I, too, have been developing my ankling technique this Spring. So far, I like it. When I get it right I have the feeling like I picked up a tailwind.
I started just doing a little bit of it on each ride, one leg at a time. I might go 10 to 20 seconds per leg--then do it again a few minutes later. Now, I am extending the periods where I consciously work on it, with the hope that it will eventually become unconscious. So far, no calf muscle pain.
Okay, now this might sound a bit goofy, but, today, as I was walking to the grocery store, I realized I could practice my ankling while walking, too. All you need to do is give little extra push (coming from the ankle and calf muscles) in the last part of a stride, i.e. in the moment just before your foot leaves the ground to come forward again. It’s kinda like putting a little extra spring in your step. I suppose one could overdo it and come up with a new portfolio for Monty Python’s “Ministry of Silly Walks.” I don’t recommend practicing it in high heels, however.
Moreover, you can visualize yourself on the bike, thinking of your walking stride as your pedal stroke (even if the walking stride occurs at a much slower cadence). The walking thing should help with both aspects of ankling, creating a new habit and strengthening the calf muscles.
There is also a good discussion of ankling at
www.thankstomycranks.com.
I would add that Sheldon Brown seems to have a rather radical idea of ankling. He talks of “fairly drastically” changing the angle of the foot while pedaling and he mentions having taken it to “an extreme” (30 miles straight-off isn’t just extreme, it’s off a cliff.) As in all things, the only thing to be taken to an extreme is moderation. With my ankling, I am changing my foot angle only moderately in the bottom part of the stroke. Moreover, it needs to be built up slowly and carefully. If it hurts, one has probably pushed it too far. As much as I respect Sheldon Brown’s judgment in two-wheeled issues, I don’t accept his claim that it is “discredited”: virtually all the pros do it to some degree. But, if someone can offer a real argument about why it is wrong, I am all ears.
Cheers,
Jamie