Sorry guys, i posted the wrong "question" cuz i said spinning, but i meant something else by it. But thanks for all the helps on spinning classes =) So i'm gonna edit this post as to not create a new one.

Well, what i meant is, when I am cycling some people say try to keep pedaling even on the "up" swing of the pedal. I guess if you have clipless pedals, than it is easier to "pull" the pedal up, thus you are always pedalling and you can keep a constant tempo. So in fact, you're doing a full cycle of pushing and pulling to give the same force and not have to just exert force on pushing the pedal down. But i have the regular pedals and i'm trying to do the same but i can't seem too! Is their a way or method that i can do to practice it? Is it even possible without clipless?

I hope this makes sense.

Matt

https://www.bikeforums.net/search.php...der=descending

You are going to get all sorts of answers to this.

In my experience it originally referred simply to pedaling at a high cadence in a lower gear.

I refer you to the ultimate authority, Sheldon Brown's Glossary:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_sp-ss.html#spinning

"Pedaling at a rapid cadence in a lowish gear."

More recently others seem to have assigned a meaning where they believe that using a circular motion wherein you pull up on the pedal as it completes the revolution is "spinning." Whether or not this actually increases efficiency has been hotly debated, particularly on USENET bicycels.rec, where the consensus among biking experts that I have read is that the circular motion DOES NOT improve efficiency.

Also, there are "spinning classes and spinning activities" at rec centers and fitness clubs where you are directed in your activities by a spinning coach, including such things as intervals, high and lower cadences and higher and lower resistances. There are also spinning videos.

I guess you take your choice.

I am sticking with Sheldon!!

Also see

https://co.essortment.com/spinningbicyli_pfu.htm

Spinning on your bicycle - (which seems to support Sheldon's responce)


Riding a bicycle can be a fun and easy way to exercise and keep fit. Many people remember the fun they had riding bicycles as children. If you decide to try riding a bicycle for fitness, you should learn how to do a technique called spinning. When a person begins to bicycle, he or she tends to place the gearing on the bike at a level difficult enough to push on the pedals at a rate of 40 to 60 revolutions per minute. The revolutions per minute refers to the times one foot makes a complete circle with the pedal. This rate is very inefficient for the human body and is also hard on the knees as the muscles and ligaments around them are working too intensely.

Spinning is a technique where the rider of the bicycle uses a relatively low gear and spins on the pedals at a rate of 85 to 95 revolutions per minute. You can find your revolutions by simply counting the times your foot travels in a complete pedal circle for one minute. Count each time your left or right foot reaches the bottom of the pedal stroke. A quicker way is to shorten the time you count and multiply accordingly. For example, you could count revolutions for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the per minute rate. The easiest way may be to count revolutions for 6 seconds and multiply by 10 to get the rate. This revolution per minute spinning rate has been found to be the most efficient and safe for the human body. The stress on the knees is minimized and the heart and lungs are getting most of the workout instead of the knees. It will take some practice for this technique to feel comfortable, but once you learn, it won’t feel right to pedal the old inefficient way. You will be on your way to great aerobic fitness by enjoying miles and miles of pedaling without hurting your knee joints.

I'm a track sprinter. One thing I know is that to a certain point, a bigger gear can slow me down and/or tire me faster. I can get to a higher speed, given the actual fitness level I'm on, with a smaller gear. That is spinning at 150-160 rpm. but I understand that it is not the most efficient way, mechanically talking.

Physiologically, it is more efficient.

Go to a spinning class at the Gym!

Get an old road bike and convert it to a fixie.......you'll be spinning like the pros in no time.

Pedaling in a complete circle can't be done with platform pedals. Unless you are a freerider, go clipless, it is the single most performance increasing upgrade you can do to any bike.

-Middi-zon

Many casual riders can't believe that spinning at a cadence of between 70 and 90 means that, all other things being equal, they could keep riding all day and not really feel exhausted.

The natural inclination is for humans to pedal a bike as they walk -- slowly. It seems there might be some evolutionary connection in the brain that says fast leg movement means flight or pursuit (running), and this can be sustained only for a relatively short time. So beginning cyclists (adults not children) generally have a very slow cadence of less than 50. There's also that desire to keep pressure on the pedals as evidence of forward motion and physical exertion.

When Lance started winning the TdF, many people were amazed at the high cadence he maintained when climbing the hills, and especially when accelerating. Touring cyclists have known about this little "secret" for years. It's one of their pet peeves that most touring models are still offered for sale with too-high gearing on them. It's probably no coincidence that spinning classes in gyms became popular after people saw Armstrong's form and style in previous TdFs.

One of the great images (for me) of the contemporary TdF was of Armstrong pulling away from Jan Ullrich two (?) years ago on a climb. The difference in styles was dramatic. To draw analogies, if Armstrong had been driving a car -- he changed to a lower gear and put the accelerator down which meant he sped off into the distance at high engine revs, while Ullrich stayed in the same gear and despite applying more power, couldn't get the acceleration going to match because he was lugging along at the same revs.

Any bike class worth its salt spends time on spinning and the benefits it brings.

Smoothness in pedalling also is a developed art. I'm not so good at it. But a drill I'm working on at the moment is to have one foot out and hanging free, while I continue to pedal with the other. It really shows up the "dead spots" in my pedal stroke as I clunk through 360 degrees. Of course, it's only possible to do it on the flat and initially for a limited time. A fixie bike is also supposed to improve spinning technique, but I like my gears too much.

FWIW

R

Switching to clipless pedals will enable you to spin your pedals in a circular motion, but for a leisure cyclist, its a big investment. A $10 set of toe clips will enable to apply power over more of the pedalling circle. They are not quite as efficient as clipless, but are a quantum leap compared to plain platform pedals. For safety, and ease of release, never tighten the straps.

Things to practice incluse:
Not stretching the cranks. When you reach the 6:00 position, dont try to press down further.
On the up stroke, relax your legs and switch from a push to a pull as swiftly as you can. Most riders still apply some downward pressure on the upstroke.

Pedalling in circle is something to practice in a low gear, at a slow riding speed. Dont try to combine riding fast with pedalling fast, until you have a bit of practice.

Hehe, no-one ever told me this in the early 80's. heck they even sold me big "cleat" things to put on my shoes just to make sure my feet wouldn't come out.

Okay, maybe i'm a dinosaur. But he's right, there is no reason to have ones feet stuck in the pedals anymore, that is why they don't even sell old style cleats.

Took some real planning ahead to stop though, as you'd have to remeber to undo the straps before slowing down. I guess if one had to emergency stop, one would simply fall over if there was no time to free the feet.

take care,

Steve

I have toe clips on my mtn bike and Look Clipless on my road bike, and, after awhile, it becomes so automatic you don't even think about it. At first, however . . . .