newbert

...By "improve", I don't necessarily mean an increase in speed. My problem is that, due to age and/or health reasons, my left leg doesn't seem to want to spin throughout the stroke at quite the same speed as my right. This creates a "hitch" in each pedal stroke - especially in lower gears. It's like the left leg "ghost pedals" for a split second and the drivetrain "clunks" as a result. At higher gears, it goes away, since my overall cadence slows down a bit anyway and I'm putting more pressure on the pedals.

I hope I explained what's happening clearly enough. It's difficult to put into words.

Is there anything specific that I can do to eliminate or at least mitigate this problem?

If it makes any difference, I ride a recumbent tadpole trike.

Thanks!

Peruano

I would think to using a clipless pedal (i.e. be clipped in) would help smooth out that pedal stroke. Just thinking outloud.

Iride01 

You improve your cadence by getting use to what seem like ridiculously easy gears to pedal. If you feel like the gear is too easy, yet you shift to a higher gear to make yourself feel like you are doing something, then you limit your cadence to that lower cadence and you'll never get use to the higher cadence.

Ignore speed, as you said in your OP it isn't important. The speed will come as you get use to the higher cadence and then are able to use more power to push a higher gear ratio at that cadence.

You probably will need clipless pedals if you aren't already using them. Soon above 80 RPM, I found it hard to keep my feet on flat pedals.

Jughed

I injured my knee in a crash last year - been having pedal stroke and power differences ever since.

I've been doing one leg spinning drills with the bike on the trainer and it helps a bunch. Practice spinning thru the entire stroke, "sweep" thru the bottom, slight pull on the upstroke - try to keep the trainer noise smooth thru the stroke.

Mtracer

On a conventional bike saddle height can affect how legs go through the pedal stroke. Too high a saddle and the legs can start to become unstable. Since most people have some asymmetry, one leg may experience the issue while the other doesn’t.

I assume recumbent bikes have something equivalent to saddle height.

Bottom line, perhaps this is a bike fit issue.

L134 

I wonder if using different length crank arms would help. Maybe a longer arm on the left than the right? If the drive train is "clunking," I would think there is something not right about it regardless of the cadence issue.

don compton

I had used 175 crankarms for close to 40 years. I am current 71yo and started to notice that I was becoming less comfortable spinning. I discovered that I was suffering from hip impingement and tried 170 cranks and raised my saddle 5 mm. The change immediately freed up my pedal stroke. You never know.

MoAlpha

That would be typical for focal weakness in a leg muscle group. You need a diagnosis and treatment.

KerryIrons

While you may have a medical issue, I'm guessing your path forward is a combination of one-leg drills and higher cadence. It may take a few weeks to sort out, but your riding will be better for it. Even if it is a medical issue, physical therapy (like one-leg drills and higher cadence) are likely the recommended fix.

GhostRider62

On a supine bent, make sure the boom isn't too far out, you are not using non-round rings, and based on my experience riding bents, I would not suggest higher cadence. Rather, I would always keep more rather than less tension (lower cadence). My recumbent pedaling is a little clunky

Iride01 

You might make certain the free hub or freewheel is not gummed up or wearing out. The clunk might be the chain getting slack in the top run as you briefly pedal slower and the speed of the bike is out pacing the speed of your pedal stroke.

When off the bike, if you can turn the crank backward and see the chain getting slack in the top run of chain, then you probably need to get that free hub/freewheel replaced or rebuilt.

But if you've been using flat pedals instead of straps, toe clips or clipless, then at very high cadences you are probably just loosing your footing on the pedal briefly.

As do some others, I find shorter cranks helpful for higher cadences. Mine are 165mm even though I have a 34.5" inseam. Others are able to do higher cadences with long cranks. So that's something you might have to consider too.

drlogik 

You may want to consult your doctor and explain the situation and ask them for advice.

Darth Lefty 

Riding a trike was hard on my knees until I changed my style.

On a normal bike you are essentially putting the weight on the ball of your foot just like you were walking or running. You don't lock out your knee while you are pedaling but if you do it while coasting it's no weird problem.

With the trike you tend to, but should not dangle the weight of your leg so your ankles droop and your knee locks out. When you do that on a trike you have the weight of your whole leg going through your hyperextended knee. If you remember to point your toes and maybe shorten up the boom that will help.

rollagain

Do a leg-length check to make sure your boom hasn't slipped out a bit.

First, if your trike's seat is adjustable fore-and-aft, make sure it's locked into position.

Sit in riding position wearing the shoes you'll be using to pedal in. Keep both feet on the floor.

Rotate the crank until the left pedal is as far from your hips as it can get; on a recumbent, this will put the crank-arm somewhere close to horizontal.

Raise your left foot and place the heel directly centered over the pedal spindle. Your knee should be almost straight, but not completely; the bend should be enough to make it impossible to overextend your knee.

Repeat on the other side. If you find a leg-length discrepancy, adjust for the shorter one to prevent overextending the knee.

MagnaRota

I do the same thing and I think you already said the answer- just use a higher gear. When you kick in a sport there is a leg preference just like there is a hand preference for throwing, but in activities where you are using a large portion of your strength that isn't an issue; you use both hands or both feet just because you have to.

I notice that when I am challenging myself on a hill, I decide I'm going to bear down and not quit and not downshift no matter what, both of my legs start to feel exactly the same and the performance is better than I expected, probably just because I am recruiting strength from the leg that is less fatigued from the rest of the ride.