Why can you exert a greater force on the pedals of a bicycle if you pull up on the handle bars?
because when you normally pedal you are just distributing the force of your weight from side to side, where as by pulling the handle bars you can increase the force you are able to exert on the pedals.
Without pulling up on the handle bars, you can only exert a force equal to or less than your body weight. Pulling up on the handle bars increases the the force your body exerts on the pedals. For example, if you weigh 150 lbs. and you pick up on the bars with a force equal to 50 lbs., you will exert a force equal to 200 lbs on the pedals. Often times amateur or beginner riders are not able to use this ability proficiently and a lot of effort can be lost through inefficient body posture on a bicycle.
High school physics class.
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