Cycling is a low-impact activity that helps to protect your knees and other joints. It is an endurance activity, meaning that it helps strengthen the heart and increase lung capacity. It also builds strong muscles, particularly in the legs. While most cyclists produce the most power with their quads, they also rely on their hamstrings to provide power to the pedals.
Pedal Stroke
When a cyclist pedals his bike, he is engaging the muscles in the lower half of his body as well as his core. The movement from the 12 o'clock to six o'clock positions on the crankset produces the most power in the pedal stroke and is produced by the hamstrings that work at the hip, the quadriceps, gluteus maximus and the calves working from the ankle. The movement from the six o'clock to 12 o'clock positions is known as the recovery phase of the pedal stroke. This upward pull engages the hip flexors and the calves, which are working from the knee. It also engages the hamstrings again, but on the upward stroke, they work from the knee instead of the hip.
Hamstring Function
The hamstrings play a dual role in the pedal stroke, which is why it's important to keep them strong. No only does the muscle contract isometrically to add tension for knee stability, but it also contracts concentrically to assist in both hip extension and knee flexion. Cyclists tend to rely on their quadriceps for power, thus overdeveloping the quads, which leaves them with weak hamstrings. Not only does this imbalance decrease the power a rider produces, it also makes the rider more prone to a hamstring injury.
Hamstring Pain
It's often difficult for cyclists to feel the hamstrings working until they are injured. When you perform a seated climb on a bike, you're engaging the hamstrings. But when your saddle is too far back, this can place excess strain on the muscles, and a saddle that's too high can overextend the hamstrings, causing pain. It's common to have a hamstring pull or to feel a tightness in the back of the leg after you've overused the hamstrings, especially if the muscles are weak to begin with.
Exercises
Offseason weight work can help remedy any muscle imbalances. One strengthening exercise you can do during the cycling season is to lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle directly under your knees. Keep your arms along your sides and raise your butt so it is at the same level as your thighs. Make sure your shoulders and head remain on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat five times. Also, be sure to warm up slowly on each ride and stretch your hamstrings gently afterward.
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