Proper pedaling?

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve heard that it’s important to pedal in a circle (or something like that, I may have the terminology incorrect). Meaning pedal with the downstroke and upstroke I think.

As I’m relatively new to the land of clipless pedals, I was wondering if anybody could help me out here: What does pedaling correctly entail? How do I know if I’m pedaling correctly?

Thanks
-Steve

2

Sometime (After you are properly acclimated to the whole clipless riding deal) try this:

While you are riding, unclip one foot, rest it on your chainstay or let it hang off to the side (don’t stick it in the wheel, mind you) then just pedal with the other foot. Do that for a few hundred yards, then switch and the other foot. I think you’ll understand.

3

I’ve heard that it’s important to pedal in a circle (or something like that, I may have the terminology incorrect). Meaning pedal with the downstroke and upstroke I think.

As I’m relatively new to the land of clipless pedals, I was wondering if anybody could help me out here: What does pedaling correctly entail? How do I know if I’m pedaling correctly?

Thanks
-Steve
It has been shown that the fastest cyclists put more force into their downstroke than others. No, they don’t “pedal circles”: they stomp.

4

Is that the kind of thing that’s best done on a trainer, or can you safely do it on the road too?

5

I can’t afford a trainer, so I do all my drills on the road. (I wouldn’t recommend trying it in traffic, though.)

6

Thanks Gopha
I’ll try that sometime after I can clip in an out in my sleep.

-Steve

7

You can try it on a spinning bike at a gym if you have access to one.

What the drill does is makes you remove the dead spot out of the top of your pedal stroke. What you should be thinking of while you’re pedaling is on the bottom of your stoke act like you’re scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe. When your foot comes to the 9:00 position (in back, parallel to the chainstay) kick your foot foward. You should feel it in the anterior tib muscle on the front of your leg.

Pulling up on the pedals really doesn’t do much so putting a lot of force into that doesn’t gain you anything. It is a good idea to ‘un-weight’ your recovery side by trying to raise your knees as high as possible. Some people describe this as trying to throw your leg over the handle bars.