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Bike Cadence

erik.schlanger@gmail.comerik.schlanger@gmail.com
in General Training Discussions

Hi Folks,

I'm guessing there have been many discussions on this in the past but I seem to have trouble searching for them. 

 I consider myself somewhat of a novice cyclist compared to many folks out there. I'm looking to understand what cadence I should be looking to target. I should mention that I'm a HR person, no PM. I've been hitting my target HR numbers pretty well. My cadence is usually around 60-70 RPM. I've seen information in other places that suggest I should be targeting a much higher cadence. I'm looking for guidance on what I should target as well as why...

Please feel free to point me towards previous posts! Many Thanks for your help!

Thanks,

Erik

Comments

  • jalesliejaleslie

    Erik....when I saw your question I immediately went to the Wiki as I just KNOW I've seen something there on this...but alas, I can't find anything either.  I know I just heard Coach R comment on this recently somewhere, but can't find it.  The nutshell version was most folks seem to be in the 80's-90's most of the time.  I think he said below that was OK, but not as ideal as a little higher?  

    I prefer low 90's, but I know some really fast guys in EN live in the 80's and even upper 70's.  That said, if you look at the pros when they're time-trialing, they are in the 90-100's (or more....Chris Froome has one of the highest cadences I've ever seen).  LA popularized this when he was cheating (err....winning) his TDFs.  The thought is to break the "effort" up more into smaller pieces rather than "mash" a bigger gear.  There is no question, though, that it is highly variable and what works for me may not work for you.  I was a roadie before starting triathlons, so I gravitate to a higher cadence, especially when climbing (provided I'm not out of gears ).  I also know that as you ride more, a higher cadence will feel more natural.  When my wife started cycling (mainly on a trainer), I had to basically force her to increase her cadence into the 80's/90's because it just did not feel natural to her.  It now does.  

    What really matters is power (regardless of whether you have power meter or not....it's still power moving you down the road...how you get that power to the rear wheel is not AS important.  But, current thinking is that higher is better (to a point).  I know some will poopoo this, but I think the data supports this.  

    This is the only thread I could find in a quick search...it'll help more than what I've said....I'm no expert nor am I fast!

    http://members.endurancenation.us/Forums/tabid/57/aft/6102/Default.aspx#80700

  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Chasing a cadence in cycling is a red herring. Play with a bunch of different cadences and see what feels good and what jives with your HR data. Ultimately, let the cadence self-select.

    In general, a higher cadence like 100 will usually result in a more cardio effect with HR being higher. A lower cadence like 75 produces more of a muscular effect.
  • Scott AlexanderScott Alexander
    When the topic of cadence comes up, as it always does, I always think about "ideal" vs "practical".

    I've typically been more of a masher than a spinner when it comes to cadence, but there are times when I spin like a hamster. Given that, I believe that "ideal" cadence has to follow "practical" cadence. When I'm going up a hill, I try to spin faster, but because of my weight (big dood) I generally end up mashing more than spinning. Then, if I've got the gears and a lighter hill, I spin faster.

    I guess what I'm trying to say is that spin when you can spin and mash when you need to mash. There's no one ideal cadence for the entire ride!
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