lrhitt3

Does anybody else have trouble with foot and ankle pain on peloton/spin bikes? We bought one about two months ago and my calves are torn up. They’re SO tight and it’s causing all kinds of problems with foot pain and tendinitis. I stretch, massage, foam roll and still struggling. I wonder if it’s the heavy resistance required for a good workout that puts my foot in odd angles during the pedal stroke. VERY frustrating!!! I don’t have any of these problems when I ride outside.

JanMM

If you have it set up so that you use "heavy resistance required for a good workout" and that is not how you ride on a bicycle outdoors, then I would expect some discomfort until you get used to "heavy resistance", which doesn't seem to be happening, or change your workouts to be more in line with your regular/outdoor riding style. Is your positioning on the spin bike close to what you are used to outdoors?

billridesbikes

Fun fact: “Spin bike” and “Spinning” are actually copyrighted names created by a company in the early nineties that popularized this type of indoor cycling. Now people use “Spin bike” generically for all indoor bikes like they us Kleenex for tissues or Escalator for moving stairways.

Anyway, good indoor cycles have a heavy flywheel that is 15-20kg, and when the flywheel is spinning the pedals will turn. The experience is not unlike riding a fixed gear bike where you must keep a pedal cadence as long as the wheels are rotating. If your pedal cadence isn’t really smooth at higher RPM you’ll bounce around. If you’re doing ‘sprinting’ intervals at 500-700watts and 120rpm and don’t have a totally smooth pedal stoke you’ll have some foot and calf issues because some muscles will be fighting the momentum of the flywheel.

Trakhak

Don't make the common mistake of confusing indoor biking with resistance/weight training.

To use a Spin bike or Peloton bike (or any stationary training bike) correctly, use the lowest resistance setting that allows you to reach your target respiration and heart rates at your customary pedaling cadence (or, ideally, around 85 to 95 rpm).

Raise the resistance a little during the short periods of higher intensity for interval training, reduce the resistance for recovery.

lrhitt3

I hear what you’re saying, just trying to figure out how that works with the peloton classes where the target resistance is so high...

Miele Man

When I went to spin cycling classes I pedaled at the resistance and RPMs that suited ME not the others in that class.

Cheers

spelger

that is what I was thinking. There is no way for any of them (not to be confused with the giant ants) to know what you’ Resistance level is so go with what is comfortable, then turn it up a reasonable amount.

Trakhak

Sad when the people setting the target resistance don't know what they're doing.

I first discovered how little people outside the cycling world understand about cycling many years ago. A fellow limped into a bike shop where I worked and said that he'd just had his knee replaced. He said that the surgeon who had done the operation told him to get an exercise bike . He then mentioned that the surgeon had instructed him to ride it using the highest possible resistance setting.

I suggested that he see a particular local sports medicine specialist (one I happened to know was a bike racer) for a second opinion. The second opinion turned out to be that the first opinion was ignorant and dangerous.

lrhitt3

I appreciate all the responses. How would I go about doing the climb rides then? Seems hard to get a good workout without pushing the resistance, but pushing the resistance causes other problems. Frustrating after spending all that $$$...

MAK

I don't really think that the problem is resistance. After all, you're likely varying resistance on rides as you hit shallow and steep hills.

The problem could be saddle height. On your bike it can be adjusted precisely while on most indoor bikes you're forced to adjust based on the slots that are on the seat post. (I don't know about the Peloton.) I've read that an incorrect height as little as a few centimeters can affect legs and knees. I suggest you measure and compare the Peloton and your bike. Good luck.

dmanthree

Just get a smart trainer and use your road bike.

Miele Man

I see that you have TWO threads that start with the exact same question. You should get those threads combined by a moderator.

As far as resistance and climbs go on a trainer. You should be riding at YOUR level of fitness and/or strength. You wouldn't jump into a group of professional bicycle racers and expect to keep up with them would you?

I'd increase my resistance gradually so as not to damage any part of me. Plus, if I was experiencing any sort of major pain I'd try to find a sports medicine doctor as they are far better at diagnosing a sports related injury than a general practitioner usually is plus the sports medicine doctor can give you a lot better advice on treatment.

I have a wind trainer that my bicycle attaches to and I GRADUALLY increase the resistance on it. I also vary how I sit on the bicycle and how I ride it - sometimes standing just like I do when riding on the road in order to rest different muscle groups or to climb a short hill faster.

Pain is a warning that something is wrong and possibly seriously wrong.

Cheers

TiHabanero

I am suspecting body set up on the bike along with the resistance level. Once body position is matched to your regular bike, being mindful of the knee placement over the pedals and foot placement on the pedals, then consider the following:

Am I using the same saddle as my regular bike? If not, change it and go back and set up body on the bike.
When sprinting with resistance turned up, am I following through on the stroke with heels level, dipped, or toes down?
When pedaling along at regular cadence and resistance enough to make it fun, am I following through on the stroke with heels level, dipped, or toes down?

Rebecca Twigg suffered from tight calves and when she changed from toes down pedaling to flat heel pedaling it helped to alleviate the problem. It also worked for me.