New instrumented pedals to quantify 2D forces at the shoe-pedal interface in ecological conditions: preliminary study in elite track cyclists

During the pedalling process, force applied to the pedal varies in magnitude and direction throughout the complete crank cycle. The net pedalling torque applied by the cyclist depends not only on the magnitude of the pedal forces (resulting from intrinsic muscle and segmental properties) but also on the cyclist’s ability to efficiently orientate these forces, i.e. the effectiveness (Sanderson et al. 2000). Even if some pedal dynamometers used in laboratory have been proposed in the literature (Hull and Davis 1981), portable systems (such as SRM, Power-tape) do not currently allow the measurement of these parameters and specially the maximal force, the effectiveness and the contribution of each leg in the net mechanical output. The aim of the present study was to use new instrumented pedals for the first time in a population of elite track cyclists in field conditions. The purposes were both (i) to provide the first results concerning maximal values of force, power and effectiveness in top-level track sprinters, and (ii) to present the preliminary possible relationships obtained between some of theses variables and to discuss the relevance of them regarding the sprint cycling performance.