July 14, 2026 · 6 min read

Pedaling Efficiency (Torque Effectiveness) — Will a "Round Pedal Stroke" Give You Free Watts?

No — consciously "pulling up" and forcing a "round pedal stroke" gives practically no free watts. The research agrees: actively unweighting the leg on the upstroke lowers pedaling economy rather than raising it, because the hip-flexor muscles that lift the leg are highly inefficient. Torque Effectiveness (TE) and Pedal Smoothness are diagnostic metrics from power pedals, not a training target. Your power comes from the downstroke (the 1–5 o'clock phase), not from "closing the circle."

Torque Effectiveness is the percentage of torque acting "forward" (driving) relative to the total — it accounts for the negative torque when the returning leg hangs and slightly brakes the rotation. Pedal Smoothness describes how evenly the force is spread across the cycle. Both come from Cycling Dynamics pedal data and invite a simple reading: "the smoother and rounder, the more power." The trouble is the physiology doesn't back that up.

What TE and Pedal Smoothness actually measure

• Torque Effectiveness — 85%, say, means 15% of torque is loss (including the hanging leg on the return). The value rises on its own with power, because at high force the return phase weighs proportionally less.
• Pedal Smoothness — the ratio of average to peak power in the cycle. Higher cadence "smooths" the number, lower cadence lowers it, though the power is the same.
• The dead spot — the top and bottom of the stroke (12 and 6 o'clock), where leverage is smallest. It's a natural part of the biomechanics, not an error to "fix."

Does round pedaling increase power?

Not in a way that gives free watts. Elite cyclists also "mash" and have negative torque on the return phase — and still produce enormous power. Consciously pulling up recruits weak, inefficient flexor muscles and usually lowers overall efficiency. Power is built by the downstroke and leg strength, not by cosmetically reshaping the torque chart.

Where the "free watts" myth comes from

Two things feed the myth. First, apps show TE and Smoothness as a "score to maximize," implying 100% = better. Second, intuition: if the leg up top "brakes," pulling it should add power. In practice the metabolic cost of pulling exceeds the gain. More important than the stroke shape are the things that really affect power: a consistent power source, strength and a trained downstroke, and freshness.

So what are Torque Effectiveness and Pedal Smoothness for?

As a diagnostic tool, not a target. A large L/R asymmetry or extremely low TE on just one leg can signal a problem: bad position, an injury, badly set cleats. Then it's worth looking at the data and correcting your position or bike fit. But chasing the TE number upward on purpose is wasted energy, not a power gain — see the context in the piece on power meters for cyclists.

What's actually worth improving

• Don't force the upstroke — it's enough to "not get in the way" of the returning leg, i.e. unweight it passively, without active yanking.
• Smoothness at low cadence — working on even force mainly makes sense on climbs at low cadence, where the dead spot is more noticeable.
• Symmetry — if pedal data shows a persistent asymmetry >5–8%, that's a signal to check your position, not to "make up" power with the weaker leg.
• Train power, not chart shape — intervals and strength raise the downstroke; that's where real watts come from. TE will improve "along the way."

Summary

The "round stroke" is one of the most persistent myths of power training — and the physiology doesn't support it. Torque Effectiveness and Pedal Smoothness are diagnostic metrics: great for catching asymmetry or a position problem, useless as a target "to maximize." You don't lose power to the dead spot the way the app implies — you lose it trying to pull up with inefficient muscles. Want more watts: train the downstroke, dial in cadence and watch symmetry, and let the torque chart stay a diagnostic, not an obsession.

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