fittings online if you're interested.



What??

Also, this is a three year old thread. I'm sure the OP is ok by now. Or the crank arm issue killed them.


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## mik_git (Jul 27, 2012)

Turns out the OP had a FAI/torn labrum the hip...so not sure if this was crank length related, but that was the issue.


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## Shuffleman (Sep 4, 2013)

BigBird said:


> I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to update that I did have a medical issue, FAI/torn labrum in my hip, and was not a sizing/fitting issue. I will hopefully get it taken care of in the Fall and get back on a bike.


Big Bird--If you read my earlier post in this thread you will see that I have this same injury. I have been suffering with it since 2011 but finally made the decision to have surgery on it in June. It is a miserable injury that nothing helps to alleviate the pain other than ice. I have tried every shot and PT that one can imagine, including PRP and prolotherapy. There is simply no blood flow in the labrum to permit them to heal on their own. There are not a ton of doctors that are really experienced with this surgery so make sure that when you find one you do some research on him. It is not an easy surgery or recovery.


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