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THE BIKE CADENCE DEBATE

Juan VergaraJuan Vergara
in Racing Forum 🏎
This past week I listened to a podcast where Hunter Allen (Training Peaks) defends higher cadence for triathletes (95-105). Today I read an article by Brett Sutton advocating the opposite http://t.co/koqvfb0JMn
I went back and reviewed my racing files for 2014 (IMLC and IMFL) and while I thought I had averaged 90+, I actually averaged the same 84 at both races.
Which is your opinion?

Comments

  • tim cronktim cronk
    I would tend to go with Sutton... But, Sutton's comment below say it all....Its what I like about the guy , he has everyone do different things based on the individual , his results back him up.

    At trisutto.com we’re about function over form. What works for the individual is what is right.

    Bike Cadence is a metric I glance at after a ride or race but NEVER look at it during riding nor do I care.... The main reason - I noticed over the last few years as I get faster on the bike and the run , my cadence on the bike has been going down... I'm not going to fight what works for me... My thoughts are to turn it off , don't think about it, your natural cadence will come to the surface , it may even change in time as you develop , and look at it later... Having said that , in training I will do intervals at different cadences to vary the stimulus , but come race day its what ever feels right!

  • ChrisChapmanChrisChapman
    I saw Sutton's post too. No idea of the answer to this, but I've noticed on the trainer that my heart rate will be around 5 beats lower when peddling the same power at 85rpm compared to 95rpm.
  • GMAN 19030GMAN 19030
    Cadence is the great red herring of cycling.

    Cadence should be self selecting and studies have shown the longer the race the lower the cadence for the same individual. Your sprint cadence is higher than your Ironman cadence.
  • Gordon CherwoniakGordon Cherwoniak

    For me I can work in the 80-100 range and 85-95 is my wheel  house.  I find when doing OS workouts I get to look at the cadence more while staring at my unfinished basement wall so I have a little more information during shorty 60-90' OS rides.  I have found a little higher HR when forcing my cadence above 95, but definitely feel it in the legs more pushing below 85. 

    As others have said the more power I put out the cadence tends to drop.  At the end of longer FTP sets I will sometimes need to shift down. 

    As for a HIM or IM race I don't have enough data to support anything useful.

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