Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

An excellent question was posed to me this afternoon...
Quote | Reply
... by a seven-year old boy on the side of the road as I rode past, out of the saddle and climbing a steep hill.

He took a look at me and inqured, "Why aren't you bobbing your head?!" I replied, "It's inefficient." (I assume his parents had a good time explaining what I meant, as I didn't hang around to discuss the finer points of power transfer.) That was it, and I rode on.

But now I'm thinking... Why DON'T I bob my head while out of the saddle? No one's ever told me not to, I just assumed that I shouldn't. I assumed that I should keep my upper body as steady as possible while climing because I figured that my legs should be the primary sources of power to the pedals (just as they are while cruising on flats), not energy produced by bobbing my torso up and down. To be sure, there's SOME movement of my torso, but as little as possible. (I sway my bike back and forth, but not too much.)

Am I wrong? Should I be letting gravity do more of the work? What I'm doing feels right, but is there something I'm missing?[i][/i][i][/i]



__________________________________________________
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell
Last edited by: GJB: Apr 27, 03 19:38
Quote Reply
Re: An excellent question was posed to me this afternoon... [GJB] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
A bit out on a limb here but I'm sure Tom Demerley or some other clever chap will rescue me.

I think it's a case of taking advantage of gravity.

When you pedal seated or standing straight, you can only add the weight of your pushing leg to the muscle force acting through the pedal. If you stand up and let the bike sway away from the pushing leg then your center of gravity will be over the pushing pedal. More of your body mass will be added to the muscle power acting down through the pushing leg/pedal. So if you stand up you should sway slightly. I don't think there's any advantage to moving any part of your body other than to push the pedals and pull(when sprinting) on the handlebars.
Quote Reply