Have you ever watched pro-cyclists on TV, or out on the roads as the Tour De Langkawi rolls by and thought, “ I wish I could pedal that smoothly as them?” Well, I’m sure we all have.
The effortless pedaling technique you see is the hallmark of a well-trained and experienced cyclist. They’ve developed over countless miles and millions of pedals which lead to improvement in their endurance and power output while reducing the chance of injury.
Essentially, there’s no shortcut to improving your pedaling efficiency, but there are several things you can observe and improve to get more from your pedal strokes, such as your bike fit, cadence, or technique.
Pedaling efficiency is key in cycling. Thus, getting it right means you’ll be producing more power for the same or less energy output. While improving your efficiency, a smooth pedaling technique reduces the chance of injury to joints and muscles.
Now, here’s to help you find out what improved pedal technique can do for you and how you can go about getting it right.
● Bike Fit
Firstly, having your bike set up properly isn’t just important in ensuring you are comfortable and injury-free, but also to improve your cycling performance and that includes pedaling efficiency.
So on your next ride, try checking if your saddle is not too far behind, in the 5-7 o’clock range of the pedal stroke, you’ll be pedaling too far behind you causing you to rock back and forth to compensate. Or, a saddle that’s too low causes a high knee lift and an unfinished pedal stroke. This may constrict your breathing and therefore the amount of oxygen to your legs.
If you’re unsure of your optimal bike fit, it is best to head to a bike specialist for them to help you out.
Image via : Timestravel
● Stretching
Before and after each ride stretching for 10 minutes can really make a huge difference to how you feel on the bike.
Maintaining that flexibility is crucial to a smooth pedaling technique and reduces the risk of injury.
● Play with cadence
Finding the ideal cadence is a case of hitting the sweet spot between how fast you’re spinning the pedals and how hard you’re pushing them. However, if you’re new to cycling try not to push too big a gear before adapting to a higher, more efficient cadence.
When it comes to what’s right varies from rider to rider, but normally it ranges for a cadence between 80 to 100 revolutions per minute.
Hence, it is best to keep at a cadence that’s manageable and comfortable to improve the ability to sustain cycling over long periods of time and distances. Practice by playing with cadence, doing fast spin-ups and slow cadence climbs, and making it part of your warm-up every ride.
Image via : Mapmyrun
● Work on your core
That’s right, working on a strong core helps to maintain a good riding posture and smooth pedaling technique
Anything you do in the gym should be specific and transferable to cycling such as split squats, single-leg squats, planks, or crunches. Think of your bike saddle as a bar stool you perch on, but not an armchair that you slump in.
For more information please scan me (QRCode).
For further inquiry please contact us: Max 012-2969969, Christine 012-3590048 or YG 016-2020911.
