Efficient Pedaling

(This article was originally published in my sports page column Self-Propelled

in the August 7 to 13, 2011 issue of the Baguio Chronicle

--- a weekly newspaper based in Baguio City, Philippines.)

One of the most important habits to learn in the early stages of cycling is pedaling effectively with as little effort as possible.

Like most bad habits, poor pedaling style becomes ingrained, so it is much easier to learn to pedal well in the first place than to improve later on.

The biggest mistake that most beginners make is to pedal slowly in a high gear, putting a lot of effort into each stroke. This is inefficient because the body can do far more work if the legs move quickly, making less effort with each individual revolution.

When you start out, before you have learned to turn the pedals quickly and to move your feet in circles, fast pedaling seems unnatural and ineffective.

According to the Sierra Club's Guide To Outings On Wheels, racers or accomplished cyclists on the road, spin the pedals at what appears to be a very fast rate. Racers typically spin in the vicinity of 90 to 100 revolutions per minute, while strong touring cyclists usually turn the cranks at 70 to 90 revolutions per minute. You should rarely drop much below 60 revolutions per minute.

The brisk tempo will be inefficient at first, because it takes time to learn to run your feet in little circles but once you have learned, you will be able to maintain such speeds for long periods without tiring. The steady rate at which you turn the pedals and cranks is known as CADENCE.

Another important reason you should learn to cycle at relatively fast cadences is that pushing higher gears at slower speeds is very hard on the legs, especially the knees. Sore knees rarely bother cyclists who pedal at relatively fast cadences, even when they are riding day after day over long distances. Even strong, experienced cyclists often have knee trouble from cycling in high gears at slower cadences.

The most effective cadence varies from person to person but it is largely a function of training. Simply try to concentrate on pedaling at the maximum comfortable speed for a while, shifting down and pedaling faster rather than pushing harder at a slower cadence as the wind comes up or as you start up a hill. Once you have had a reasonable amount of practice at fast rates, you will be able to determine the best cadence and develop a feel for it.

Beginning cyclists tend to exert pressure on the pedals only when they are pushing straight down. In fact, you probably will find that when you push down with one leg, you actually are resting the other leg completely on its pedal, so that your working leg is not only pushing the bike forward but lifting the weight of your other leg at the same time.

Try to pedal all the way around the circle. Start pushing forward when the pedal reaches the top of its path and continue pushing back at the bottom. Most importantly, lift the leg that is on the upstroke rather than allowing it to hang like a dead weight on the pedal. MOVE YOUR FEET IN CIRCLES RATHER THAN JUST UP AND DOWN. (Toe clips are necessary for this and for efficient pedaling.)

The only way to develop good cadence is to practice. One or two days’ riding can give you the idea but it is not sufficient to ingrain the motions in your muscles and nervous system so that you can pedal for hours at a fast cadence, moving your feet in those efficient circles that eat up kilometers and hills.

When you are riding for fun, check your cadence occasionally and concentrate on it. Try riding for ten minutes at a faster cadence but not at a faster speed. Drop down a gear and pedal faster. Relax your leg and attempt to spin fast without having them tense up. The cadence at which you can pedal efficiently will improve gradually with practice.

Concentrate on your pedaling technique when you are climbing. When you are working hard on a hill, you tend to revert to sloppy pedaling, pushing down hard on the downstroke and neglecting either to move your legs in circles or to lift the rear leg.

When climbing hills, you need all the help you can get and it is amazing how much difference it makes when you suddenly remember to clean up your pedaling technique. Strong riders can climb hills either in the normal sitting position or by honking, standing up and moving the body forward over the pedals.

Honking can be very efficient way to climb hills but only if you practice it a lot. It is very tiring at first, until you have developed the technique well and have conditioned the muscles that are used. A rider who is proficient at this technique can honk for long periods without tiring and the method can be extremely useful on extended climbs.

Until then and have a safe ride all the time. Put on that cycling helmet each time you get on your bike. Remember this: YOU CAN BEAT THE EGG WITHOUT BREAKING THE SHELL.* (SP11)