If you’ve ever tried pedaling an ebike, you know how hard it is to keep your knees relaxed. This can cause knee pain, but there are ways to prevent it. To help keep your knees happy on an ebike, I have tried to put together my own personal experience working with fitting numerous bikes. Check out…
Make Sure you have Proper bike fit
Bike fit is important for any cyclist, but it’s especially critical for ebikers. When you’re riding an ebike and want to go faster than you can pedal comfortably, your bike needs to be set up so that you can reach the handlebars without straining yourself.
And when going downhill or around corners at high speeds, it’s vital that you have a good grasp on the handlebars. If they’re too far away from where they should be, it’ll be impossible for you to stop safely when needed—which could mean serious injury or death!
It’s also important that your knees have room while riding an ebike so that they don’t rub against either side of the frame tube (where the pedals are). This is another easy way for knee pain symptoms to develop because these areas are often made from metal which may cause abrasions or scrapes if not protected by padding or clothing (and sometimes even then).
Take Aways
1: Whether you’re riding a normal bike or an electric bike, you must always keep your knees straight and avoid bending them. Pedaling in an unnatural way can lead to pain in the knee. In order to prevent this, you must pedal in perfect circles, keeping your knees relaxed. Wobbling puts undue stress on the cartilage and knee cap, causing severe discomfort.
2: The seat height of your bike is one of the most important factors in preventing knee pain while riding an electric bicycle. Ideally, the seat height should be twenty to thirty degrees when pedaling at the lowest setting, and 80 to 90 degrees when the pedals are at their highest. The seat height should be adjusted so that the kneecap doesn’t rub against the femur.
3: The seat is another factor that can cause knee pain. When you’re riding an electric bike, it is important to keep your knees at the proper angle to prevent damage to your knee. The saddle should be high enough to prevent the knee cap from rubbing the femur, while the saddle should be low enough to allow you to pedal comfortably. The seat should be adjusted so that you’re comfortable while pedaling.
Best Practice
Use a Good Bike Saddle
Your bike seat is a critical part of your comfort and safety. Make sure it’s the right size, shape, material, height, angle and color as well as brand!
- The saddle should be the right size for your body. If you’re on a standard bike with a flat handlebar (called a mountain bike), then the seat should come up to just below your belly button. If you’re on an electric bicycle with a step-through frame (called an upright or comfort bicycle), then it can be lower than that because you’ll be sitting more upright in this kind of bike. In either case though remember to adjust the height so that when you stand over the bike pedals are level with each other so when pedaling both feet will hit them at about the same time instead of one foot just barely reaching before having to pull up again while still pushing down hard enough not fall back off their edge after first contact.*
Keep your Pedals and Cleats aligned
- Keep your toes pointing straight ahead, not outwards or inwards.
- Keep your knees pointed straight ahead and avoid pointing them towards the inside or outside of the bike frame, as this will cause strain on them.
- Check that your cleats are aligned with the pedal axis (i.e., they’re not rotated too far outward), so that there is no twisting movement in the ankles when pedaling with cleats installed correctly
Set up the Seat Height Properly
The seat height should be adjusted so that your feet are flat on the ground when you are standing over the pedals. If your seat is too low, your knees will be bent too much, which can cause pain in the knee joint. In addition, if the seat is too high, you will have to lean forward to reach the pedals and this additional weight will put strain on your knees and back.
Relax your knees
- Don’t tense up your knees.
- Don’t lock your knees.
- Don’t bend your knees too much.
- Don’t lock your knees in the same position for too long.
- Don’t lock your knees when stopping, especially if you are stopping abruptly and it could cause a fall or injury.
- Avoid locking your knees when riding uphill because that will slow you down and increase the strain on them as well as all other parts of the body that are being used to support weight while moving up an incline at speed (like arms).
Don’t tense up your Knees; make sure you’re prepared
If you’re sitting on an ebike, it can be tempting to tense up your knees. However, this will only increase the pressure on your joints and lead to more pain. Instead, try relaxing all of your muscles from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. This includes relaxing:
- Your knees
- Hips
- Core (stomach)
- Shoulders
- Arms and hands (don’t grip too tightly)
Conclusion
So there you have it—the best tips for keeping your knees happy while riding. If your knees are already hurting, don’t worry! We hope that this post has given you some ideas on how to make your ride more comfortable.
