Originally Posted by Eric F

I'm with you. I don't have much experience with flat pedals, but a good pedal stroke is not just up/down, push/pull. It involves forces in multiple directions throughout the circle. Being attached is important for "round" power.

Toward the end of my racing era, I was working with a former Olympian. One of his focuses with me was developing a pedal stroke that recruited additional muscle groups to contribute to powering the bike. This paid off the most in keeping the big power muscles fresher for when big power was required. As my stroke improved, it was how much fresher my legs felt at the end of races. I miss that feeling.