Inner side knee pain

There is a cheap solution. See your GP, preferably one with some experience of cycling. There are lots of possible problems although improving flexibility and core strength should be part of everyone's fitness routine.

If there is a bike fit problem it's probably that your saddle is too high. Got a little problem with the muscle behind my right knee, read a bit on the Internet and dropped the saddle a couple of mm and straightened it up a bit. No more problems and I sometimes do 150 mile rides.

I too suffer with knee paid - thanks to two ski crashes! Needless to say that I don't ski anymore!

Two things have really helped me. Firstly, insoles... Specialized sell three basic solutions depending on your gait - they have really helped me.

Also, can I recommend this video which focuses on seat and knee position: http://youtu.be/FAl_5e7bIHk

I hope this helps.

Sad truth is, whichever way you look at this, it's almost certain to cost you money.
I had similar issues and it turned out that the arch of my foot was collapsing when I put pressure on the pedal; resolved with orthotic insoles. You can get them reasonably cheaply off the shelf but custom is much more expensive. You also need a podiatrist / physio to give you the diagnosis in the first place...

Yoga, bro...

I had knee issues, and its done wonders

It could be that your saddle is too high, which gives your pelvis a rocking motion as you pedal. This causes the outer thigh muscles to perform a stabilising job, which they are not meant to do. This gives IT-band soreness which can lead to tendonitis.

I know this because after lots of riding with sore IT bands i decided on a bike fit, which exposed the problem. Unfortunately it was too late, I got patella tendonitis just a few days later in Mallorca, a result of months of riding 100+ miles every week with a saddle up too high. 2 months of physio later (stretches, yoga, exercises, foam roller) and I'm just starting to get back on the bike.

If you can't afford a bike fit save up until you can, because it's a hell of a lot cheaper than physio! You can keep the measurements for the rest of your life and confidently know each of your bikes is setup correctly for pain free miles.

I would also take stretching very seriously and try yoga and pilates to improve flexibility and core strength respectively. This will take any excess load off muscles that might be compensating for weaknesses around them at the moment. I did bits and bobs before my injury, now it's had to become an integral part of my fitness.

Good luck!

I've had something similar to paulfg42 and the OP, particularly when depressing the clutch while driving. A few exercises prescribed by a physio to do for 10mins daily and twice a week in the gym and was right as rain in 3wks.

Standard disclaimer that internet advice is no replacement for an expert seeing you in the flesh.

Stretch!!

I used to have bad pain on the inside of both knees cycling (driving wasn't great either after a cycle). I am now pain free and cycling 500+kms a month. (Would do more if I had the time!!)

Stretch every hour: stand upright, pull heel up to bum with knees together and pelvis pushed forward, try to relax and hold for at least 45 secs. Do other leg. Keep this for a week before reducing to morning, evening night. Stretching calves and hamstrings too is advised but the quads are the main ones.

Do it .... it worked for me!

I had something similar and it turned out the muscle on the outside of my thigh was too tight, pulling the kneecap out of place and causing the pain on the inside of the knee. Would be worth getting it checked out by a physio. Might be nothing to do with bike fit.

If you cant afford a bike fit then read as much as you can on how to set up the bike yourself. As the above post says getting the fore & aft of your saddle correct is as essential as having the correct height. There are formula for getting the saddle height correct and while its not the case for everyone they are are really good starting point - certainly after my bike fit the saddle height was within a couple of mm of this.
Also if you can get a few quid together speedplay pedals are normally good for knees (though Wiggins may no longer say so)

could be your knee over pedal axle position, also even if you have adjusted your saddle there is no guarantee its the right height.