log in
register

Pedals level when stopping?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • October 18, 2016 at 1:54 pm #26408
    Dan S

    My sons have come back from cycling club telling me that I’ve been doing it wrong all these years (no change there) and that you should have your pedals level when you stop, not one up and one down. That feels really awkward to me.

    Not for a moment do I doubt the coaches’ word on this but out of interest, has anybody else come across this? The club does road, CX, track, MTB, so it may be a point from one of those?

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 28 total)
1 2
  • Author
    Replies
  • November 4, 2016 at 2:47 pm #880461
    0
    fenix

    Never actually thought about

    Never actually thought about it – but I think I unclip with level pedals.

    If you’re stopping with LH crank down might you catch it on the pavement or kerb ?

     

    Really dont think it matters much any way.

    October 31, 2016 at 5:41 pm #880459
    0
    Dan S

    OK, I had a chat with the
    OK, I had a chat with the coach about this last week. Basically they’re encouraging the ready position and the idea is that you should be slowing in that 9-3 position. The actual stop and dismount the position doesn’t matter so much and he agreed that on the road he, like most of us, stops in a 6-12 position.

    October 19, 2016 at 7:33 pm #880457
    0
    Anonymous

    A bit odd, dismounting with

    A bit odd, dismounting with pedals level…. I’ve always got off freewheeled bike with cranks vertical, specifically left pedal down as I get off on my left. This applies to road, cx and mtb. Track – I stop wherever the cranks are, then either roll or hop the rear wheel if the situation dictates. Would be interested to know the reasoning behind this as others have said. Perhaps I’ve been doing it wrong all these years!

    Pedals level (ready position) on CX and MTB are useful for getting your rear off the saddle so allowing the bike to move with the surface underneath you. You’re less likely to be thrown off should you encounter some rough patches. Mind you, we’d be doing this all the time over our road surfaces!!

    October 19, 2016 at 6:38 pm #880455
    0
    ktache

    A lot of control on the

    A lot of control on the technical stuff on moutain bikes comes from the 3 + 9 position.  At least in the video I saw recently.  I have been trying it too, seems to work.  Don’t know about stopping mind.

    October 19, 2016 at 6:13 pm #880453
    0
    wycombewheeler

    Dan S wrote:

    Dan S wrote:
    wycombewheeler wrote:

    Mind you at the track it seems the (fixed) pedals position will be dictated by where you stop as the pedals will keep moving until you come to a dead stop.

    Yes, but presumably you can control that by riding almost to a standstill and then using your legs to determine when you stop? As seen in the longest lap races? I’ve never ridden a fixed gear, so I don’t know the answer to this!

    But in a coaching session you would want all the riders to stop close togethe to speak to them all.

    October 19, 2016 at 3:52 pm #880451
    0
    Dan S

    I think the club track bikes
    I think the club track bikes have toe clips and straps but at the moment they’re still riding their own road bikes, which have flats.

    October 19, 2016 at 3:51 pm #880449
    0
    benborp

    Dan S wrote:

    Dan S wrote:
    Despite their protests, they’re not on clipless pedals yet 🙂 I’ll ask the coach what the reasoning is and let you all know.

    It sounds more and more that this is a fixed thing. If they are riding track bikes without retention then it will be quite important that they stop with the pedals close to level. 

    October 19, 2016 at 10:13 am #880447
    0
    madcarew

    I’d say it’s track (fixie)

    I’d say it’s track (fixie) specific if it’s true.

    October 19, 2016 at 7:05 am #880445
    0
    tritecommentbot

    Ah interesting! Wonder if

    Ah interesting! Wonder if that changes when they progress..

    October 19, 2016 at 6:06 am #880443
    0
    Dan S

    Despite their protests, they
    Despite their protests, they’re not on clipless pedals yet 🙂
    I’ll ask the coach what the reasoning is and let you all know.

    October 19, 2016 at 3:39 am #880441
    0
    FatBoyW

    Well some weight will be on

    Well some weight will be on the saddle.

    it does sound like a recipe for those horrible first time in clipless moments when you realise you should have unclipped! I am pretty sure I’d fall off if I tried this, if I did get my foot out the sudden rush to 6 of the other would cause calf pain!!

    on the track stopping on the fence, yeah I kind of see it as you have a bit of distance to stop in and you are then leaning on the fence and are ready to go on a fixed where a big downward firsts stroke is less of an issue.

    Be interested to hear if there is a good reason, personally I’d concentrate on them starting without pushing off on the free foot which just wears out cleats (plastic Keo ones).

    October 19, 2016 at 12:53 am #880439
    0
    macrophotofly

    Nutty coach if you ask me –

    Nutty coach if you ask me – probably learnt it from track standing on a fixie. The minute you stop on a normal bike, you have to unclip (at 3, 6, 9 or 12 o’clock doesn’t seem to matter) and take one foot off to put it on the ground. The minute you do that, all your weight is on the other pedal and on a non-fixie it will roll back down to 6 o’clock. You might just be able to hold the clipped pedal at the 3 o’clock position with the brakes kept on….but what a hassle…

    … In my case, once stopped and with your foot on the ground I always then raise my clipped-in pedal to 2 o’clock before pushing off giving me the same situation as the nutty coach and none of the hassle!

    October 19, 2016 at 12:11 am #880437
    0
    Dan S

    wycombewheeler wrote:

    wycombewheeler wrote:

    Mind you at the track it seems the (fixed) pedals position will be dictated by where you stop as the pedals will keep moving until you come to a dead stop.

    Yes, but presumably you can control that by riding almost to a standstill and then using your legs to determine when you stop? As seen in the longest lap races? I’ve never ridden a fixed gear, so I don’t know the answer to this!

    October 18, 2016 at 11:00 pm #880435
    0
    wycombewheeler

    An Internet search hits only
    An Internet search hits only this page for pedals level stopping. Odd if this is the correct way. Sounds like the coach has found that to be most comfortable for himself and is passing that on as the best way.

    There are benefits in trackstanding or if you need to do little sideways hops to adjust position. Also stops the outside pedal hitting the floor if in a velodrome

    Mind you at the track it seems the (fixed) pedals position will be dictated by where you stop as the pedals will keep moving until you come to a dead stop.

    October 18, 2016 at 9:47 pm #880433
    0
    Dan S

    No, at 6 and 8 they can’t
    No, at 6 and 8 they can’t agree on anything for long enough to make that work, even if they could come up with it!

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 28 total)
1 2
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.