Just to sum this one up, and I have probably said most of it before,
so this will be the last.
Gary made some great points and I will expand.
To get a good pedal action, smooth and powerful, with acceleration speed,
some of the points that worked for me, follow (that is if you wish to specialise).
Cranks shorter the better, as to you fit (mine were 165mm)
Training on fixed gears (that may require a separate bike set up for it, Go Gary
)
Some points, with least beneficial to the best, but each step is required-
Roller training (free) with high candence for refining pedal action, and becoming smooth.
Downhill sprints are great (Spot on, Gary)
Sprinting up the hill (to work on your power for jumps)
A whole wack of motorpaced work on the road on fixed 72" with sprints, to beat the motor.
A whole wack of motorpaced work on the track on fixed 81" with sprints, to beat the motor.
Next a lot of windups, and sprints for 5 seconds over 100m on your race gear (around 92.6")
This will hopefully give you a smooth acceleration, in or out of the seat, at low, medium and
higher speeds. That smoothness will equate to gracefulness with power, and once you have
seen it, or have it, you will know it.
A common phrase on Ryan Bayley
Ryan Bayley may look like a monkey humping a tennis-ball
when he sprints but most of his power is getting onto the track
Most of the power
A great sprinter, with fantastic acceleration (natural) and one might wonder
if a more concentrated effort to gain a gracefulness might have seen
more power getting to the track. Just a thought.
Anyway back to those interested in gaining their own gracefulness. Good Luck.
A lot of hard work ahead.
Cheers