Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Click the "Create Account" button now to join.

To disable ads, please log-in.

Shop at TeamEstrogen.com for women's cycling apparel.

Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    MI
    Posts
    2,543

    Interesting post on flats vs. clipless

    To disable ads, please log-in.

    "Better is a relative term, especially when talking about artificial means of performance enhancement. The mistake people make is assuming that because something improves performance it must be better and therefore you want to use it all of the time. The fact is that equipment can either enhance good technique and fitness or cover up technique and fitness gaps and there is a huge difference between the two. The first will let you tap into your own abilities even more and the second will lead to plateaus and overuse injuries."
    Full post here . . .

    I realized early this season that I had poor pedal stroke when I was using most of my strength on the "upswing" instead of having "heavy feet." I've been working on retraining myself and it hasn't been easy. I think I am going to give this a try in the next season. I already put flats on my 26er for an AR, I think I'll just leave them on for awhile.

    I was doing this: "The #1 lie is that you want to pull the foot and pedal up – you instead need to focus on pulling the thigh up at the hip. This technique will help you develop a smooth, consistent pedal stroke to flats or clipless pedals." From this post.
    Last edited by limewave; 11-16-2011 at 05:41 AM.
    2005 Giant TCR2
    2012 Trek Superfly Elite AL
    2nd Sport, Pando Fall Challenge 2011 and 3rd Expert Peak2Peak 2011
    2001 Trek 8000 SLR
    Iceman 2010-6th Place AG State Games, 2010-1st Sport, Cry Baby Classic 2010-7th Expert, Blackhawk XTerra Tri 2007-3rd AG

    Occasionally Updated Blog

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Boise Idaho
    Posts
    1,162
    One of the reasons I love my Shimano A530's pedals - platform on one side, spd on the other. I find if I envision walking and or "kicking" (especially when tired) I have a more efficient pedal stroke
    Sky King
    ____________________
    Gilles Berthoud "Bernard"
    Surly ECR "Eazi"
    Empowering the Bicycle Traveler
    biketouringnews.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    10,889
    Quote Originally Posted by Sky King View Post
    One of the reasons I love my Shimano A530's pedals - platform on one side, spd on the other. I find if I envision walking and or "kicking" (especially when tired) I have a more efficient pedal stroke
    You use these on the mountain bike trail?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Concord, MA
    Posts
    13,394
    I had these on my mountain bike, before I sold it. With my limited skills, it felt like safety insurance. Most of the time, if the terrain was hilly or very rooty, I rode with one foot unclipped.
    Sometimes I would forget, clip at the start and then have an "oh s**t moment, when I would get to a climb and realize I was still clipped in and I thought I might have to bail. Most of my crashes occurred when I couldn't get up a difficult hill and I couldn't unclip, either.
    Although, the last time I went mountain biking, I just kind of forgot and stayed clipped in the whole time, even up a steep little grade.
    So different than on the road. Catrin, I am pretty sure your skills have surpassed whatever i achieved.
    2015 Trek Silque SSL
    Specialized Oura

    2011 Guru Praemio
    Specialized Oura
    2017 Specialized Ariel Sport

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Suburban MA and Western ME
    Posts
    1,815
    The best tool for improving pedal stroke is rollers. I, too, had a VERY uneven stroke before I spent a lot of time on the rollers. It's smoothed out A LOT now, but was very evident when I first started.

    And the thing that really helps me most mentally is to envision my feet tied to pie plates - rather than focusing on an upward or downward stroke, think about making circles.

    SheFly
    "Well behaved women rarely make history." including me!
    http://twoadventures.blogspot.com

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Newport, RI
    Posts
    3,821
    Quote Originally Posted by SheFly View Post

    And the thing that really helps me most mentally is to envision my feet tied to pie plates -

    SheFly
    SheFly Pie! My favorite!
    '02 Eddy Merckx Fuga, Selle An Atomica
    '85 Eddy Merckx Professional, Selle An Atomica

    '10 Soma Double Cross DC, Selle An Atomica

    Slacker on wheels.

 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •