Originally Posted by
WhyFi
They work for keeping your feet on the pedals, sure, but they don't double your power. That's just silly talk.
Doubling you power is indeed silly talk. The 'pushing down' muscles are WAY stronger, what with having to oppose gravity and all.
Worth noting, however, in the 'power circle' that Kapusta posted above, that power comes on before TDC and continues past BDC. Not so much "pulling up", of course. More pulling through.