Now this is going to be a hard subject to convey, as I'm new to cycling, but have already spent the past year doing a couple of things: learning mostly, but also finding out that for the past 9 months I've been a lazy git and need to train shed loads, and figure out the best diet to supplement it. (Currently I just eat anything and everything).
Anyway. While pedalling, and I'm sure this is true of some new riders, I just push push push, which probably means that at 12 and 6 o'clock positions, it's a 'dead zone'. I've tried experimenting, and tried to come up with a perfect circle, but mostly it just ends up feeling wierd in the knees (very tenseand incredibly uncomfortable) so, I ask, how do you achieve the perfect circle?
Now this is going to be a hard subject to convey, as I'm new to cycling, but have already spent the past year doing a couple of things: learning mostly, but also finding out that for the past 9 months I've been a lazy git and need to train shed loads, and figure out the best diet to supplement it. (Currently I just eat anything and everything).
Anyway. While pedalling, and I'm sure this is true of some new riders, I just push push push, which probably means that at 12 and 6 o'clock positions, it's a 'dead zone'. I've tried experimenting, and tried to come up with a perfect circle, but mostly it just ends up feeling wierd in the knees (very tenseand incredibly uncomfortable) so, I ask, how do you achieve the perfect circle?
you don't!
the majority of the force that is applied to pedals is at 3 o'clock, with the virtually all the force being generated from top dead centre to bottom dead centre. there are small 'dead' sport then at 12 and 6 o'clock.
research using instrumented force pedals shows that better cyclists (elite) push down more and pull up less, compared to less good cyclists (state level) who push down less and pull up a little more.
Now this is going to be a hard subject to convey, as I'm new to cycling, but have already spent the past year doing a couple of things: learning mostly, but also finding out that for the past 9 months I've been a lazy git and need to train shed loads, and figure out the best diet to supplement it. (Currently I just eat anything and everything).
Anyway. While pedalling, and I'm sure this is true of some new riders, I just push push push, which probably means that at 12 and 6 o'clock positions, it's a 'dead zone'. I've tried experimenting, and tried to come up with a perfect circle, but mostly it just ends up feeling wierd in the knees (very tenseand incredibly uncomfortable) so, I ask, how do you achieve the perfect circle?
I can't say I'm an expert and I'm sure someone here has a good answer to your question but since I am using clipless, I tend to pull up somewhat with one leg as I'm pushing down with the other. I've never paid any attention to the "dead zone", as you put it. It seems the longer I ride, the more I push\pull at the same time and it has become more comfortable. I started doing it to give my legs some relief during climbs (just leisure rides, I don't race yet) and it did help so I continue to do it.
