Pedalling technique is one of those topics that could be extended to fill a whole book, or reduced to a single sentence. And it all rotates around a couple of largely unresolved questions: Is there even such a thing as good pedalling technique, and therefore bad pedalling technique? And is pedalling technique realistically changeable or trainable to become more efficient or powerful?
If the answer to the either of the above questions is ‘no’, the conclusion of this article could be summarised along the lines of: A bicycle is a mechanical device that endeavours to efficiently express natural human running/walking mechanics through the medium of rolling wheels driven by a rotating crank, and the highly prescriptive environment reduces the opportunity for any sustainable adjustment as to how forces are applied to the pedal.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. With the help of some of the world’s leading authorities in the field of cycling biomechanics, we’re going to explore the science of pedalling a humble bicycle and what that could or should mean to the everyday rider.
Do we try to smooth out the dead zones at the top and bottom of the pedal stroke by pushing forwards and scraping
