As my legs became stronger and more in tune with bike I noticed that I get a lot more power, stamina, and consistency out of my legs if I capture the bike seat at the upper ends of my thighs. Rather than sitting on the seat like a normal person, I sit on it with my thighs. But it's not really sitting. I'm balancing myself over the seat in a coordinated effort to control pedals and my position as though the seat were a jet blast deflector on an aircraft carrier. The push on the pedal is more efficient because the top end of my leg (thigh) is completely stopped and stationary because the seat catches it.

This method gives me a completely different riding experience in every sense of riding. Just sitting, and pedaling the way I was before cannot compete. My legs get too tired, and the power is not there.

My legs can be exhausted, but when I use "hip deflector seat trick," all of a sudden I have power for hills, high speed acceleration from stop, etc.



Tell me about bike seats. Is this what it's all about, or have you not ever heard of this before? Pros are going to know this.

500 watts, pinch it off!

I think I know what you're saying, but I think you just haven't developed the muscles yet for the more standard "compact" riding form.

Check out Greg LeMond and his position on the bike, I think this is how you are riding. Note like others have said that your bikes top tube is too short for this style. This is the classic "French fit".



You are bodging your position with "the seat between thighs". If you get a bike with a longer top tube versus seattube you can ride "stretched out". You should search out an old LeMond bike.

Yes I rode like that for awhile. I could transfer alot of power through my legs, it felt awesome. Gradually I switched to a more compact form because doing rides over 50 miles in that position was not fun.

Many folks raise the saddle up so it's under their butt when pedaling in that 'strong leg' position.

It's a grown-up thing.

Its part of why race bike saddles are so narrow, most of your weight is pushing down on the pedals ,

very little is on your tush..

The Fizik saddle online tool even asks for your threshold power and weight.

Based on the pic of the OP's bike in the broken saddle thread,

we're talking about more of a bmx type bike fit here.

I would think doing butt cheek-clenching exercises would help, I definitely squeezed a couple out reading this thread.

Seriously though, I think OP is referring to something I do sometimes on really steep climbs to get more power, kind of a desperation move to avoid standing up. I've never done it on the flats. However I have noticed that certain bikes I own give me the ability to "sprint" from a seated position. My Raleigh Competition is like this, it's one more great thing about that bike, but I'm not sure what precisely it is that gives a bike this quality. But that's fodder for another thread.

I’d agree. And it appears to be an older MTB ridden with the seat all the way down and back.
Based on his own description of his pedaling technique, ‘pushing against the seat with the hamstrings’. I’d say the bike is likely to small too.
OP’s pedaling style is what he’s developed to work with a poorly fitted bike.

Cycling, rowing, weightlifting, none of the sports I’ve done that require you to put lots of power through your legs, do you brace against your hamstrings.
To answer the question, if it was a legitimate technique, people would do it.

OP, you are doing this, whatever you call it, because your saddle is too low.

competitive weightlifting even at the amateur level requires short anaerobic burst of power, a lot more than cycling ever will see

I’m not debating the levels of power required. I’m talking about the mechanics, which as you know, are crucial in weightlifting.
But we’re talking about cycling here, and the OPs description of a pedaling technique that only works if you have your seat too low, on a bike that’s also (likely) too small.

I appreciate the replies here.

The bike size I like. If the top tube was longer, I'd have to get down into a bullet position. That's not what I need, and I have a more upright and wide handle bar style sort of like a cruiser...sort of. I don't want to lean forward much at all. Hehe. Therefore the top tube is just right for me.

I also don't want to separate my seat from my BB more. If I do, I can't back stop my hamstrings into the the seat. I'd lose all access to that essential power stroke. It's got a lot going for it.

And I'm not doing like a set down, and run it 30 miles non-stop here. I'm doing cross city, jig zag, cut and fade through traffic, over medians, off and up curbs... I'm going about 3x miles straight at a time. Maybe four sometimes. A lot of in between, and a ton of stop and go.

That's why that seated back stop on the upper end of the hamstrings is useful for me. It's really a whole other game for me now, and I'll never go any other way. I'll always fit my bike and seats accordingly. LOL

But yeah...it's an upright sitting style. It looks real cool like I'm nothing's going on, checking all the sites, people's eyes, stop lights and street signs...CARS, but the damn bike gets up and launches to probably 20mph and sticks there for a good long stretch. People do speculate on it. Hehe.

dude i don't understand a damn thing you said, but if it works for you, stick with it. But just keep in mind your pedaling technique will never last on a long ride, because if it is, the pros would be doing it

Thanks OP for clarifying. For those who haven't figured it out or enabled the ignore feature, this is a child (or the persona of such) messing around on a BSO. Little connection to cycling or bikes as we know them. Nothing to see here....

Kermit the Frog here reporting live here. Sir, tell everyone about the decline in literacy in the biking world. You bike, no?



And there you have it; alive BREAKIN' news.

Is it a religious sect in your visions? Thug bike rites and such?