Toe down vs. heel down pedaling

Doesn't need to mean an incorrect seat height... without video (or at least photo) you just can't tell.

Keep in mind that toe down/flat footed/heel down is very much a personal preference. If you do have the correct seat height, just go with the one that feels most natural.

Many are "forced" into a toe down when the seat is too high, but with a video (or in person) that is easy to spot as you can see the hips rock from side to side when reaching.

Heal down is commonly just a preference, but with a very low seat height and too steep, you may be "forced" into heal down.

between the shoe design and how i naturally ride my toes are always more down than level.

i was warned by about 9 diff epople that i would get calf cramps riding like this, but, to this date, i have had two calf cramps that i can remember and both happend swimming in a cold pool on the push off....

I naturally end up toe down, but am really working on having an even foot or heel down.  A toe-down pedal stroke allows my already tight calves to stay tight, which is bad.  I think my poor pedal stroke (toe down) was a contributor to last year's plantar fasciitis because my calves (and hammies and glutes) stayed tight all of the time and something had to give and it was my foot.

double-post

Edited by Mrs. brown_dog_us 2010-02-24 6:17 AM

You're good.  Your heel may drop as you push over the top of the stroke, but the toe should be down at the bottom of the stroke. 

Who are these people saying that your heel should be down at the bottom?  The only people I hear yell "heels down" are equestrians and indoor cycling instructors. I've never read that advice from any knowledgeable cycling sources nor seen top cyclists ride that way (notwithstanding BMX or downhill MTB, where they ride very lower seats).

Here is a video from Joe Friel from the article archives of BT.  He recommends that the heel be above the toe at all points in the pedal stroke:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1714

Some people recommend the heel dropping a little at the top of the stroke only (see website below as an example):
http://www.bikesplit.com/bsa4.htm

As long as your pedal action is smooth and you are not experiencing any kind of pain/injury, it's probably OK to have a toe down position.  I recently had a full fitting of the bike.  My seat WAS a little high, but my stroke is smooth, which according to my fitter is more common with people who have been riding high a long time.  It is more comfortable with seat down a little, but I still pedal my "normal" toe down position. 

However, I am a BOP (and in the past MOP) cyclist, so it may make a bigger difference if you are going for FOP/podium, since you should get more power out of the legs with the seat down a little and the heel down position.

Good god getting a calf cramp in the pool is like Zeus taking a bit dump on you.

I pedal toe down, have some buddies that pedal heel down... doesn't seem to matter too much. I'd say do what's natural (considering your fit is right of course)

FWIW - Be careful trying to slam your heel down too far, 'cus you might end up with calf issues. I went through this same process about 1 year ago. Read an article in cycling magazine that said with the 'perfect' pedel stroke the heel is below the toe at 6 o'clock. Started working on this and ended with calf issues. So, went back to just riding and all seems well.

I'd have to agree with audiojan on this one.  I guess it depends on how toe down you are.  You obviously don't want to be pointing your toes (it's just not efficient).  I have big feet and if I do this I almost end up beating myself in the chest with my knees.  Looking at my videos, it appears that my toe is about a half to an inch lower than my heal.  I try to keep it consistent.

Do what comes natural.

With that said I'm not sure how heel down would benefit power transfer.  If you're pedaling in circles, then when you go to bring your foot back up from 6-o'clock position back to 12-o'clock it seems like you'd lose some of the power at your ankle.  When you go to pull back up on the stroke, wouldn't your ankle naturally go towards a heel up position, which would lose power in the process?   If I just dangle my foot in the air, my heel is slightly up... seems that in my running or my biking, that's always been the position my foot goes to.  Which would mean my foot would naturally want to go there if my heel was down and I'd have to either use extra energy to keep the heel down or waste energy lifting more than I need to.  I have no data to support all this, but in my head it seems logical right now:  I could comprehend why someone might argue for a heel up at 6-o'clock, heel down at 12-o'clock so you actually used your calves and ankle to generate force so you used your quads and other larger leg muscles less (I've heard large muscles use more energy?), but the reverse sounds counter productive.

Perhaps someone with more of a biology background or knows of other studies could comment?  I'm curious to know if there's any benefit/detriment to either way.