Pedalling technique: break the circle

Pedalling technique is a hotly debated topic in the world of cycling. You would think that as cyclists this would be one of the main areas that we focus on while training, but it is a curiously overlooked aspect of our training. Improving your pedalling technique, one of our tools from our Toobox, can make you a better rider without changing your fitness.

Most of the articles on pedalling technique expound a variety of the “pedalling in a circle” style. This however is not how the best riders in the world pedal.

Watch a few moments of this video. Notice how the riders pedal with their heels up - you can always see the sole of their shoes.

d the conclusion from a study "The Pedaling Technique of Elite Endurance Cyclists: Changes with Increasing Workload at Constant Cadence" in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics: 98.6% and 96.3 % of the total work done at the low and high workloads, respectively, was done during the downstroke.

Pedalling Technique

Proper pedalling technique has three elements, which we will apply against a clock laid over the driveside crank. First, a focus on the forward and down motion of the pedalling stroke - between 12 and 3 o’clock on a clock face. The second is working on your ankle position and keeping your heel stable and slightly elevated above the ball of your foot. And finally a focus on pushing down from 3 to 4:30 on the clock face.

We can call the downward action in pedalling the power stroke. The power stroke starts at 12 o’clock, top dead centre, and ends around 4:30 on the clock. This is the area of the pedal stroke where you can generate the maximum amount of force into the pedals. With the focus on the power stroke we no longer worry about pulling through or up on the pedal once we pass 4:30. After 4:30 the rest of the pedal stroke is about unweighting the pedal so that you are not resisting the power stroke as it occurs in your other leg.

An important part of the power stroke is to make sure you are applying force to the pedal for as much of it as possible. Work on starting to put force into the pedal as early in the power stroke as you can. To begin with think of putting force into the pedal at your downtube. Once that is comfortable think of starting at your bottle cage, and then finally at the top of the pedal stroke. The sooner you start applying force into the pedal the longer the power stroke phase will be.

Most of us push down very well, but don’t start applying the forward motion as early as we could. This may be in part becaue you are focused on pulling, distracting from starting that push as soon as possible. To help with this part of the pedal stroke think high knees, getting that foot and femur up, over and out of the way to help apply that contact to the pedal early.

In conjunction with applying pressure throughout the power stroke you want to work on your foot position and keeping the heel slightly raised.

A couple of other tips that have worked well with clients. When pedalling think of generating power from your hip socket rather than at the knee. This has helped with applying force to the pedal early in the power stroke. The second is that proper action in the power stroke should almost feel like you are unweighting yourself from the saddle.

Your pedalling technique is something you can always work on, particularly when doing endurance and tempo type work. Improving your pedalling technique is one of our toolbox elements that can help you be a better rider without having to get fitter.