Pedalling technique

[yello]

Personal experience tells me to agree with NickM. Just ride your bike and pedal at a comfortable cadence for now. When the time comes, and should you be inclined, then have a look at pedalling efficiently or whatever.

I read something recently echoing what NickM said about pro cyclists. Some study/research/whatever found that most pros don't pull on the upstroke most of the time. They in fact cycle pretty much like the rest of us (albeit much faster!) with effort on the down stroke only.

 

[jimboalee]

This reminds me when a LARGE French company thought they could produce an engine management system for Citroen. They had read all the books and papers and been to see Citroen's Test facilities and software writers.
When they came to us, Lucas Engine Management, they learned that the published papers were not wholly correct and deficient in many aspects of the art.

The 'hairy arsed' engineers at Lucas had dozens of years of experience and knew a thing or two about how petrol burns in an engine. Our secrets were our own and we weren't going to give them away to a Frenchman.


Do you think the sinusoidal plot was a result of full or partial relaxation between downstrokes? Would it be that the angular forces were reduced due to lever action principles, but the rider WAS trying?

I cannot believe a cyclist would completely disregard his hamstrings when they are there to bend his leg at the knee.

C'mon, every cyclist has used his hamstrings and hip flexors.

 

[jimboalee]

And another thing....

The president of Solihull Cycling Club is Tommy Godwin.

He has been known, many years ago, to hold a 'Masterclass' at the old Salford track in Brum.

One comment was "Make sure your straps ( toe clips ) are 'dead tight' because you'll pull your shoe off pedal if they're not."

Sorry, Tommy wins this one.

 

[Blonde]

Have to dissagree. Experienced cyclists pedal at between 65 and 75 cadence.
'Spinning' is done by those with undeveloped muscles who can't muster the torque.
Also, up the mountain climbs, sat down, they pull all the way round.

I do both. On weekdays, on fixed I have no choice but to spin on down hills (I can manage 50kph on a 69" gear) and I use the technique of pushing/pulling the pedal around in a circle at a much lower cadence on long, steady climbs when sat in the saddle, on fixed. I use some bigger gears on the geared bike at weekends and depending on how I'm feeling, I will deliberately not change down to go up hills, or stay in a gear that is slightly larger (within reason) than is comfortable for a few hills. I always spin out a smaller gear at the end of the ride though (although we do live on a hill which somewhat negates the easy/warm-down effect). I will also be riding a 90" gear at the track, but use 69/70 on fixed on the road which is much smaller so cadence is much higher (except when going up hill). On gears, over the past few years I have become faster, and I'm using higher gears for longer when on hills, but my cadence is also higher at the same time as well. I am pedalling quicker whilst also in a gear or two above what I could manage two years ago - I think riding the fixed has helped increase cadence as well as strength/power.

 

[jimboalee]

If you want my opinion, a power vs roadspeed curve is independant of gear ratio.
The human being, and we are all different, have their individual 'power curve' of kW vs rpm, dependant upon the balance of slow and fast twitch fibres they have.
Mechanics will dictate that instantaneous power output will be sinusoidal, but I bet the experienced rider under high power conditions attempts to flatten it by exerting through the whole revolution.

Now my personal experience.
Riding an Audax, I do not see riders of over thirty years old 'spinning'. They roll along comfortably at 65 -75 cadence. High cadence technique is only used on dreadfully steep inclines.
Riding in groups, we take turns at the front. Those in the draft shift up gear and pedal really slow. Some use the system I have already described.

Books may say otherwise. I watch my elders, take note and try it for myself. When a method works, it is used.
IMHO, science has spoiled the enjoyment of cycling, insomuchas, young cyclists are using techniques they have read about, rather than talking to experienced club guys.

 

[jimboalee]

I knew somebody would


Momentary power output has very little if anything to do with "pedalling technique". Ever heard of the Wingate test? Big, healthy young male non-cyclists can produce close to 1000 Watts for a few seconds even if they haven't ridden a bike since childhood.

I am not talking 'momentarily'. What I am describing is the final 10 - 15 minutes of a 100 mile race stage.

 

[Blonde]

Training techniques do change over the years. At one time cyclists ate steak before rides (the Eddy Mercxx era), more recently it's all been about carbs, but that is now changing too as it's discoverd that a high carb diet without enough protein isn't good for you either and that female athletes don't benefit much from carb loading. That's not to say that experince doesn't count for anything - I have learned much from experienced (well, old) CTC cyclists, particularly about bike maintenance, but I have also discovered that I benefit more from a diet higher in protein and lower in long-chain carbs than has traditionally been recommended.

BTW my partner is 49 (not under 30) and spins up hills. He is also a lot faster than me!

 

[yello]

IMHO, science has spoiled the enjoyment of cycling.

Oh the irony!

...but I am inclined to agree with you. Just get on your bike and ride. All else follows (well, not literally, not in my case anyway, all else leads in my case, but you know what I mean).

 

[Blonde]

Regarding the OP question - I was told by CTC fellas that I should imagine pedalling in smooth circles, rather than straight up and down like walking up steps. That's not exactly pulling the pedals round/up, but just visualising a smooth circular movement. Of course that all goes out of the window when you're stomping out the saddle like a loony up a stupid steep hill...

 

[jimboalee]

stomping out the saddle like a loony up a stupid steep hill...

Do you feel yourself doing 'knee kicks' to get your pedal over the top?

If you do, you're 'Honking' correctly !!

 

[jimboalee]

IMHO, science has spoiled the enjoyment of cycling.

Maybe that should be

"Cycling has spoiled the irony of science".


Irony, - that's a very cheap joint replacement.

 

[jimboalee]

There was a chap who chose to have both his knees replaced with cheap iron hinge joints.

Walked past a magnet factory and kicked himself to death.

 

[GilesM]

One comment was "Make sure your straps ( toe clips ) are 'dead tight' because you'll pull your shoe off pedal if they're not."

Sorry, Tommy wins this one.

I think he would have been refering to starting for example, a kilo or pursuit, or accelerating from a low speed as in a match sprint, this would be out of the saddle effort, similar to attacking on a climb, it is easy to pull your foot out doing this, hence his wise words, not much to do with normal in the saddle pedaling though which is what this thread is really about.

 

[Ravenz]

T
I cannot believe a cyclist would completely disregard his hamstrings when they are there to bend his leg at the knee.

C'mon, every cyclist has used his hamstrings and hip flexors.

methinks a lot of people disregard correct balanced muscular training incl. hamstrings 'cos lets be honest it hurts and it aint sexy to do it in the gym on the 'laydee' machines .. God forbid developmental stretching !

Personally, I prefer to have painfree joints

 

[GilesM]

Have to dissagree. Experienced cyclists pedal at between 65 and 75 cadence.
'Spinning' is done by those with undeveloped muscles who can't muster the torque.
Some pros spin, but generally uphill.
Most pros, when in a group will give a few powerful 70 rpm pedals, then coast for a while and let the speed drop to the rest of the group, that's if there's some distance between riders. When the guy ahead does this, its your cue to do the same.
This can be fun and the time passes quicker "in the train".

I'd have to disagree with most of that, but just a question, have you ridden many road races, or bunch races on the track?