How to get the most energy from each crank revolution ?
Pedaling
in a simple circle is a complex thing, but mastering it can save energy, says
Todd Carver, biomechanist at Colorado's Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. He
says that with proper ankling (shown here; not the injury-causing technique of
the past), riders can churn out the same amount of power at a heart rate as
many as five beats per minute lower. This stroke is for flat terrain at
threshold, or time trial, intensity.
Hip-Knee-Ankle
Alignment
Viewed from the front, your hip, knee and ankle should line up throughout the
pedal stroke. "You don't want knee wobble," says Carver. "Just
think pistons, straight up and down." If you can't correct this, or if you
experience knee pain when you try to restrict lateral movement, you may need orthotics
or another type of biomechanical adjustment.
Zone
1
Known as the power phase, the portion of the pedal stroke from 12 o'clock to
about 5 o'clock is the period of greatest muscle activity. "A lot of
people think hamstrings are used only on the upstroke," says Carver,
"but a good cyclist uses a lot of hamstring in the downstroke, because it
extends the hip." The key to accessing the large muscles in the back of
your leg is dropping your heel as you come over the top of the stroke, says
Carver. "At 12 o'clock, your toes should be pointed down about 20 degrees,
but as you come over the top, start dropping that heel so that it's parallel to
the ground or even 10 degrees past parallel by the time you get to 3
o'clock." The biggest mistake Carver sees in novice riders: not dropping
the heel enough in Zone 1.
Zone
2
Using the same muscles as in the power phase, but to a lesser degree, this
phase acts as a transition to the backstroke. "As you enter Zone 2, think
about firing the calf muscles to point your toe," Carver says. As you come
through the bottom of the stroke, the toe should be pointed down 20 degrees.
"This ankling technique transfers some of the energy developed in Zone 1
by the bigger muscles to the crank," Carver says. He uses the advice popularized
by Greg LeMond: "Act like you're scraping mud off the bottom of your
shoe."
Zone
3
Even though you feel like you're pulling your foot through the back of the
stroke, you're not. "When you look at even the best cyclists, they're
losing power on the upstroke," says Carver. "The pedal is actually
pushing your leg up, so the goal is to lose as little power as possible and get
that foot out of the way." One fun way to improve the efficiency of your
upstroke: mountain biking. "The terrain keeps you honest," Carver
says. "If you're focusing only on the downstroke, you'll lose traction and
fall off your bike in steep sections." As for other exercises, Carver
advises against single-leg pedal drills--"for recreation-level riders,
they injure more people than they help"--but recommends hamstring and
glute-strengthening lifts, as well as squats, "done correctly, in a squat
rack with someone showing you how."
Saddle
Position
Proper bike fit, especially saddle height and fore-aft adjustment, is a
prerequisite for a smooth pedal stroke. Without it, says Carver, you won't be
even remotely as efficient as you could be. "If your saddle is too high,
you're not going to be able to drive your heel effectively," he says.
"If it's too low, you'll have knee pain." In the right position (knee
over the ball of your foot with the pedal at 3 o'clock; knee slightly bent with
the pedal at 6 o'clock), you'll maximize your energy output and also be able to
adapt your ankling technique to different terrain, cadence and effort levels.
Zone
4
As you enter the second half of the upstroke phase, think about initiating your
downstroke. "Many riders don't initiate early enough," says Carver,
who often sees riders wait until 3 o'clock--but they should be starting before
12 o'clock. A tip: As you begin to come across the top of the stroke, think
about pushing your knee forward, toward the bar. But only your knee, says
Carver: "Your pelvis should remain a stable platform, not sinking down and
not moving forward."
