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Ankle & heel position?

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
Do you guys lock your ankles and hold your heels stable in the flats? Or "ankle" and allow your heels some range of motion through the pedal stroke?
 

MtnbikeMike

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2004
2,637
1
The 909
My ankle may move a slight bit, but not much. Some people I've ridden with will extend their foot when they get near the bottom of the pedal stroke because their seat is too high.
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
About 6 to 12. Ankle flexion and extension through the pedal stroke. I find that unlocking my ankles on the flats seems to help acceleration while in the saddle.
 

Heidi

Der hund ist laut und braun
Aug 22, 2001
10,184
797
Bend, Oregon
My foot is flat at 6 and then starts to scoop so that my toe is pointed somewhat downward as I engage my hamstring muscles through probably about 10 where it starts to level back out.
 

reflux

Turbo Monkey
Mar 18, 2002
4,617
2
G14 Classified
Hmm, I read somewhere that toes pointed downward on the front part (12 to 5 or 6 o'clock) of the pedal stroke can lead to patellar/knee pain. As such, I make a concerted attempt to keep my feet flat, if not extension, during that part of the pedal stroke. As Heidi said, my feet kinda scoop up during the back half of the pedal stroke as my hammies and hip flexors are engaged.
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
Hmm, I read somewhere that toes pointed downward on the front part (12 to 5 or 6 o'clock) of the pedal stroke can lead to patellar/knee pain. As such, I make a concerted attempt to keep my feet flat, if not extension, during that part of the pedal stroke. As Heidi said, my feet kinda scoop up during the back half of the pedal stroke as my hammies and hip flexors are engaged.
:stupid: I try to keep my feet flat but I would have to watch video of myself to see if I really do it.
 

ire

Turbo Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
6,196
4
I'm with Treesaw. I used to ride with a toes pointed down style until I started reading the letters and recommendations on cyclingnews.com (they recommend a relatively flat foot position through the stroke)