Forum: bicycles.stackexchange.com
Tags: <pedals><technique><best-practice>
Title: How can I improve my pedal stroke?
Question: I know a part of biking endurance and speed come from having a perfect pedal stroke. What should I do to improve my pedal stroke?

Answers:
sents: text: Pushing down on the pedals is a natural thing.
text: So to improve the "roundness" of your pedal stroke, completely ignore the down-stroke, instead focus on the following: Continuing the pedal stroke "across the bottom".
text: This will probably feel something like trying to scrape mud off the bottom of your shoe.
text: On the up-stroke, focus on driving your knee upwards toward the handlebar.
text: At the top of the up-stroke, focus on sliding your foot over and down into the down-stroke.
text: Focusing on the non-instinctive 3/4 of the pedal stroke has really helped me improve form.
text: Using a fixed gear (or staying in a low-ish gear), find someplace where you can spin out your cadence (a slight down-hill but not too steep).
text: Focusing on the 3/4 of the stroke that isn't pushing straight down, pedal as fast as you can until you find yourself starting to bounce.
text: Keep doing this, and as you get better at the non-down-stroke, you'll find that the pedaling cadence at which you start bouncing will get higher and higher, as your pedal stroke gets more round.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/638/alesplin
score: 14
sents: text: One of the best reasons for having a round pedal stroke is efficiency.
text: If you pedal stroke is smooth and efficient, you will get more power to the wheels with less effort.
text: Some exercises for improving your pedal stroke; the winter is a great time for such low intensity exercises.
text: Pedal a very big gear up
text: hill (20-40 rpm) for intervals of 5-10 min x 2-5/day Pedal with one leg at a time
text: 2-5x4-10 min x twice/week Ride rollers Ride a fixed gear combine two or more of the above.
text: Also note that it is not actually possible to get a perfect pedal stroke.
text: I learned the above exercises from one of Massimo Testa's apprentices who was coaching the UC Davis cycling team.
text: My pedal stroke was smoother than many professionals who had been through the lab, but as you can see (below) my dead spot (going over the top) was only 1/6 as powerful as my down stroke (at 90 degrees).
text: This test was done with pressure sensors on each pedal.
text: My right and left feet are shown by the blue and red lines respectively, at a constant power of 120W and about 90 rpm.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/839/David LeBauer
score: 11
sents: text: Pushing and pulling and rhythm: You'll certainly need clipless pedals - you won't develop a decent stroke if you're only pushing down on the pedal.
text: You need to be pulling as well.
text: I would advocate spending some time riding a fixie, too.
text: If you have to keep you legs moving, you will start to feel more connected to your bike and its speed.
text: Get yourself a cadence monitor and try to maintain an even cadence when in different gears.
text: When you're not on your fixed, concentrate on spinning your legs.
text: Perhaps try a gear or two higher than you might, purely to spin up a higher cadence.
text: Also maybe trying a stationary spinning bike.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/425/Unsliced
score: 10
sents: text: First, make sure that you're properly fitted to the bike.
text: Very hard to get it right without the basics being in place.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/349/Brian Knoblauch
score: 2
sents: text: If you ride on a trainer some of the time, consider getting a set of rollers.
text: They force you to ride smoothly at a high cadence so you don't bounce up and down, and I've seen them dramatically improve my girlfriend's pedalling technique.
text: They're much better for your technique than a turbo trainer.
answer_details: author: bicycles.stackexchange.com/users/820/Chris Betterton
score: 2

Summary of the answers:
There are a number of ways to improve pedal stroke. First, you could get a cadence monitor and try to maintain an even cadence when in different gears. Some exercises for improving your pedal stroke would help; these could be done in winter, which is a great time for such low intensity exercises. A pushing and pulling and rhythm is required and to do this clipless pedals are needed. It is hard to develop a decent stroke if you're only pushing down on the pedal. Finally, spending some time riding a fixie is another tip.
It would be a good idea to follow a specific pedal technique, aiming to round your stroke and start bouncing. You could try relevant exercises for your pedal stroke. To this end, you could get started on a stationary bike, use clipless pedals to push and pull with the same rhythm and force, or try rollers. A fixed gear bike could also be useful while you train. Moreover, you could experiment with higher gears while trying to maintain a steady cadence. It is possible to use a cadence monitor to better track your progress. At any rate, before practicing your stroke, check that you have adjusted your bike to fit your body.