Note: smaller engined riders tend to be shorter, as well as lighter. Due to relitive standardization of crank length (172.5mm for everyone says the bike business), shorter riders have proportionately long cranks. If I were to get the same relative length as Miguel Martinez or the many female superstars out there, I would end up around 220mm or more. Yes, I end up racing 180-185mm. Yes, high cadence with long legs.
I managed to increased my natural cadence at threshold from 101rpm tot 113rpm, over one season (year minus a winter). Just always picking one gear lighter than I would have preferred. I am telling you, I was quite a race monster when I had made this change. This was still last century. At the same time, I changed from a 82kg flyer to an 83kg climber. Before, I could only turn the absolute granny gear of my MTB. After, I was credited to be the fastest climber in the Sports category, as well as being also the tallest and certaintly heaviest.
Seriously, you CANNOT talk about cadence unless you've looked into proportional cranklength and saddle setback.
Take a VERY good look at this :
http://www.customcranks.de/en/cranklength.html
Now, Cipi didn't like climbs, although he did have the engine, proved by his prologue efforts, and surviving the long finales as the most fit. Super short cranks. And trust me, I have much longer legs still.
Armstrong is on the other side of the graph (I did not verify the data offered, but please comment)
Everyone will have a different natural cadence, but it is very much trainable.
If you have not ridden a singlespeed bike for more than a few times per season, you are missing out on the wonders of the legs. You will be surprised how well you can still do in a race, even on the road, while spending 100% eacher in "too low" or "too high" a gear.
In the USA, a (semi-)pro called Jesse laLonde is WINNING pro races, and not the most single-speed friendly ones, and also not jsut the ones where the superstars stayed home. The guy always rides singlespeed, and lets his legs figure it all out. Singlespeed is associated with mashing out of the seat, but in my case, I end up spinning a lot too, and apparently saving up there. I also actively pedal a shorter total amount of time, as I end up coasting, a lot. Interval, you say? Yes.
My best time on a particular off-road hill climb, which took me 2m37 in my somewhat better days, was on a singlespeed. The gearing worked out to 110-90rpm throughout the hill. The breathing was insanely intense, but the legs could pedal through it. I used 185mm cranks here, where the 113rpm was years earlier with 172.5mm.
I know for a fact that managing and training your cadence helps. the easy way is to slide your seat forward. If you try/train with your seat in the roadie conversative "back" position, it's gonna hurt, and feel all bad. But MAN, once you've dealt with that, and get to harvest the fruits...
It gets really interesting when you learn to spin longer (or proportionate) cranks.
Have YOU ever suffered a whole season, spinning a too-easy gear on the hours of dull flatland riding?
Try it. test you preferred cadence in a threshold test on the ergotrainer. Your legs will spin exactly as they like. Train a season in a lighter gear than you like. On flatlands, a singlespeed with a smartly calculated ger can help. Just ride your normal cruising pace. Suffer in sprints, be relieved on hills and with headwinds.
Lance suffered when Chris told him to spin. Don't trust me, try for yourself. How many superpro's really tried, a whole season.
Nothing having to do with cranks comes instantly, that's why power and efficiency tests will end up being inconculsive, every time. 150mm cranks will see to be best. Every rider know how to do the first half of a squat, many times. Compared to the second part. Knee angle, it needs to be trainer. Many riders are not even using their optimal knee angle range, let along training it.
I see Kenny van Hummel suffering over the alps, seated, on a conventional flat land bike.
Another thing thing that bothers me. why try to do it all on the same bike? I'm just an amateur, but I'm sure to adjust my bike if there is going to be a lot of decisive climbing. Is the sport to win the race, or to win just like they did when gears were just invented?