Feet on pedals

Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice that
most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals, never
having been told that it's the front part of the foot that is best there.
I don't know how they stand it, they don't have that extra flexibility from
the ankle. I'm often tempted to tell them, but then I mind my own business.
I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he seemed
to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?
--
Dieter Britz (dieterhansbritzatgmail.com)

Dieter Britz wrote:
Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice that
most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals, never
having been told that it's the front part of the foot that is best there.
I don't know how they stand it, they don't have that extra flexibility from
the ankle. I'm often tempted to tell them, but then I mind my own business.
I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he seemed
to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?

Yes.

Though on the unicycle it seems less of an issue. And in fact I was
told by a much better rider than me that he finds it better to have a
mid-foot placement even though he goes for forefoot on a bike.

In general folk don't get told, because these days typical parents are
quite likely not frequent cyclists. My son gets told quite a bit...
might sink in one day, his sister's got the idea.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:25:14 +0200, Dieter Britz wrote:

Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I
notice that most youngish people put the middle of their feet on
the pedals, never having been told that it's the front part of the
foot that is best there. I don't know how they stand it, they don't
have that extra flexibility from the ankle. I'm often tempted to
tell them, but then I mind my own business. I did tell a kid on a
unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he seemed to listen.

Is this also the case in the UK?

Most people cycle with the middle of their feet central on the pedals,
yes.

On a unicycle, I find it much better to position my feet in that
manner than in the 'proper' bicycle manner. I certainly wouldn't try
and persuade a unicyclist to do otherwise. You might like to google
'Kris Holm' for pictures, maybe try a youtube search for 'one tired
guy', and then tell him he's doing it wrong.

regards, Ian SMith
--
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On 21 Sep, 08:25, Dieter Britz wrote:
Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice that
most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals, never
having been told that it's the front part of the foot that is best there.
I don't know how they stand it, they don't have that extra flexibility from
the ankle. I'm often tempted to tell them, but then I mind my own business.
I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he seemed
to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?
--
Dieter Britz (dieterhansbritzatgmail.com)

i ride with the front of the foot on the pedal using toeclips and
straps.it is a much better way to cycle,i can push forward or pull
with the other foot making pedalling more efficient.my brother was a
racing cyclist and told me how to ride.he once rode with fausto coppi.

Ian Smith wrote:

On Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:25:14 +0200, Dieter Britz wrote:

Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I
notice that most youngish people put the middle of their feet on
the pedals, never having been told that it's the front part of the
foot that is best there. I don't know how they stand it, they don't
have that extra flexibility from the ankle. I'm often tempted to
tell them, but then I mind my own business. I did tell a kid on a
unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he seemed to listen.

Is this also the case in the UK?

Most people cycle with the middle of their feet central on the pedals,
yes.

On a unicycle, I find it much better to position my feet in that
manner than in the 'proper' bicycle manner. I certainly wouldn't try
and persuade a unicyclist to do otherwise. You might like to google
'Kris Holm' for pictures, maybe try a youtube search for 'one tired
guy', and then tell him he's doing it wrong.

regards, Ian SMith

Thanks, I'll check this. I don't understand though. You don't want
to lose contact between feet and pedals. Using the front part of
the feet, you adjust for that from the ankle; using the mid-foot,
it has to be from the knees, much less sensitive, I feel. Ar well,
I'd better check on those words (or pictures) of wisdom.
--
Dieter Britz (dieterhansbritzatgmail.com)

Peter Clinch wrote:

Dieter Britz wrote:
Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice
that most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals,
never having been told that it's the front part of the foot that is best
there. I don't know how they stand it, they don't have that extra
flexibility from the ankle. I'm often tempted to tell them, but then I
mind my own business. I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling
sorry for him, and he seemed to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?

Yes.

Though on the unicycle it seems less of an issue. And in fact I was
told by a much better rider than me that he finds it better to have a
mid-foot placement even though he goes for forefoot on a bike.

In general folk don't get told, because these days typical parents are
quite likely not frequent cyclists. My son gets told quite a bit...
might sink in one day, his sister's got the idea.

Here, just about everybody, from 3-99 years old, cycles, so this is
not the reason. I suspect it's the laissez-faire attitude, "let them
work it out for themselves" that is the cause - and they don't. It's
OK to let kids' personalities unfold and all that, but they do need
a little guidance here and there.
--
Dieter Britz (dieterhansbritzatgmail.com)

"Dieter Britz" wrote in message
...
Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice that
most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals,
snip
I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he
seemed
to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?
--

With a unicycle you need to be able to put pressure on the back stroke as
well as forward and the hub is directly below your seat. You simply
wouldn't have the power using the ball of your foot in that position for
long.
I've never known a unicyclist thats pedals any other way (including myself).

D

On Wed, 22 Sep 2010 15:17:44 +0100, David wrote:
"Dieter Britz" wrote in message
...
Here in Denmark there has been a change in how people cycle. I notice that
most youngish people put the middle of their feet on the pedals,
snip
I did tell a kid on a unicycle one day, feeling sorry for him, and he
seemed
to listen.
Is this also the case in the UK?

With a unicycle you need to be able to put pressure on the back
stroke as well as forward and the hub is directly below your seat.
You simply wouldn't have the power using the ball of your foot in
that position for long. I've never known a unicyclist thats pedals
any other way (including myself).

Sem Abrahams (and Teresa, I think, but there are fewer photos of her
riding readily to hand).

regards, Ian SMith
--
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"David" writes:

With a unicycle you need to be able to put pressure on the back stroke
as well as forward and the hub is directly below your seat. You
simply wouldn't have the power using the ball of your foot in that
position for long.
I've never known a unicyclist thats pedals any other way (including
myself).

Well, I've been doing it wrong all this time...

Having just been for my first ever [~1 km] ride using the arches, it was
_much_ easier than using the balls. I wish I'd known this when I was
learning, but I learnt from the likes of
URL:www.xs4all.nl/~klaasbil/Learn_unicycling.pdf, which explicitly
recommended the balls. Pah!

--
Mark