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gschenk
gschenk
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When you push the pedal down your calf muscles have to work to keep your foot roughly parallel to the ground.

Placing the foot forward on the pedal, near the ball, increases the lever your calves have to work against. Placing the pedal further aft on you foot, towards the arches reduces the lever, and in turn the strain on your calves.

There are a couple of consequences that make both positions useful for different riders.

For high power output over a short time it might be better to place the forefoot over the pedal axle (keep it still behind the first two metatarsal heads). As this allows another muscle group, calves to push through the stroke.

For endurance placing the foot further aft, towards the arches, has several advantages. One may expect the calves to tire more quickly than thigh muscles (less muscle volume). There is also an argument that calf muscles are not as well provided with oxygen and nutrients since they are further 'downstream' in the cardiovascular system. (I did not find reliable sources, and am sceptical about that.)

Foot placement further aft also allows a more powerful downstroke. Contrary to cyclings old traditions, where a 'round' stroke is considered an ideal, it is much more efficient to apply force to the cranks at angles where the mechanical advantage is best, ie at the downstroke.

Most cyclists with clipless pedals tend to mount their cleats too far forward on the foot. One may observe that when watching cyclists form on popular climbs: Fatigue of calf muscles leads to heel drop. During the downstroke the heel drops below level. Taking away force from the downstroke. Riders sometimes compensate this by pointing the forefoot downward all the time. Both are very visible from the side.

What may be a consequence for you?

Please consider to ride as you like, without any attempts to train yourself to use a different foot position. Your foot hurts because of pushing near the arches, where the foot is not as strong, as Swifty pointed out in histheir answer. If that happens, move your foot further forward. (For example, I have to place my cleats too far forward, otherwise I get unbearable pain in my right foot.)

Since you are riding flats you don't even need to think about foot position. You will simply get to the optimum position by feel.

When you push the pedal down your calf muscles have to work to keep your foot roughly parallel to the ground.

Placing the foot forward on the pedal, near the ball, increases the lever your calves have to work against. Placing the pedal further aft on you foot, towards the arches reduces the lever, and in turn the strain on your calves.

There are a couple of consequences that make both positions useful for different riders.

For high power output over a short time it might be better to place the forefoot over the pedal axle (keep it still behind the first two metatarsal heads). As this allows another muscle group, calves to push through the stroke.

For endurance placing the foot further aft, towards the arches, has several advantages. One may expect the calves to tire more quickly than thigh muscles (less muscle volume). There is also an argument that calf muscles are not as well provided with oxygen and nutrients since they are further 'downstream' in the cardiovascular system. (I did not find reliable sources, and am sceptical about that.)

Foot placement further aft also allows a more powerful downstroke. Contrary to cyclings old traditions, where a 'round' stroke is considered an ideal, it is much more efficient to apply force to the cranks at angles where the mechanical advantage is best, ie at the downstroke.

Most cyclists with clipless pedals tend to mount their cleats too far forward on the foot. One may observe that when watching cyclists form on popular climbs: Fatigue of calf muscles leads to heel drop. During the downstroke the heel drops below level. Taking away force from the downstroke. Riders sometimes compensate this by pointing the forefoot downward all the time. Both are very visible from the side.

What may be a consequence for you?

Please consider to ride as you like, without any attempts to train yourself to use a different foot position. Your foot hurts because of pushing near the arches, where the foot is not as strong, as Swifty pointed out in his answer. If that happens, move your foot further forward. (For example, I have to place my cleats too far forward, otherwise I get unbearable pain in my right foot.)

Since you are riding flats you don't even need to think about foot position. You will simply get to the optimum position by feel.

When you push the pedal down your calf muscles have to work to keep your foot roughly parallel to the ground.

Placing the foot forward on the pedal, near the ball, increases the lever your calves have to work against. Placing the pedal further aft on you foot, towards the arches reduces the lever, and in turn the strain on your calves.

There are a couple of consequences that make both positions useful for different riders.

For high power output over a short time it might be better to place the forefoot over the pedal axle (keep it still behind the first two metatarsal heads). As this allows another muscle group, calves to push through the stroke.

For endurance placing the foot further aft, towards the arches, has several advantages. One may expect the calves to tire more quickly than thigh muscles (less muscle volume). There is also an argument that calf muscles are not as well provided with oxygen and nutrients since they are further 'downstream' in the cardiovascular system. (I did not find reliable sources, and am sceptical about that.)

Foot placement further aft also allows a more powerful downstroke. Contrary to cyclings old traditions, where a 'round' stroke is considered an ideal, it is much more efficient to apply force to the cranks at angles where the mechanical advantage is best, ie at the downstroke.

Most cyclists with clipless pedals tend to mount their cleats too far forward on the foot. One may observe that when watching cyclists form on popular climbs: Fatigue of calf muscles leads to heel drop. During the downstroke the heel drops below level. Taking away force from the downstroke. Riders sometimes compensate this by pointing the forefoot downward all the time. Both are very visible from the side.

What may be a consequence for you?

Please consider to ride as you like, without any attempts to train yourself to use a different foot position. Your foot hurts because of pushing near the arches, where the foot is not as strong, as Swifty pointed out in their answer. If that happens, move your foot further forward. (For example, I have to place my cleats too far forward, otherwise I get unbearable pain in my right foot.)

Since you are riding flats you don't even need to think about foot position. You will simply get to the optimum position by feel.

Source Link
gschenk
gschenk
  • 9.8k
  • 2
  • 41
  • 61

When you push the pedal down your calf muscles have to work to keep your foot roughly parallel to the ground.

Placing the foot forward on the pedal, near the ball, increases the lever your calves have to work against. Placing the pedal further aft on you foot, towards the arches reduces the lever, and in turn the strain on your calves.

There are a couple of consequences that make both positions useful for different riders.

For high power output over a short time it might be better to place the forefoot over the pedal axle (keep it still behind the first two metatarsal heads). As this allows another muscle group, calves to push through the stroke.

For endurance placing the foot further aft, towards the arches, has several advantages. One may expect the calves to tire more quickly than thigh muscles (less muscle volume). There is also an argument that calf muscles are not as well provided with oxygen and nutrients since they are further 'downstream' in the cardiovascular system. (I did not find reliable sources, and am sceptical about that.)

Foot placement further aft also allows a more powerful downstroke. Contrary to cyclings old traditions, where a 'round' stroke is considered an ideal, it is much more efficient to apply force to the cranks at angles where the mechanical advantage is best, ie at the downstroke.

Most cyclists with clipless pedals tend to mount their cleats too far forward on the foot. One may observe that when watching cyclists form on popular climbs: Fatigue of calf muscles leads to heel drop. During the downstroke the heel drops below level. Taking away force from the downstroke. Riders sometimes compensate this by pointing the forefoot downward all the time. Both are very visible from the side.

What may be a consequence for you?

Please consider to ride as you like, without any attempts to train yourself to use a different foot position. Your foot hurts because of pushing near the arches, where the foot is not as strong, as Swifty pointed out in his answer. If that happens, move your foot further forward. (For example, I have to place my cleats too far forward, otherwise I get unbearable pain in my right foot.)

Since you are riding flats you don't even need to think about foot position. You will simply get to the optimum position by feel.