In episode 19 of Cycling in Alignment, Colby discussed, in depth, how to pedal a bike. It’s not as simple as it seems. And we’ve gotten a lot of great questions in return.
Here’s one from Jean-Luc C.:
“Loved the last episode on pedaling and have a quick question… Is it wise to try to make the changes immediately, and without a bedding-in phase, or should we try to implement it gradually? If gradually, what’s a good approach?”
I reached out to Colby Pearce for a response. Here’s what he had to say:
"I think it might depend a bit on how much of a change you are talking about. If your pedal stroke is wildly different than what I am describing, it might be good to take it slow and limit intensity for 1-2 weeks, specifically keep it below FTP power the majority of the the time while using any new technique. If you have a history of injury, this is especially important. Listen to your body and don’t push through any real pain or discomfort. Some training load is ok, soreness is ok, pain is not. I don’t think in most cases, riders will need too much adaptation time but everyone is different.
I know these are general guidelines but it is hard for me to be too specific without knowing more. I hope this helps."