You'll know it when you pedal it

When I was a youngster, if anyone would have told me there was any technique involved in pedaling a bike, I'd have thought they were a little touched. After all, what can go wrong? The pedals force you to move your feet in perfect circles every time. It sure didn't compare to the difficulty of learning how to play baseball, basketball or golf, sports in which so much can go wrong.

Yet I'm sure each of you has at one time or another seen bikers who just look clumsy while pedaling. Granted, a lot of them have setup problems, such as their saddles are set to the wrong height. Another group can't seem to keep their legs and knees lined up over the pedals (usually they're bowlegged or point their toes outward). Some of this is forced on them by their bone structure but, again, some is just poor setup.

Even with perfect leg alignment and saddle height, there are still many bikers who just look "bad" as they pedal. In any sport poor technique is usually obvious. While the casual observer may not be able to say exactly what is wrong, they are aware that something isn't right.

The full story appears in the June 2012 print edition of Silent Sports. Don't miss an issue! Subscribe online here.