Souplesse? Is it time for supper?

Cycling sure has its fancy terms. “Souplesse”, for one. It sounds to me like something concocted by Julia Child, and served up in a sterling silver tureen set upon a fine tablecloth!

I try my best to use a smooth pedal stroke, but I wonder how close my pedaling technique is to souplesse. One marvelously windless morning, during the final mile of my ride, I had a go at pushing it up to 20 mph. I made it, and even kept it up for a few seconds. My pedaling, however, was starting to feel on the jerky side. Compare that to pro tour riders who maintain smooth pedaling for hours, while flying along at 25 mph or more!

Some pro riders are held up as fine examples of souplesse. Others, it is said, had big success despite a lack of it. So how much does it matter?

Smooth, even pedaling is a more efficient use of your energy. If you have access to a WattBike, it shows you whether you\’re using your left and right legs evenly. I\’m not all that crazy about indoor riding, but it\’s interesting see exactly what your legs are doing. If you\’re really after high-grade souplesse, that WattBike might be helpful.