Learning to consistently "pull" on the upstroke (pedalling)

35dollars

Since I switched over to using clip-on shoes last year, I've been able to get noticeably more power on the upstroke than using toe-clips, which is great, but it's only really happening when I specifically concentrate on doing it - so I might attack a hill and make great pace, but then over the top I'm back to only pressing on pedal on the downstroke.

For those of you who have mastered this, how did you do it? Was there a specific thing that made it click or is it just a matter of concentrating on it for long enough to make it habit?

TheBigYin

best way to get a smooth pedal stroke overall (and that's REALLY what you need, rather than "stamp and pull") is to get yourself a fixed gear bike - no freewheeling, nice low-ish gear (around 65-70" depending on how hilly your area is) and nice short 165mm cranks and get out on some nice 3-4 hour rides - your "souplesse" will improve no end.

failing that, try one legged pedalling drills on the indoor trainer. Get used to riding for 2 minutes at a time at a sensible cadence, swapping legs every 2 minutes, with a 1 minute "both legs" interval between them. Again, it'll help you to pedal "all the way around the clock, not just on the up and downstroke.

More expensively, some powermeters and ergometer trainers actually calculate "pedalling dynamics" that measure the amount of force put through the pedals/cranks through the whole 360° stroke, and can display a plot of the stroke...

Have a read of these...

http://breakingmuscle.com/cycling/how-to-build-a-better-pedal-stroke

https://wattbike.com/uk/a-beginners-guide-to-perfect-pedalling