Strange one this.
Since acquiring the K7 GSXR 750 off 0Luke0's mate a few months back I have had several very enjoyable rideouts on it. Problem is, every time I spend more than an hour in the saddle, I get fairly bad ITB pain in my left knee. Hurts like fuck after a while. I've never had this pain with any other bike. I know ITB pain is fairly common so I wondered if anyone else suffers in this way and what they might have done about it.
I bloody love my K7 but if it carries on like this I might be forced to change it. Selling a bike I want to keep - there's a novelty......
Rearsets?
cortazone injections? ("be just like an American football player")
Put rear sets on mine and it helped. Bit. I am 6,2" though. 636 had more leg room than GSXR.
Quote from: Gobert on September 30, 2013, 08:00:14 PM
Rearsets?
Fitted already - adjusted up and down a tad - no change.
Pain only occurs after a while in the saddle. Did Aberystwyth and back yesterday (fucking epic ride) and after the first hour it was carnage. After a break of about 10 mins all was well. After another 45 mins or so - agony.
I suffer badly with this. Frequent stops and occasionally riding with either or both legs extended.
would a sports knee brace help?
Quote from: Green_Ninja on September 30, 2013, 09:00:15 PM
would a sports knee brace help?
I'm not sure it would. The thing that is confusing me is that the pain is just on the left side. I wonder if the movement of the foot / ankle as I change gear (which seems to "pull" the ITB) with the leg in a fairly bent state (so to speak) causes the problem.....
Quote from: MOz on September 30, 2013, 09:25:41 PM
Quote from: Green_Ninja on September 30, 2013, 09:00:15 PM
would a sports knee brace help?
I'm not sure it would. The thing that is confusing me is that the pain is just on the left side. I wonder if the movement of the foot / ankle as I change gear (which seems to "pull" the ITB) with the leg in a fairly bent state (so to speak) causes the problem.....
Have you tried changing the position of where the gear lever rests either slightly up or down to see if makes a difference?
Quote from: Green_Ninja on September 30, 2013, 09:39:42 PM
Quote from: MOz on September 30, 2013, 09:25:41 PM
Quote from: Green_Ninja on September 30, 2013, 09:00:15 PM
would a sports knee brace help?
I'm not sure it would. The thing that is confusing me is that the pain is just on the left side. I wonder if the movement of the foot / ankle as I change gear (which seems to "pull" the ITB) with the leg in a fairly bent state (so to speak) causes the problem.....
Have you tried changing the position of where the gear lever rests either slightly up or down to see if makes a difference?
No but only due to the fact that I only thought of the above tonight. That will be fairly difficult though due to the QS rod being as short as it will go. Longer will not work as it will make me "point" my toes more to move the gear lever which I think will aggravate it more...
ITB?
Ilio tibial band (sp?) - it's the tendon that runs up the outside of each leg. Feels like a wide flat rubber band.
Yup, had it on every sports bike I've had since my comfy old ZX6R J1 (had 2 R1's and a GSXR1000 since)
Fine for about an hour at the start of every ride, then after that I need a regular stop for a few mins after 45 to 60 mins of continuous riding.
Most of my mates are the same....to be honest, I thought most folks got sore knees on sportsbikes,....on our yearly Euro tour, all of us can be seen stretching our knees out on long motorway spells, & I see stacks of other riders doing it too.
Sounds normal to me - its unpleasant but I wouldnt rush to sell a bike that you like because of it.
You need an Explorer mate :moto:
Quote from: whoopee on October 01, 2013, 08:48:07 AM
Yup, had it on every sports bike I've had since my comfy old ZX6R J1 (had 2 R1's and a GSXR1000 since)
Fine for about an hour at the start of every ride, then after that I need a regular stop for a few mins after 45 to 60 mins of continuous riding.
Most of my mates are the same....to be honest, I thought most folks got sore knees on sportsbikes,....on our yearly Euro tour, all of us can be seen stretching our knees out on long motorway spells, & I see stacks of other riders doing it too.
Sounds normal to me - its unpleasant but I wouldnt rush to sell a bike that you like because of it.
all of a sudden I don't feel quite so old, never suffered with that on sports bikes and don't have an issue on the Street :-)
If your ITB is giving you pain then it's tight and you need to get some physio to stretch it out again and it will hurt... alot....
If you don't fancy going to a physio that then you can buy one of those hard foam rolls you see in the gym and do it your self.. It will still hurt but at least your in control of it. Best way is once you find a painful spot, stop on it until the pain subsides a bit then move onto the next one..
There could be other reasons why your ITB has gone tight, have you had any other muscular issues recently, lower back, hips, knees, calves, glutes or anything like that ? If you've done something then your ITB could be tight as your body is trying to compensate for something else..
Try stretching / rolling your ITB twice a day for a week or two and if that make no difference then go and see a physio as there may be something else causing it.. I would also do lower back, glutes and leg stretches as that whole area of your body is linked together..
HTH
Cheers.
I've had ITB treatment before so I'll do some more stretches but I don't get ITB pain at any other time (including cycling) so it looks like its specific to the movement and stance on this bike....
Bar mounted translogic power shifter?
To save moving your foot to change gear?
is this definately related to shifting gear?
I have seen standard rearsets where a gearshift extender rod has been added allowing a far greater degree of flexibility than with normal aftermarket rearsets. I had this on my old gsxr k4 in conjunction with some 'jack up' plates and could move the gearshift around quite a lot.
If thats not the case there are plenty of custom seats around to raise/lower which will either open or close your leg angle whilst sat normally on the bike. Maybe this is an option? Might require a new subframe too but perhaps far cheaper than new bike etc?
Don't know if it helps but when I switched to the triumph the seating position was making my leathers a bit tighter round the knee which was pulling it in the wrong direction and I used to get the same. I just made sure I pulled the legs up a bit once my boots were on and it really helped.
Quote from: Gilby104 on October 01, 2013, 01:32:33 PM
Don't know if it helps but when I switched to the triumph the seating position was making my leathers a bit tighter round the knee which was pulling it in the wrong direction and I used to get the same. I just made sure I pulled the legs up a bit once my boots were on and it really helped.
This is also a possibility. I'll try a rideout in my one piece and see if its the same. I think it is as my 2 piece I've had for ages with no problem until I got the Gixxer.....
I always thought circulation had a lot to do with leg pain...the combination of bent leg and tight leathers restrict blood flow and cause pain...a more upright bike is the best solution.
Quote from: Alzo on October 01, 2013, 02:51:09 PM
I always thought circulation had a lot to do with leg pain...the combination of bent leg and tight leathers restrict blood flow and cause pain...a more upright bike is the best solution.
or wear shorts
Quote from: komp on October 01, 2013, 05:06:15 PM
Quote from: Alzo on October 01, 2013, 02:51:09 PM
I always thought circulation had a lot to do with leg pain...the combination of bent leg and tight leathers restrict blood flow and cause pain...a more upright bike is the best solution.
or wear shorts
Shock....horror... ;-)
Quote from: Alzo on October 01, 2013, 02:51:09 PM
I always thought circulation had a lot to do with leg pain...the combination of bent leg and tight leathers restrict blood flow and cause pain...a more upright bike is the best solution.
No, this is definitely ITB pain. Its quite distinctive.
I get pain occasionally on my r1 but that's down to my age. It sounds as though it could be the position of the gear leaver or your leathers. A couple of years ago my leg was going dead, that was down to my leathers.
Moz, good advice from Giles that is. Tight IT bands are a common complaint with cyclists and something I suffer from regularly. When mine get overly tight, it pulls across my left knee in particular causing pain and inflammation. The only remedy for me is the foam roller or physio/sports massage on the area. Foot position may be worth considering as if the toes point in, the itb's are stressed moret than if they point out.
Keep it in Second EVERYWHERE