Tune up your technique for silky smooth cycling

As triathletes, we spend countless hours practising our swimming technique or our running stride as we continually strive for perfection, but how often do we take time to consider our cycling mechanics? Most of us will hire a coach to design different training protocols, then jump on our trainers and mindlessly ride for a few hours. Instead of just hammering it out during one of your training sessions, let's explore some ways you can focus specifically on your technique, or cycling mechanics.

It would be inappropriate to imply that there is only one correct way to cycle efficiently. That would be like suggesting for Mike Weir to have more success on the golf course, he needs to start swinging the club exactly like Phil Mickelson, which is obviously not the case. Every individual is anatomically different and unique; therefore, every individual will react slightly different in the same situation or setting. This is why the field of sport biomechanics so interesting and diverse. What I will suggest, though, is that there are certain characteristics shared by successful athletes that ensure maximum efficiency and success.

Recent advancement of technology and high-speed cameras have allowed scientists to critically analyze the pedal stroke of cyclists, while no longer relying completely on "eye-balling it."

What biomechanists have created is a clock-like diagram to describe the actions of the leg during the cycling process. If we start at the top of the pedal stroke, the majority of the power during the down-stroke comes from the hip, knee and ankle extensors, mainly the glutes, hamstrings, quads and gastrocnemius with knee stabilization from the IT band and gracilis muscle.

During the upstroke, hip, knee and ankle flexion occurs with contributions mainly from the hamstrings, quads, gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior.

You may notice that muscles such as the quads, hamstrings and gastrocnemius contribute to both the flexion and extension process, which is due to the biarticulation of each muscle.

With this general overview of what our muscles are doing, a few questions about technique now arise.

Does ankling contribute to my overall power production?

Ankling is the term used to describe how actively we use our lower leg muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus and tibialis anterior) to get our foot around during the pedal stroke. A majority of people tend to naturally exhibit some degree of ankling, however, exaggerated ankling patterns do not significantly increase overall power output. EMG studies measuring the electrical activity of leg muscles also support this finding. In fact, the calves seem better suited to act as cables transferring power from your quads to your foot and through to the pedals. The best advice for cyclists is to not consciously think about ankling. Simply focus on pulling your foot as you come through the bottom of the pedal stroke, as though you are scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe. Leave the power production to the quads, hamstrings and glutes.

Can I produce more power by pulling up during the upstroke?

Even the most smooth and efficient track cyclists have shown to not produce any significant amount of power during the upstroke, so, no, don't waste your time. Compared to your quads, the other hip flexors are weak muscles.

In order for that leg to get back to the top of the pedal stroke, there is a certain amount of rotational inertia and gravity that must be overcome. Thus, one of the best ways to increase the rate at which your foot gets back to the top of the pedal stroke and improve your efficiency is to slightly un-weight the back leg, which will help decrease the amount of drag forces acting on it.

How can improve my efficiency and power?

Studies have found nearly 90 per cent of the population exhibits a forefoot varus. What that means is the forefoot is angled downward from the big toe to the small toe. For cycling purposes, this can have a huge impact on power production because, as the foot goes to push on a flat surface, the foot itself is not flat. To compensate, the forefoot must collapse, causing internal tibial rotation and subsequently inward motion of the knee. This lateral knee travel not only results in decreased power production, but may result in chronic knee or foot pain in the future if it not addressed. What many fitters will do is place a wedge under the cleat, preventing the collapse of the forefoot, resulting in a much straighter knee trace and increased power production.

Another tip for efficient cycling and generating more power is to practice one-legged cycling drills. Start by spending a few minutes after you warm up using just one leg for 30 seconds at a time. It may be awkward at first, but the benefits will be huge later as you will train your muscles to actively contribute force to the pedals throughout the entire 360-degree pedal stroke. Spinning at higher cadences will also make you a much more proficient cyclist.

There are two ways to increase your power, provide more force or spin faster. The downside to producing more force is it requires a huge muscular effort and metabolic cost and, for triathletes, it's always a good idea to leave something in the tank for the run.

During the heat of a race, your focus is not going to be on your technique or the direction your muscles are directing forces, which is why it's so important to take time during your training to address mechanical issues and skills so it becomes second nature. Practise just a few of these skills, and by the time race day arrives you will see a huge payoff in your times.

About the author:

Adam Redmond studied under some of the top biomechanics professors in the world at the University of Calgary. Redmond, B.Sc. biomechanics, CSCS, has now turned his passion for sports and competition to triathlons where he plans to travel to Thailand this fall to compete in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon with his brother.

"Cycling Mechanics" first appeared in the May/June Multisport issue of IMPACT Magazine.