Average cadence

[Long Wheel Base]

On the tandem my cadence is a bit slower compared to when I ride single, although I still try keep it as high as possible. We running 44/56 teeth blades up front so that doesn't allow for a very high cadence.

[Long Wheel Base]

When that american oke with the yellow wrist band was "winning" the TDF, everyone was on the 100rpm band wagon. Only time I hit that is fast decents and maybe a sprint. Or on the IDT but not as an average for the whole session, Only parts of it.

[Jurgens Smit]

It depends who I'm riding with, what kind of interval it is etc.

 

Normally my road rides avg 89-93 cadence.

 

If I ride with someone a lot stronger than I am I find spinning higher(100-105) to be easier than pushing a heavier gear at 90 rpm.

 

IDT threshold and tempo workouts are all in the 90-95 range unless specified otherwise. 

1min maximum effort intervals I often max out at 130rpm.

[JanJan]

For the elite roadies:

 

When breaking away from bunches or kicking up small hills, do you guys accelerate with your current gears and increase cadence to about 120rpm? Or do you drop into a heavier gear just before the acceleration and mash away at 85?

 

The latter looks cooler, but I feel it hurts more.

[Fat Boab]

For the elite roadies:

 

When breaking away from bunches or kicking up small hills, do you guys accelerate with your current gears and increase cadence to about 120rpm? Or do you drop into a heavier gear just before the acceleration and mash away at 85?

 

The latter looks cooler, but I feel it hurts more.

 

 

Or a judicious use of the 'overdrive' button, subtly hidden in the bar tape also works.

[Jurgens Smit]

For the elite roadies:

 

When breaking away from bunches or kicking up small hills, do you guys accelerate with your current gears and increase cadence to about 120rpm? Or do you drop into a heavier gear just before the acceleration and mash away at 85?

 

The latter looks cooler, but I feel it hurts more.

 

Depends on your current gearing when you hit the hill, steepness of the hill and rider preference.

[s14phoenix]

Depends on your current gearing when you hit the hill, steepness of the hill and rider preference.

 

Rider preference most of all...

 

I have been doing some HIIDT lately using a program from training peaks for power development

 

The output vs cadence according to these sessions is typically - >

 

50% @ 85

75% @ 90

85% @ 95

95% @ 95

105% @ 100

115% @ 100-110

 

This is designed to help increase cadence and stabilize power and sustained performance at higher cadence due to training sustained efforts in those zones.

 

You cannot perform in certain zones if you don't train in them. This also increases comfort in these zones. So there is some training that can be done to increase comfort in higher or lower cadence zones thus improving technique and also to prevent "bouncing" .

 

The importance is not to stress your joints in trying to do this though (low or high efforts) and thus this does take some time to train your body and your brain.

 

Well that's what the theories say.

Edited July 31, 2017 by s14phoenix

[dsw]

I guess the terrain plays a big role.

On the road mine averages out at about 84-87 for typical western cape rolling hills.

For flat crit racing it is quite higher at about 105 rpm.

For mountain biking I just suffer...

[jcza]

Higher cadence is preferable.

 

Much easier to lower you heart rate and recover rather than trying  to stop cramp due to grinding and not spinning. 

[bertusras]

Higher cadence is preferable.

 

Much easier to lower you heart rate and recover rather than trying  to stop cramp due to grinding and not spinning. 

 

This to me is interesting, and I've pointed it out in a related topic some months ago. When using Zwift workouts (or any other power based workouts for that matter), my HR is definitely lower at 60-70 cadence than it is in the 90-100 cadence zones for the same power output.

 

Thoughts?

 

In the real world road/track conditions (and likely upper body effort) certainly plays a part, but I also think that at the slower cadence (up a steeper gradient possibly) you're just putting down more power than you would at a faster cadence?

[Jehosefat]

I'm pretty consistent between road and MTB. Average mid 80's on both (between 82 and 87).

 

Although the Magalies Monster was a beast and I only averaged 76 on that ride.

[awesme]

"you're just putting down more power than you would at a faster cadence?"

 

Actually not, peddling at a faster cadence with less force/torque = power => peddling at a lower cadence at a higher force/torque

 

​Remember power=> wattage is cadence * force

 

G

 

This to me is interesting, and I've pointed it out in a related topic some months ago. When using Zwift workouts (or any other power based workouts for that matter), my HR is definitely lower at 60-70 cadence than it is in the 90-100 cadence zones for the same power output.

 

Thoughts?

 

In the real world road/track conditions (and likely upper body effort) certainly plays a part, but I also think that at the slower cadence (up a steeper gradient possibly) you're just putting down more power than you would at a faster cadence?

[jcza]

This to me is interesting, and I've pointed it out in a related topic some months ago. When using Zwift workouts (or any other power based workouts for that matter), my HR is definitely lower at 60-70 cadence than it is in the 90-100 cadence zones for the same power output.

 

Thoughts?

 

In the real world road/track conditions (and likely upper body effort) certainly plays a part, but I also think that at the slower cadence (up a steeper gradient possibly) you're just putting down more power than you would at a faster cadence?

 

I also find that higher cadence = higher heart rate but heart rate recovers very rapidly. 

Exception is where effort is very hard, 10/10 then heart rate shoots up but also recovers when load is reduced. 

[jcza]

"you're just putting down more power than you would at a faster cadence?"

 

Actually not, peddling at a faster cadence with less force/torque = power => peddling at a lower cadence at a higher force/torque

 

​Remember power=> wattage is cadence * force

 

G

 

2 ways to increase power output. Higher cadence or bigger gear. 

[Patchelicious]

Higher cadence is preferable.

 

Much easier to lower you heart rate and recover rather than trying  to stop cramp due to grinding and not spinning. 

Thats why Froome can win, clean....

[jcza]

Thats why Froome can win, clean....

 

And why Lance won while Ulrich was grinding away on the big ring