# What is the best pedal stroke for a Recumbent?



## Falco Frank (26 Jun 2015)

I was shocked this morning to read in the clipless thread about pulling UP being inefficient in terms outright power:

https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/3764740/

Is this still the case for a reclined rider using a 'bent???

A fascinating post was made on the thread:



Citius said:


> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18418807
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18418807
> http://journals.humankinetics.com/j...hangeswithincreasingworkloadatconstantcadence
> http://roadcyclinguk.com/riding/bike-fitting-the-myth-of-the-upstroke.html#wi4EXurIPVAEELKf.97
> ...



With the last link making a compelling argument for only pushing DOWN (on a DF bike)

I guess there are MANY things I have to learn yet about 'bent riding so, what is the 'best' way to pedal please?


----------



## ianrauk (26 Jun 2015)

Put your feet on the pedals and turn them..
There really is no thinking about it. Just do.


----------



## recumbentpanda (26 Jun 2015)

Hi FF! See my post in the other thread re 'unweighting the non-drive side.

In addition, some 'bentists' favour a foot position with the pedal axle behind the ball of the foot, even in the instep - even some of those using clipless, who set their cleats as far back as they will go. Discussion of this can be found somewhere on the US based 'Bentrider Online' forum. This strongly contrast with the 'uprightists' who favour the ball of the foot position.

'Mashing' by pressing back hard against the seat is favoured by some strong riders, but for most of us it is a recipe for instant knee trouble.

Almost as controversial as clipless in the bent world are short cranks. These are usually discussed in terms of cadence, but for me their real advantage lies in how they reduce the angles of movement at hip and knee to a range where muscles have better leverage. This, combined with gearing, strongly outweighs any reduction in leverage at the crank itself. It also reduces or eliminates most knee problems some people encounter with the more usual 170s or 175s. I run 155cm cranks on my bent. They can be hard to find at a reasonable cost, but the BMX component company Sinz used to offer a huge range of different sizes at pretty normal prices. I believe these are discontinued but can still be found new or second hand if you search. The prominent Sinz graphic on mine still get admiring glances from the kids on the block. :-)

Hope these ramblings are of some use :-)


----------



## roadrash (26 Jun 2015)

i find round and round works for me


----------



## arallsopp (26 Jun 2015)

I've not read the links yet (travelling at mo) but suspect that under times of increased burst effort an upright rider is out of the saddle. Thus, pulling up is compromised by their entire weight (and pivot) being on the other pedal pushing down anyway. For prolonged in the seat pedalling, the muscles that seem best developed are all the down ones, so for most uprights @ianrauk is right. The pedal stroke that works for your geometry and biology is the best one.

On a bent, I find I use the muscles on the back of my thighs considerably more than I would on an upright. I believe the delayed development of these muscles as they're newly called into service surfaces in "getting one's 'bent legs".

The technique I've found best is to try to force the pedals into ravelling slightly smaller circles than the cranks allow. Add in a heel flex for a turbo boost and you're well away.

When I'm going for it on the creaky street machine, I can hear the drivetrain telling me my power output is push/pull. That's lazy technique, I suspect, and the "smaller circles" approach is probably better for me and the bike.


----------



## Falco Frank (26 Jun 2015)

Thanks guys - I find the timing odd that on the flat I'm now starting to sub-consciously develop a longer 'pull-down' phase to my stroke, just past the fullest extent of leg travel.


----------



## Falco Frank (26 Jun 2015)

O.M.G.

Some 'light' reading:

http://members.home.nl/vd.kraats/recumbent/pedal.html


----------



## arallsopp (27 Jun 2015)

OK. Having read half way through that page, I'm now firmly in @ianrauk 's camp. Pedals. Keep 'em moving. Bike goes too.


----------



## ufkacbln (27 Jun 2015)

Recumbent design is also a factor.

"Pedal Steer" is where the bike moves in response to the pressure on the pedals. It is more prevalent on some machines than others

You may need to adapt your pedalling style to compensate for this as well.


----------



## Falco Frank (27 Jun 2015)

arallsopp said:


> OK. Having read half way through that page, I'm now firmly in @ianrauk 's camp. Pedals. Keep 'em moving. Bike goes too.



Erm yes... I was lost on the 3rd Paragraph

But the Java graphic worked well


----------



## Scoosh (27 Jun 2015)

arallsopp said:


> On a bent, I find I use the muscles on the back of my thighs considerably more than I would on an upright.


I agree with this. I find my hamstrings* can cramp up on the bent, when they never did on a DF.

*I think it's hamstrings - can be pretty sore, whatever they are


----------



## Dwarfman (14 Jul 2015)

In the long term the cranks are there to be turned. Having used clips pedals they are better for long distances on DF once you get the muscles to pull and push and the control (brain trained to do it) On a bent I would like to go there, but just a little bit wary at present, a mentioned above pedal steer ( the loss of balance) which will turn you in to road kill? What is the the opinion, above keep turning. is it practical and do they help. I apparently have 54 gears to try it out. 9 x 3 (SRAM dual drive) x 2 (two chain rings). I could get confused!


----------



## Dwarfman (14 Jul 2015)

What a lot of information. How do you spot what you do amongst that lot

http://members.home.nl/vd.kraats/recumbent/pedal.html#Efficient pedaling


----------



## BlackPanther (18 Jul 2015)

All I know is that when I occasionally get it wrong when overtaking traffic, I always seem to find an incredible ability to accelerate to speeds on the flat that are far beyond my regular cruising speeds. Panic seems to be provide the best pedalling motion. Pity I never seem to notice what on doing differently during these moments. I think I 'pull' more than when cruising, push back more against the seat, and the Rapto seems to sway, or 'pedal steer' more than usual, so I must be putting significantly more into each stroke. I've hit 40 during a panic pedal, but when I just decide to sprint, 35 seems more like my max on the flat.


----------



## byegad (8 Aug 2015)

Your leg muscles are used to lifting your weight by pushing down, and lifting their own weight off the ground as you move forward. So the push part of the pedal stroke is always going to be more powerful than the pull. 

But pulling does add some power for me. I only use the pull for acceleration or cresting a rise but it's a useful addition of power. As a long term method of powering a recumbent I'd say pulling on the pedal is not that useful, on a 2 hr ride I may typically pull on the pedals for less than 5 minutes.


----------



## Scoosh (8 Aug 2015)

When the going gets a bit tough uphill, I use a lttle 'mantra' I made up:
"Pedals go round, bike goes forward …" - repeat as required.

Works for me.


----------

