Pedalling technique (or, What I've been doing wrong all these years)
My current bike has flat pedals, and so far I've resisted suggestions to either add toe clips or replace them with clipless pedals. I'm aware that both of those alternatives allow you to pedal more effectively by pulling the pedal up as well as pushing it down. What I hadn't realised, though, was that my pedalling technique on my flat pedals doesn't seem to be as efficient as it could be. This only began to occur to me yesterday, while cycling home. I've no idea why it has taken this long, but it has.
So what have I been doing wrong? I've been resting my foot on the pedal on the up stroke, meaning that the other leg has to both push that foot up and push the other pedal down. By consciously pulling my foot up, although I'm not pulling on the pedal I am making the other leg's job easier and overall pedalling more efficiently.
I put this to the test this lunchtime on a route I've cycled before – Burton Green & Leek Wooton I have to concentrate to be sure I'm applying my new technique, so it wasn't used for the whole trip. I specifically tried it on hills, and one some long straight sections. I'm sure it will become automatic with time. There were definitely hills that I would normally have to use the granny ring for, that I didn't this time. And even when I did have to restort to the granny ring, I didn't also have to reach for the big 34T rear cog on hills I would normally. And my knees seem to feel better for it, too.
So subjectively the new technique is more effective. Do the numbers agree? My previous best speed for this route was 13.3mph. Today I managed 14.4mph. A worthwhile improvement, and I probably would have done better if it hadn't been so windy. And if I can manage to use the technique more of the time, the improvement will be bigger still. Time for more practice:-)
This makes me more comfortable with the idea of a getting proper road bike if I eventually get a new bike. One of my concerns has always been that with my slightly dodgy knees I need some low gears to make sure I can get up all the hills, and "proper" road bikes tend not to have very low gears, which is why I was primarily looking at road-biased hybrids like the Dawes Discovery 501. If, in fact, I can get myself pedalling more efficiently and more effectively, maybe that is less of an issue? More thought required, I think…
Steve Rumsby
24 Feb 2006 15:14
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Tags: Cycling Technique
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Mark Jarvis
I don't ride my bike very efficiently since I think my pedals and handle bars are too low and generally my ride posture isnt great, I also have a habit of riding with the pedals in the middle of my feet rather than the balls. In the end I just get aching hamstrings.
24 Feb 2006, 18:25
Chris May
The technique I find most useful for keeping my pedalling smooth (either with clipless pedals or flats) is to imagine that I've got a rope wrapped around the bottom bracket (i.e. the crank axle) with the other end tied to a tree some way in front, and I'm pulling myself along by winding the rope around the axle. This seems to encourage 'pedalling in circles' rather than the 'stomp-stomp-stomp' tactic. On-road it's noticeably quicker to ride like this; off-road it avoids the back wheel spinning out (and the resulting groin-crossbar-interface issues :-) )
24 Feb 2006, 22:20
Steve Rumsby
I've seen the "pedalling in circles" idea mentioned elsewhere, and even tried it once of twice. For some reason it didn't seem to click, whereas deliberately lifting on the upstroke is something that my brain can relate to. Perhaps circles will make more sense to my brain with toeclips or clipless, when I can actually move my feet in circles without them coming off the pedals? Anyway, this morning's ride was noticeably quicker than previous runs over the same route, so I'm obviously doing something right…
I like the image of winding a rope. I'll try that next time I'm out.
27 Feb 2006, 12:03
urban commuter
I use toe clips, as opposed to snap-in or flat pedals. So far I've found it to be really effective because my commuting involves a lot of stopping and starting.
I know that pedalling in circles (down, backwards, up, forwards, etc) method to use the toe clips properly, is MUCH more efficient than stomping down only, but still have to remind myself to actually do it sometimes!
01 Apr 2006, 15:58
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