the difference in your speed (more) and
effort (less).
Have a truly
It takes a while for your legs and lungs
relaxing
to adapt to this spinning motion.
Keep practising and eventually
summer at
pedalling in circles will
the cottage
become, well, almost second
nature. You will be able to this year.
cycle greater distances and
enjoy it more. practising and
eventually pedalling in
Complete
prOper peDalling means gOing
monitored
circles will become, well, almost second systems
in circles
nature. You will be able to cycle greater
I know it sounds stupid to say “pedal in distances and enjoy it more.
Security Systems
circles.” I mean, what else can you do on a 2801 Riverside Drive
bike when your feet go round and round?
gOing clipless
613-737-4553
Well, I used to think that too … but after Okay, it does sound weird. You do actually www.kodiaksecurity.ca
20 years of serious riding, I’ve learned that clip into “clipless” pedals.
the cycling experts are right. There’s more Modern pedals are called clipless to
to pedalling than merely pushing down. differentiate them from the old toe-clip-
To be a truly efficient cyclist, which means and-strap system. But if you weren’t cycling
expending less effort for more speed, you before the mid-1980s, you’ve probably never
also need to pull up on each stroke. even heard of toe clips, let alone had your
Think of the pedalling stroke as a clock toes squeezed numb by a strap. Back then,
with 12 at the top and 6 at the bottom of you inserted the forefoot into a thin metal
the circle. Every cyclist pushes down from or plastic V-shaped cage, called a toe clip,
12 o’clock toward 6 o’clock, using the large through which ran a leather or nylon strap.
quadriceps muscles on the front of the leg. This strap was then tightened to ensure the
The efficient cyclist also pulls up from 6 foot remained bound to the pedal, which
toward 12 or at least as far as 9. It requires improved efficiency and power. While
using your calf and hamstring muscles many things have changed quickly
on the back of the leg. Spreading the in modern cycling, the language
effort out among more muscles like hasn’t caught up.
this saves them all from tiring. It also With clipless pedals, the
creates more power. sole of a cycling shoe is
How do you pull up? As Greg actually clipped on to the
For all your biking needs,
LeMond, three time Tour de pedal via a cleat mechanism,
come to Kunstadt to get your
France champion, described much like a downhill ski
helmets, clothing, gloves and
it, the action at the bottom binding. Its purpose is
of the stroke is like scraping mud off to keep the foot solidly
all bike accessories. We carry
the bottom of your shoe. Try it. attached to the pedal in
the major brands!
If you doubt the need for this its proper position, and it
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technique, take your bike out does create a more efficient
1583 Bank St. 260-0696
and try pedalling with just one pedalling stroke. They also www.Kunstadt.com
leg in an easy gear. You will can save your skin!
quickly notice the dead spot If you have regular flat pedals, you’ve
at the bottom of the stroke. probably experienced the “pedal whack”
Pedalling through the whole syndrome where your foot accidentally
stroke, making a circle, works. slides off the front of the pedal and it then
To practice this “circle” so it becomes whacks your calf from behind. Also, if you’re
a habit, go for a spin and warm up for 10 riding in street shoes or sandals, your foot
minutes cycling your normal way. Then do sometimes flexes when you push hard on
10 circles pulling up with just the left leg, the pedal. Proper cycling shoes have a stiff
then 10 with the right, and finally 10 with sole that prevents this bending. This means
both. You should immediately feel the that all your leg power gets transmitted into
difference in your speed (more) and effort your stroke to push your bike. It’s like saving
(less). energy.
It takes a while for your legs and lungs I’ve used various clipless pedal systems
to adapt to this spinning motion. Keep for many years and know they are a
18 OTTAWA >> SUMMER/FALL 2008 www.OttawaOutdoors.ca
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