Pedaling perfect circles is the mark of a strong, fast rider. Look at any top pro and youíll see a smooth, supple pedal stroke that maximizes energy, while most beginners (and many advanced) riders often pedal choppy squares by only hammering straight down on the power stroke. To improve your pedaling technique, practice for a few minutes every time you ride. For the 15 minutes that youíre warming up or cooling down, ride with a slow cadence of 50-70 rpms and a light pedaling pressure. Focus on applying equal pressure to the pedals all the way around the pedal stroke, but concentrate on pulling through the bottom of the pedal stroke and pushing over the top instead of just up and down. Sometimes it helps to envision scraping some sort of goo off your foot. As your pedaling speed increases, pretend to pedal smaller and smaller circles instead of just thinking faster, and donít bounce on the seat. Itís also helpful if you force yourself to ride easier gears that require more spinning and less grunting. Still not pedaling buttery-smooth like a cycling star? A few other methods to develop better pedal technique include riding a fixed, non-freewheeling track-style drivetrain, or riding a trainer for short periods using only one leg or riding rollers, which by their challenging nature enforce smoothness. Keep working at it---proper pedaling technique will make you faster and less prone to injury.
Pedal Right by Sean Coffey