How to Pedal Faster on a Mountain Bike
Hitting the hills can be a grueling experience. One way to make your rides more manageable is to pedal faster on a mountain bike. Follow these tips to make sure your next mountain bike ride is your best one yet ... made better the faster you pedal.
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Instructions
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Ride your bike and you will become aware of your own unique riding style; most people pedal consistently with a downstroke, which can be effective, but slower on climbs.
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Learn to pull your bike's pedals to have a faster ride. This means pulling on your upstroke in an even circular fashion.
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Clip your feet into your pedals. This technique can only work for persons who have clip-in pedals or some sort of strap to cover your feet.
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Use a midfoot strap if you are not using clip-in pedals. The strap will allow you to spread the forces you're using in your upstroke evenly throughout your foot and pedal.
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Enhance your ride and give yourself a leg up on the competition during sprints and hill-climbs.
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Pedal faster on a mountain bike by forcing your hamstrings and hip muscles to work together, pulling the pedals up, rather than using your legs to push them down.
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Notice how your downstroke will be much more powerful, allowing you to have greater speed and ease on your next upstroke.
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Tips & Warnings
On longer rides or on straight-aways, pedal how your body is most efficient and comfortable.
Allow your body to rest when not climbing hills by retuning to a classic downstroke pedaling technique.
