I'm ready for Bike Riding 102 now

May 7, 2009 11:58 AM

What do I need to know to be a more efficient bike rider?

Three years ago I asked this question about what bike to get. It included this extremely excellent answer about how not to hurt your knees biking, which, had I paid sufficient attention to the last two paragraphs, would probably have saved me from last fall's knee surgery. "Sadly ignorant," indeed.

So, tell me about how to ride a bike. I've been keeping them upright and going forward for coming on 40 years now, and I've even done long-distance trips in my youth. But about 15 years ago, the notion of "cadencing" was new to me, and welcome. And this spring, I'm spinning a lot more! I wonder what else I ought to know about about?

I don't think I need bike fit tips, but what else should I know about using my bike and my body more efficiently?

posted by not that girl to sports, hobbies, & recreation (16 comments total)

Get a set of rollers, it'll help your cadence, balance and pedal stroke- they pretty much force you to be a better rider.
posted by wongcorgi at 12:09 PM on May 7

So did you in fact end up with a recumbent? You don't mention that specifically here.

I don't know recumbents specifically, but my (upright) biking advice has always been:

A) shift more often than you think you need to (i.e. constant cadence)
B) pedal at higher RPMs than you think you should (i.e. high cadence)
C) put your seat higher than you think you should (i.e. full pedaling stroke)

That might be more basic than you're looking for, but those three go a very long way.
posted by madmethods at 12:20 PM on May 7

The high-cadence thing is actually a myth, propagated by road racing culture. The proof being that time-trialists and ironman triathletes average a much slower cadence (typically 70 rpm), yet they are the epitome of efficiency.

Roadies generally ride in a pack, and pack riding "efficiency" is all about staying consistently one-wheel length behind the guy you're drafting. Too close is dangerous. Too far back and you're not drafting anymore. This means being able to accelerate when necessary, and brake when necessary to stay with the guy in front of you as he deals with whatever's in front of him (or as he tries to shake you off his tail). To generate power on demand and accelerate at a split-second's notice, you need to already be in a lower gear. To pedal a lower gear at the same speed, you need to pedal at a higher cadence, even if it's a bit less effiicient. When drafting, you're soft-pedalling anyway so that is an acceptable trade-off.

If you're not in the habit of drafting, then just stick with the cadence that you're comfortable with.
posted by randomstriker at 12:33 PM on May 7

I guess I should clarify that "high" cadence is relative.

I would agree that most "casual" cyclists pedal too slowly, like 20-40 rpms. That can be bad for your knees under heavy exertion. The crazy 100rpm cadence that Lance Armstrong maintained and is fashionable these days is, IMO, overkill for most people. Unless you're racing laps in a criterium or alleycat. The most efficient cadence is about 60-70 rpm (see Ironman).
posted by randomstriker at 12:44 PM on May 7

I got an Electra Townie and have really liked it, madmethods.
posted by not that girl at 12:50 PM on May 7

Actually, a lower cadence (say 70-85 rpm) for racers was the old culture (say ten or so years ago) that was called into question by Lance Armstrong's, among others, success at using a much higher cadence. Nowadays the default is to use a higher cadence, but apparently there's science to back it up. It's not true for every single person (and I count myself as one who's better on the lower side of the range), but generally a higher cadence (say 85-100) is more efficient over a long ride and shifts stress away from your legs to your heart. Lance rides at like 100-110, but he's Lance and we aren't.

I don't think drafting has much, if anything, to do with the question since it's not racing, TT or triathlon related as far as I can tell. I don't often find myself needing to shake people off my tail on weekend charity rides. Also serious racers know their bodies inside and out plus roll with SRMs and HR monitors so they know exactly how they need to scale their effort for max efficiency over time.

I think madmethods advice is sound. Every higher cadence advice article I've read is pretty consistent on the idea that you have to practice until you're pedaling smoothly at a your target cadence. Like 1 minute at 100rpm then back down to whatever. Maybe the first time you'll be bouncing in your seat, but with practice you'll get the hang of it.

Also, leg power and endurance really do factor in. A higher cadence/lower gear isn't going to help a ton if you're out of gas after 30 minutes.

on preview: i'm not sure I could keep from falling over at 20-40 rpm. Like I said, I'm a grinder and not a spinner, and I'd be close to keeling over on a hill at 50 rpm.
posted by turbodog at 1:04 PM on May 7

Keep your knees in, pedaling pretty much straight up/down. I see people riding with their knees splayed out as if they're jerks sitting on the subway. It's part of the "pedaling smoothly" idea, but there are a lot of details embedded inside that notion.
posted by xueexueg at 1:24 PM on May 7

Because you have a Townie, I assume you're riding as transportation rather than for sport.

Make sure your bike is dialed in to your body! My husband (who is a bike commuter not a racer) had his bike fitted at the bike shop (about $100) He had his seat raised and maybe some adjustments to the handlebars as well. He said that he has fewer pains and is faster than he was previously.
posted by vespabelle at 1:58 PM on May 7

C) put your seat higher than you think you should (i.e. full pedaling stroke)

I agree with the spirit of this (and I agree that saddle position is hugely important for pain-free riding) but as written I find it really misleading. There are good methods for determining the right saddle height for your body and riding style -- find what is best for you, and don't then raise it, ya know, just 'cuz.

Some useful (albeit qualitative) information on how to do this from Sheldon Brown and Peter White. These may not apply directly to a Townie, but it's a good place to start.
posted by JohnFredra at 2:09 PM on May 7

You want to pedal perfect circles. The rollers are good for this as is a fixie (fixed gear bicycle). Other than that just concentrate on applying an even amount of force throughout the pedal revolution. You will need clipless pedals to do this, either that or cleats and tight toe clips but that is just too dangerous. When pedaling the bottom of the stroke should be almost like you are wiping something off your shoe. The is the one part of the stroke that is easiest to omit applying power. Cadence has been discussed and I agree on its importance. If you can stay above 80 good, above 90 better. This will also protect your knees.
posted by caddis at 2:38 PM on May 7

Doing single-legged pedaling drills is a good way to find out the "holes" in your pedal stroke. Of course, you can't do these if you're using flat pedals. Pushing all the time on flat pedals will build a ton of inefficiency in your pedal stroke. You never pull up and all your musculature is oriented toward mashing the pedals, and working the quads, not the hamstrings or the main hip flexors.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:22 PM on May 7

You want to pedal perfect circles. The rollers are good for this ...

Please explain how. I'm genuinely curious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_rollers
posted by intermod at 7:39 PM on May 7

I suppose it depends on what your knee problems are, but having a high cadence means that you are applying less force per stroke, so perhaps this is a good thing? To follow on with the Armstrong analogy, Basso was the complete opposite - high gear, slow revolutions, massive legs.

I started using a heart-rate monitor and cadence sensor this season (as I do some racing) and I found the cadence sensor to be very useful. For commuting, I general am at a lower cadence (in the 70 range) and while training or racing >90. It's not essential to have one to get an idea of your cadence, you could estimate it for a few different gearings on the flat by trying to hold the same speed.

I'm interested in the claim that ~70 is the optimum. Bicycling Science discusses the different muscle fibers used depending on the cadence so perhaps this is why different types of races have different cadences (I was unfamiliar with the Ironman cadence aspect mentioned earlier). It's definitely a fun book if you are interested in more cycling info and general and technical facts about bicycles.

Something else that helps for smoother cycling is clip-less pedals, as you can pull up as well as down, further reducing the per knee force. In fact, Wilson (Bicycling Science author) talks about how humans are stronger pulling up that pushing down when pedalling.
posted by a womble is an active kind of sloth at 9:24 PM on May 7

You will need clipless pedals to do this, either that or cleats and tight toe clips but that is just too dangerous.

Another option is Powergrips, which is simply a diagonal strap that goes across the top of the pedal. You won't get as much efficiency as clipless but on the other hand, you don't have to deal with having to change in and out of special shoes, etc. I definitely noticed an improvement when I put Powergrips on my commuter bike, but didn't have to worry about what shoes I was wearing/carrying and changing them at my destination, etc. Since I bike all over town as well as to work, this was the best solution for me.

On the other hand, if you ride you bike to the same destination 90% of the time, then it is easy to just leave regular shoes at your destination.
posted by mikepop at 5:27 AM on May 8

Please explain how. I'm genuinely curious.

Balancing on rollers requires fairly smooth riding. Any jerky movement is noticeable and very jerky movement might throw your balance off enough to dump you off the rollers. Efficiency comes from a smooth and fluid pedaling action, no rocking of hips or shoulders, no increases of power during parts of the stroke, like the down stroke, but smooth machine like constant pedaling. On rollers you can feel the non-smooth movement better than on the road. They don't magically improve your stroke so much as they allow you to do a better job of concentrating on improving it.
posted by caddis at 7:35 AM on May 8

Having given this more thought during my ride to work today, I have some more pointers:

Learn to minimize movement or swaying in your body. The pedaling should be the only movement you're making. The upper body should be "quiet." Keep your elbows relaxed and your shoulders low. Don't lock up your arms and shoulders. Keep your hips from rocking. Movement in the hips is what makes the bike steer; learn to turn your head without the bike crossing the road. When you stop, have one pedal toward the top of the stroke, and push off with that when you resume riding. Don't push with the foot on the ground. Don't overbrake, pump the brakes smoothly.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:18 PM on May 8