Foot Position

[SouthernBelle]

Wouldn't it be nifty if they made a high-top bike shoe with a wicked stiff ankle area to keep us "off our toes"???

It wouldn't have to be REALLY high, just enough to sort of cut into the achilles tendon if we hit a wrong angle...

Sure would be a great learning tool -- no thinking about it, just pain when we don't do it the way we oughta!

Karen in Boise

Aversion Therapy

[neuroticcyclist]

Definitely not toe down. Ankling tends to reduce the activation of your hamstrings that are activated when you push your heel down a bit (we're talking clipless here). The hamstrings and the *** are the biggest muscles in the body, so you might as well use them! If you don't put your foot in the right position, you tend to use more quads, which cuts your power. In fact, if you do the "Lance" hill adjustment and move forward in your seat a tiny bit on a hill climb and pay attention to the foot position, you get even more power.