[eeeee]

I've been riding dh in flats for a couple of years. When I ride xc/ trail riding I ride clipped in with no problems at all. I've decided to give dh a go clipped in. I'm using the same pedals and the same shoes but on the dh bike I'm am getting calf pain. Any idea's of a fix?

 

[Floor Tom]

I run SPD's for DH and have for quite a while. I find that I have to slam the cleats as far back as they will go on my shoes, this reduces the forces on my ankles/calfs from impacts coming up through the pedals. I use this cleat positioning for all riding as that is what I'm used to, but if are coming from using them for XC then you may have them further forward.
Might be worth a go anyway.

 

[armada]

in my experience it is because your muscles aren't accustomed to it, after a month or so of ridding clipped in the pain goes away

 

[eeeee]

Ill push the cleats right back and see what happens. Its just strange that on my 5 inch bike I can ride of a long time with no problems at all. With the same pedals and same shoes.

 

[alpine slug]

Ill push the cleats right back and see what happens. Its just strange that on my 5 inch bike I can ride of a long time with no problems at all. With the same pedals and same shoes.

There's more to it than pedals and shoes when you compare two bikes.

Seat height
Seat position relative to seatpost
Seat tube angle

Are those 3 variables the exact same on both bikes?

 

[p-spec]

in my experience it is because your muscles aren't accustomed to it, after a month or so of ridding clipped in the pain goes away

exacly,even if I dont ride clips,this/

 

[Mr Lahey]

It's probably got to do with the fact that you don't ride xc standing up the entire time.

When you rode dh with flats were you guilty of riding with your pedal under your arches?