Assuming the cranks are the same length and you adjusted the cleats for the difference in Q factor (if they are indeed different, I don't know), then I don't see how the cranks could be the cause. Did you change anything else at the same time as the cranks, either in bike set-up or training? Perhaps you moved the cleats forward on the shoe when you moved the cleats wider? That would put more pressure in the location you describe pain...

Joel

www.CompetitionZone.com

Same length cranks, no other changes to position in the last 4 months. Only change was finally getting off the trainer and riding outdoors.

Yes, you are correct! FSA Carbon cranks do have a wider Q-factor (like 3-5mm) than Shimano DA or Ultegra and for some people the change can have an impact (usually short term). When I changed out the Ultegra cranks for the FSA Team Iesue cranks on the wife's bike last year, she immediately noticed the difference but was able to adapt within 300-500 miles! With the Ultegra pedals your feet/knees had become conditioned to the alignment formed between pedal/shoe/knee but now that you have changed cranks and increased the Q-factor, you may be experiencing an increase in what Dr. Andy Pruitt refers to as knee "wobble"

You might want to take a look at the literature that is linked at the Specialized website for their body geometry insoles - not trying to sell you insoles but if you click the Body Geometry Technology link you will see some graphical illustrations of what I have done a poor job of describing): http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqProduct.jsp?sid=04EquipShoesMountain&pid=04ShoeBGFootbed




Michael

---

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sorry I can't help you out with knee advice (sounds like you've got some help though) -- was just wondering where you bought those compact cranks. My LBS has had them on order for a looonnnng time and I'm getting desperate -- I'd really like to get them for a few races coming up soon. Anybody know of a source (would like the carbon ones)?

---

FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah

I have moved back and forth among different cranks with different Q factors. I have had no problems with this. I use Speedplay pedals that have a lot of float. It may be that they allow enough float to compensate for any potential problems.

The other thought is have you changed gear selection so that you are pushing a bigger gear on the hills? Grinding on hills gets me where you describe.

I hope this helps.

I've always needed my feet really close together, so maybe the larger q-factor is making it impossible to get them as close as I need. I use Speedplay pedals, and, the nice thing about the compact crankset is that I'm definitely not grinding up hills (climbing between 80-90 rpm). I'm thinking that maybe my knees are just really sensitive and the slightly greater q-factor is causing some pain.

Does one's body adapt to something like this, or do I need to go back to my other crankset?

My wife and I each have two bikes for the road - Giant TCR Team Composite and TCR Aero for time trials. The TCR Team use FSA Team Issue Carbon cranks while the TCR Aero TT bikes are all Ultegra. As I said before, my wife initially had some problems when the FSA crank went on the road bike and the Ultegra crank went on the time trial bike but this went away after 500 or so road miles. In my case, I initially noticed the difference in Q-factor between my DA cranls and the FSA cranks but it never caused any problems.



Michael

---

¯\_(ツ)_/¯