How do I stop mashing???

[TrekTheKaty]

= I still have to concentrate on breaking my toe-down habit, but it's easier and feels more natural to do heels down with the adjustments we made.

Is toe-down bad? I've come to understand heels-down from spinning class and it works when you need a switch.

[chutch]

Is toe-down bad? I've come to understand heels-down from spinning class and it works when you need a switch.

I'm no expert at all, but from my limited understanding heels-down is considered more efficient. But I think I have read that some people have a perfectly efficient pedal stroke using the toe-down method. I also had a knee pain issue and am experiencing less knee pain with the change in pedal stroke so that benefit alone makes it worth it to me.

[ny biker]

When I go in for a bike fit adjustment, the guy at the LBS always tells me heels down.

[pinkychique]

The best thing that I've found for mashing is single-speed mtb. It's kinda like the downhill drill, but on a mtb. Since you only have one speed, you are going to end up mashing up some hills, in which case you stand up, but you get a lot stronger and you learn to spin up the hills, and you spin spin spin spin fast down the downhills. Ss mtb's are great for power too

I have a fixie that I ride around school. I don't put many many miles on it, but it has DEFINITELY helped with efficiency too since you have no choice but to pedal.