Originally Posted by
Wattsup
I do the exact same with my sticky flats....I change my foot position during rides. I've wondered whether this is a good or bad thing. I thought for sure many here would say it's bad habit. I don't have injuries, but I seem to change the position based on what feels natural and best at that time in the ride. What I think may be happening is that during different portions of the ride, the terrain and power requirements vary, so I am simply changing my body/foot position slightly to maximize power output. For instance, I might slide forward ever so slightly on the saddle to engage my quads more, and so I slide my foot foot slightly forward on the pedal.
I tend to think that foot size/shape and leg lengths vary so much that something as minute as an "ideal" foot position must be impossible to calculate universally, and that situational factors probably do change where the best contact point is. I really don't consciously choose any given foot position, I just find I move my feet in much the same way as you describe, and that I stop moving it at a point where I'm not uncomfortable and I don't feel like I'm "fighting" the bike.
If you get where you're going in about the amount of time you think it ought to take and your feet don't hurt, it's all good.
I'll leave training to the platonic ideal of riding to the racers. I ride fast because it's fun. If I have to spend my time practicing perfect circles and figuring exactly where to keep my feet to squeeze out an extra 0.25 mph, it's not worth it to me because that's not fun.