Calf muscle over-development through cycling

[SpeedAngel]

I have cycled for many many years, and started principally because i had problems running and doing prolonged excersise at school. I was told i had tight ham-strings, short achilles tendons and flat feet - not the best combination for sprinting or long distance! My problem is that although cycling has provided me with a means of keeping fit, i now have very over-developed calf muscles. It seems that i use my calf muscles more than my thigh muscles to power myself forward. Although they are not painfull or stiff, aesthetically, they are less than pleasing.

I have been told various things to change them - including allowing atrophy to set-in (not very helpful as cycling is my only form of transport as well as my chosen form of excersise), to certain types of stretches.. but i'm not sure whether anything is working.

Does anyone know how i can re-train my muscle groups so that i use upper-leg muscle groups rather than my calves - or any stretches that would help to lengthen and tone them so that the main calf muscle is more defined and less bulky?

I do not have access to a gym, and cycling and stretching are my only ways to tackle the problem.

Thanks

[thyroid man]

there is no way to ride a bicycle and take the stress off the calves unless u get some flat pedals and move your feet forward so that the center of the foot is over the pedals. what's wrong with big calves? If they are mostly muscle they should look good.

[SpeedAngel]

Since posting this, i have tried altering the cleat position on my clipless pedals and changing my saddle position and height of seat-post. Combined with stretching before and after riding and actively concentrating on using my thighs whilst cycling, my calf muscles have lengthened and seem to have begun to re-distribute the muscle to a higher position.

The problem aesthetically, to answer your question, is that the distance between my ankle and the start of my calf muscle was really small, meaning that generally my calves looked far too large toward my ankle area and completely out of proportion with the rest of my body (i'm tall and reasonably skinny). In the dancing world (i work with a ballet company - not as a dancer) this is called 'cankles' - an unattractive mix of large calf muslces and thick ankles.

I have for several years worked on and off as a cycle courier - i guess there has been a certain amount of jealousy at these guys riding all day with really skinny lower-legs. Maybe i considered myself the ugly-duckling of the courier world.

Anyway, thyroid man - thanks for your comments. The foot adjustment suggestion seems to have started to have an effect. I have begun to re-evaluate my opinion of my chunky calves!