so what about cadence

[TigerFish]

I really track cadence more than anything else while I am riding. I live in a hilly area so it can change drastically from flat to up hill. On the flats I try to maintain high 90s. I often get into the 100+ range but up shift if I anticipate being in that range for a while. I use leg strain in conjunction with cadence to do a lot of my shifting.

I am a little stocky at 190 pounds US. My height is around 5 feet 9 inches. I am 54 years.

What is an average cadence for an average rider on the flats?

What is an average cadence for an average professional on the flats?

I would love a heart rate monitor but I am too cheap. It may scare me anyway. In the past when I have done a heart stress test for a physical the doctors give up because I cannot get my heart rate as high as they want. So, don't worry about killing me with your answers.

 

[xmoonx]

You may wish to have an "efficiency evaluation" test done. This will help dial in how efficient (hr, max vo2) you are at say 250 watts, when pedaling at say 85, 90, 95 rpm etc.
You can always count your pedal rpm and hr with a cheap wrist watch

 

[ustabe]

Too little of it and you muck up your legs. Peak power is developed at a cadence that is considerably lower than what we cruise at, so we whir along at less than maximum power for leg health and torque. Spinning keeps the legs healthy by pumping in oxygenated blood, pumping out lactic acid, and keeping the joints, muscles, and ligaments warm and unstrained. Torque is what allows us to increase power for hills, gusts of wind in our faces, and accelerations that happen when the guy in front of us decides to shovel on more coal. My most unscientific explanations.

If you're cruising at 90-100 rpm, can manage bursts over 100, and you're in your 50s, you're doing better than most 40-year-olds I know. Today's pros tend to be just a bit quicker, using bigger gears, of course.

 

[TigerFish]

Too little of it and you muck up your legs. Peak power is developed at a cadence that is considerably lower than what we cruise at, so we whir along at less than maximum power for leg health and torque. Spinning keeps the legs healthy by pumping in oxygenated blood, pumping out lactic acid, and keeping the joints, muscles, and ligaments warm and unstrained. Torque is what allows us to increase power for hills, gusts of wind in our faces, and accelerations that happen when the guy in front of us decides to shovel on more coal. My most unscientific explanations.

If you're cruising at 90-100 rpm, can manage bursts over 100, and you're in your 50s, you're doing better than most 40-year-olds I know. Today's pros tend to be just a bit quicker, using bigger gears, of course.

I thought this was a lovely answer, Thank You.

 

[usedtobefast]

not to nit pick,because as has been pointed out, you are getting out on the bike.
taking off some of the excess weight would help you a lot, in many ways.
as far as cadence goes, the faster you can turn the crank in any given gear, the faster you can go. sounds simple enough, but a smooth spin at a high cadence
is mostly a good thing. race conditions sometimes say otherwise, but faster
is faster. you probably already knew that

 

[Indurain]

When i was young I was a gear masher. Prob. 80 to 85 rpm's. In my mid 30's I for some reason just started feeling comfortable spinning. Now I normally ride at around 95 to 105 for flats and 90 to 95 for hills.

However, I was speaking to a friend who says that the science on all this spinning is uncertain. In fact it is more energy saving to use low revs. When my mate rode across Australia he was told to do it at about 80rpms avg as it would be easier on him vs spinning. My concern is that while low revs is perhaps more energy saving, it does bring on muscle fatigue quicker. I feel I only have a limited amount of power so try to save it for later. But as you need more oxygen to spin, you also run the risk of not having the energy for when you need it.

Some pro's spin, others Mash. It seemed in the 80's they all mashed when climbing at least.

 

[Boeing]

I wouldn't call 80-85 rpm in the hills mashing????

If you can push your 39/23 or 25 at 90+ rpm at 8% you are a god in my book

 

[Boeing]

Is high cadence best for every body type is the question I am reading into here...

anyone?

 

[TexPat]

I go far better and longer with a lower cadence. Heart rate average stays lower, too.
Reckon it varies from one to the next. Natural rhythms?

 

[brianf7]

I am an old timer and average 90 rpm in crits that is the rpm where I get most power whatever that is everyone is different some like to plug along at 75 rpm while some ride at 110 rpm

if you can get a power meter and work out how you get best sustainable power I found at 90 rpm I can hold good output for 20 min

 

[Tapeworm]

Studies I've seen say self selected cadence will do for most circumstances. Trackies need to spin well because they need to. Otherwise just turn the pedals how you feel comfortable. There aren't going to be 50watts lurking in your legs just because you didn't hit the magic cadence.

 

[la.margna]

Three short articles on related issues by Dottore Preparatore Ferrari:

High Pedaling Cadence:
http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=15

Pedaling Cadences and Force Peaks :
http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=36

Pedaling Efficiency is Crucial
http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=42

 

[xmoonx]

Is high cadence best for every body type is the question I am reading into here...

anyone?

No, it will vary depending on your body composition and training.

If you did a Maximal Oxygen Consumption Test and Efficiency Trial and the resistance was set at X and you were asked to pedal at 80,85,...,100 RPM, VO₂mL O₂/watt could be determined.
So if you were pushing 250 watts:
and a) @85 RPM and VO₂mL O₂/watt =15;
and b) @100 RPM and VO₂mL O₂/watt=17;

In the above example you would be better off pedaling at 85 RPM as oxygen uptake is lower.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

In the above example you would be better off pedaling at 85 RPM as oxygen uptake is lower.

I prefer to pedal at a rate that gets me to the finish line faster.

Efficiency is all very nice and interesting, but it's performance (i.e. sustainable power) that typically matters.

Cadence is a red herring.

Focus on effort and choose a gear that feels good.

 

[xmoonx]

I prefer to pedal at a rate that gets me to the finish line faster.

Agreed, do what you gotta do to win.

Efficiency is all very nice and interesting, but it's performance (i.e. sustainable power) that typically matters.

Yes and at whatever power you need to be at "that which is sustainable" is invariably that which is less taxing on the body; which is efficient.

Focus on effort and choose a gear that feels good.

Ultimately the body IS a good predicator of what is right for you, if your NOT a NooB. Also just as there is variability between riders, so to there is variability between how you feel on a given day. However being within a range is a good thing.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Yes and at whatever power you need to be at "that which is sustainable" is invariably that which is less taxing on the body; which is efficient.

Well the greatest efficiency typically occurs when cadences are quite low, like 60 rpm or less.

So, do you want performance or do you want efficiency?

Personally I prefer performance.

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

In the olden days, back when rear clusters only had six or seven cogs, cyclists had to train to spin because their gear ratios were much further apart. And they generally had a smaller big gear, like a 52/12, so they also needed to learn to spin for the sake of top speed. Plus, when shifters were on the downtube, you telegraphed your intention to shift to your competitors every time you reached for the shifter lever.

But 8-speed clusters came along about the same time as dual-control shifting (Ergo/S.T.I.) and cyclists suddenly had 12 or 13 closely spaced and functional gear ratios at their fingertips. And they could shift without ever turning loose of the handlebars. That took away most of the incentive to learn to spin. Spinning became an anachronism and you can't ride high cadence if you don't have a smooth spin.

There are exceptions but a smooth spin is a rarity any more, even among the pros. You can see it in their upper bodies swaying side to side and you can hear it in the noises from their tires and chains announcing each individual pedal stroke.

But the lack of it doesn't appear to be hindering them too much.

 

[marathon marke]

In the olden days, back when rear clusters only had six or seven cogs,

Now I really feel old. I got back into cycling about two years ago (after a near 20 year hiatus), first getting a hybrid when my then soon-to-be wife suggested we go riding together. Before that, my last road bike had a 5-cog freewheel and downtube shifters. And by the way, I enjoyed faking other riding out by telegraphing a fake shift by reaching for the downtube.

 

[Stingray34]

Focus on effort and choose a gear that feels good.

I second this.

I have no idea what my cadence is. I think if I focused on it I'd get distracted and not enjoy riding so much. You gotta go by feel. If I can't get on top of a gear, I downshift. I also think it's good to vary one's cadence to recruit different muscles.

I'm getting back into cycling distance after a long lay off, so I regularly run out of energy as I push a little further each ride. One thing I learnt 20 years ago was when your legs are hurting, shift into the big ring. It actually hurts less and you get home faster! Helps build some strength, too.

 

[DirtyWorks]

!)

I've been around long enough to see this cadence preferences go in and out of fashion.

I find learning to spin at 100 rpm is generally helpful. If you are not relaxed/fit well on your bike, then you will generally bounce around. I found it very helpful for accelerating in crits.

Beyond that, you guys can make all the proclamations you want. 5-10 years from now, someone else is going to come along and declare with scientific certainty(!) the opposite.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat....

 

[lefrancais]

yeah interesting.
I would say it depends how you ride.
and what size crank you ride..I like to push big gear..and I ride a 175mm
even though I am like your body type.
180 lbs and 5'8 .
I am not expert..but it doesn't matter what sort of riding i do..1h or 3h30 flat or rolling hill..
I always end up with an Av.cadence of around 83...but I know I am not a spinner.
and I try to be on my 53 chain ring when things get hard and the speed goes up.
If I ride with a group I can hardly hang on to...I will push the bigger gear as possible as it seems to work for me in term of preserving my energy..

Also there are other things to consider..when things get hard..to you want to preserve your heart or you legs..at a given point..if your heart rate it through the roof then you must be spinning too much so drop a gear and reduce your cadence to catch your breath..
If your legs are hurting bad then move up a gear and increase your cadence.
This is how I do it..i give it a rest..and decide what need to rest the heart or the leg... and when both are tired you are F#$%K.
you drop like and tell everyone at coffee you had a Flat....

 

[JeffreyPerry]

Cadence

It seems to me if you cannot get your heart rate high enough for your doctor in the stress test, you should be fine spinning higher numbers. Spinning puts more stress on cardio vascular system. Mashing brings more muscular endurance and strength into play.
Either way, its good to be able to do both...mashing for going up the hills when you have no lower gear, and spinning when your topped out and flying along.

 

[Boeing]

I ride with a guy who is obsessed with high cadence. 100 + all the time every day. He bought a triple groupo and as soon as he hits the slope up he slams it into the small ring and spins away. rolling out of the parking lot at 8 mph he is at 100+.

problem is he is always off the back does not improve at the pace other do.

I went back on a false flat with him and matched his cadence and gearing and my heart rate shot up clearly at a slower speed. I tried to explain that there is a law of diminishing returns. Lets try to build to a high cadence in a bigger gear now and again.

I typically shoot for 85-90 rpm and he was at 110 when I went back. my heart rate was lower at 85 and I was going faster up the grade. went back and matched 110 slower and my hr shot up 30 beats

when we do intervals he is spinning out like a mad man but off the back

I do not have the language to describe what I think is going on physiologically but I will say it is like training for base vs intervals. he just does not develop the power some others do spinning all the damn time

he is a friend and riding with friends it is tough to preach. but he is going to end up riding alone by default

this is not an argument against cadence. In fact I feel the 85-95 is good for me. I would like to be at that cadence climbing big hills but that is not often the case.


however I do think that cadence is either overblown or not understood in this post Lance goes fast because he spins high era with all the Chris Comical articles in Bicycling magazine.

 

[oldborn]

however I do think that cadence is either overblown or not understood in this post Lance goes fast because he spins high era with all the Chris Comical articles in Bicycling magazine.

Good point. IMHO Lance example works for him, but not for Sastre.
Lance was just stronger than anyone at time, dope or not and still had some spare cogs for fun/attack.

I am also 85-90rpm guy that is just it, i feel ok with that.
Nothing wrong with 80RPM or 100RPM.

Same thing in swimming, some has in 25m pool 16 strokes, some has 20. Who is faster? Both of them. Who has higher HR? Both has the same.

 

[mad black]

http://wap.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2004/letters09-20#Cadence

Everyone please have read of this. It summarizes pretty much everything being said and argued in a logical and cohesive manner.