Pedal stroke?

[TrentonMakes]

When you learn to ride a bike, the balance issues are the biggest hurdle, while the propulsion itself is relatively easy - push the higher foot down to the bottom, then do the same for the other foot, and repeat several bajillion times.

Sometimes I flip through the "reels" (little short video clips) on FB and (informed by what I watched previously, no doubt) I'm starting to see clips about improving the efficiency of the pedal stroke.  These look like very slight adjustments but I assume they are effective, especially if implemented continuously over the course of a long ride.

Back in the LF days I recall learning about pulling through the bottom of the pedal stroke, as if I'm trying to scrape gum off my shoe.  That seems to generally gain me up up 1/2 mph.  But I have to consciously do that, and most of the time I don't.  So largely when I ride it's really the same instruction I received in 1977 on that little orange banana-seater:  push down with your left leg, then the right.

How "refined" is your pedal stroke?  Did you ever receive any actual training on this?  Tips you picked up along the way?

I guess I'm asking not only about efficiency, but about health - I've noticed that my right knee stays sore a little longer than it used to (it kind of feels like my saddle might actually be a little low and although it's in the same position it's been in for some 7 years I'm going to try raising it a little).  Probably just getting old.

[ChrisL]

I do pay attention to my pedal stroke but for me it’s more about dropping my heels.  I find that if I don’t, my knees hurt a little bit.  Within the first mile or two of a ride I spin an easy gear & focus on keeping my heels down and then pick up the pace. 

I also find when I ride no handed I tend to ride toes down and within a few pedal strokes will feel it in my knees.

[jsharr ★]

When I was riding alot, I got pretty good at the push/pull and ankling.  It was weird when I got it right and the pulling motion and pushing motion were in sync and pedalling became "easier"?    Been years since I rode alot, but I still have a lot of the muscle mass in my legs from those days.  Our trainer says I do not need to worry about leg day, as I have the biggest legs of any of us.

[Razors Edge ★]

27 minutes ago, TrentonMakes said:

Probably just getting old.

It's so hard to factor that out with anything I do these days.  Is it enough to "match" prior years when before it was a goal to exceed/improve?

29 minutes ago, TrentonMakes said:

How "refined" is your pedal stroke?  Did you ever receive any actual training on this?  Tips you picked up along the way?

Mine is fine but like others, the more I pay attention to it, the better.  Never any training, just finding what feels best and then seeing how different techniques have different results.  And, what I also see is that across three bikes and various riding terrain, it is very different.  I seem to be smoother and more efficient on my road bike vs the gravel vs the MTB. Makes some sense, but it would be nice to carry the smooth and efficient over to other rides

[Parsnip Totin Jack ★]

I taught spinning classes for 11 years at one of my previous jobs. A coordinated pedal stroke is not just good for your knees, it’s more efficient. Push push pedaling uses one leg at a time. Push pull uses both legs as a team and uses more leg muscle groups. It takes repetition to create a habit to pedal this way but the results are well defined leg muscles and better efficiency while riding. 

[maddmaxx ★]

When I still used clipless pedals I got pretty good at powering my feet through circles, down, back, up, forward.  There's a lot more power there once you get the muscles trained.

These days I ride flats and don't give a shit about power.  I just mosey along like Sue.

[Further]

One leg pedaling on a trainer will point out pedaling issues real quick. 
 

Back when I rode a bit I would do one leg drills, they really did smooth out my overall pedaling stroke 

[Longjohn ★]

Daily rides will help you get your petal stroke figured out.

[Razors Edge ★]

6 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

Daily rides will help you get your petal stroke figured out.

My bet, though, is that a guy like EPG was a master-pedal technician!  He probably had that smooth, buttery stroke that would make us all blush.  

[groupw]

We did a lot of one foot training during a couple spinning videos in the winter. I will still occasionally unclip a foot and do the one foot drill for a bit. I hope I remember this when I get back on the bike..  

[Zealot]

Actually, once I learned about clips and clipless pedals, learning to pedal through the stroke or ‘pedal in circles’ was pretty much a natural progression for me. I couldn’t say that I’d consciously noted any performance improvement until many years after riding that way. Then I recall riding a bike somewhere with just flat pedals. And immediately noticed how much efficiency was lost without being clipped in. 

[12string]

I find that doing leg curls, mule kicks and monster walks in the gym improves my pedal stroke.  One foot has a mess of crushed up bones so I have to focus to keep my right knee from moving out and back in.  Proper rotation effort helps

[Further]

3 hours ago, Longjohn said:

Daily rides will help you get your petal stroke figured out.

Ride lots