Peddling Technique With Clips

[garyj]

I've just started using clips on my mountain bike. I put on some miles today on flat ground to get the feel. I practiced riding by pulling only with both legs. I found that I could relax my ankle and pull up, which would straighten my foot; or I could keep my foot flat, not allowing the ankle joint to open up. Of the two methods, is one considered correct/best?

 

[HowardSteele]

I've just started using clips on my mountain bike. I put on some miles today on flat ground to get the feel. I practiced riding by pulling only with both legs. I found that I could relax my ankle and pull up, which would straighten my foot; or I could keep my foot flat, not allowing the ankle joint to open up. Of the two methods, is one considered correct/best?

The expert's liken the motion of peddling to rolling an imaginary barrel with your foot. Which means movment on the ankle.
Personally I just have a balance of push and pull that requires the least effort I have accidentally pulled up and out of the clips on steep climbs occasionally but that is probably due to body positioning on the slope,or could it be not flexing my ankle?.
Your action looks like it’s working for you

 

[bikechiro]

Hi,
Umm my two cent worth are:

Practice on a long steady climb with smooth surface, ride in a slightly larger gear but at a low effort...say 65 cadence but 60%heart rate effort. Concentrate not on pushing down but pulling through the bottom of the stoke with each leg "scape the gum of your sole", you want to grab the pedal as early as you can and pull it through, then once you have mastered that do the same but just try to get into the top of the stroke early "kicking a ball with your toe", work on this and when you ride do efforts of pedaling effieciently. Over a period on months you will retrain your nervous system and the muscles will get stronger, especially the hamstrings which are often underutilised by cyclists. Remember as your increase you downstroke effort increase the effort to pull through too, it will save you quads a heap. Do no pull up with your hip flexors, it is not worth it.
btw takes practice over 1 month at least to get smooth.

Ian

 

[mattyb]

So from that I assume the purpose of clipless is utilize the dead areas of the stroke at the very top and very bottom, where the pushing down action does not reach.
And without clip in shoes, you are having to push harder with your quads to keep the momentum of the stroke spinning through that dead area.

Interesting.