Base and Pedaling Efficiency: Why?

Now is the time of year, the start of base, to train to learn how to pedal. Pedaling efficiency can save HUGE amounts of energy over the course of a race or a season. Most athletes just jump on their bike and ride believing that pedaling will provide a natural selection of your optimum cadence.

Pedaling efficiency is usually defined as:

"...optimizing the energy output on the bike in such a manner as to derive the maximum power into the drive train with the least amount of energy lost as a result of engaging muscle groups that are not directly related to the pedal stroke."

• To optimize your pedal stroke you will be able to pedal through your "dead" spots. These are the the top and bottom of the pedal rotation.
• having a less choppy pedaling action
• learn to relax while pedaling

They are ways to improve your pedal stroke. Just like a golfer or a baseball player spends time to improve their swings so must a cyclist. I will explain how this can be done.

Pedal Analysis

A good place to start is to have a pedal analysis done. Using a computrainer and it's spin scan feature, such as the one I use on my athletes, you can get real time graphical and numerical analysis of power during each part of the pedal stroke and relative contribution of each leg. Perhaps you are not able to apply power at the proper location of the pedal stoke or your legs are not working equally in terms of strength. Having a pedal analysis done will allow me to see these issues and make the necessary adjustments.

Pedaling Drills

After the pedal analysis is done and biomechanical adjustments are made, here are the best ways to improve your pedaling action:

Isolated leg training

ALWAYS warm up properly

• Select a gear where you can maintain 85+ rpms. Focus on pedaling through the full range of motion. Keep it smooth
• Alternate between left and right leg. Each for 30-60 secs. After 2-3 spins of each leg return to two pedaling for 2 minutes.
• This can be done as a workout itself or even while warming up.
• cool down and stretch
  

Spin ups

Warm up at 90 rpm

• ride at 100 rpm for 5 minutes focusing on round circles
• increase to 110 rpm for 3 minutes. Again focusing on round circles
• increase to 120+ rpm for 1 minute.
  
• recover for 5 minutes at 90 rpm. This should be easier now.
• This can be done as a workout itself or during warm up cool downs
• cool down and stretch

So there you have it. Use these drills during the base phase and through out the season to impove your efficiency.