Reading the WallFeet and legs

Bicycle

V5+

Also called bicycle clamp, reverse bicycle · Feet and legs

You clamp one hold between both feet: one foot pushes down on top of the hold while the other pulls up under it with the top of the foot [113, 115].

Grade In gyms it turns up on steep V4–V6s with big holds or volumes (judgement). The Sportrock gym calls it advanced [89].

How to do it

  1. Put the toe of one foot on top of the hold. Press down [89, 113].
  2. Hook the top of the other foot under the same hold [113].
  3. Squeeze the feet towards each other. One pulls while the other pushes [102]. Keep your middle tight.
  4. Try both arrangements before you give up. Which foot goes on top changes the next reach and the release [49, 102].
  5. Reverse bicycle: put the toe of one foot on a lower hold. Toe-hook a higher hold with the other foot. The feet push apart [88].
Close-up from the side of two shoes squeezing a hold, one on top and one underneath.
Figure 24 Side view. The right toe pushes down on the hold. The top of the left foot pulls up under it. The feet squeeze the hold between them.
Related
Toe hook, Pulling with the toes, Compression, Roofs
Watch
Neil Greshams Masterclass - Bicycling (Neil Gresham Climbing Masterclass - Crux Films)
Sources
[49, 88–90, 102, 113, 115]
Referenced from
From foothold to technique, Toe hook, Opposition, Compression, Roofs, Progression map, V5 (Font 6C/6C+), Feet