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Higher cadence cycling question
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 2006-05-19 10:25 AM |
 Subject: Higher cadence cycling questionI notice on my outside rides that I feel more comfortable pedaling with a cadence of about 96-100. I am small (5 feet), so I ride a small bike with compact cranks. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it. Because of my height, I also have been running with a cadence of about 95 left footstrikes per minute. Is this something I should look into correcting? |
| 2006-05-19 10:30 AM in reply to: #428185 |
Resident Curmudgeon  25290    The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question Nope, you're good! |
| 2006-05-19 10:34 AM in reply to: #428185 |
| Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question Bear, that's just what I wanted to hear! I just keep hearing and reading 90 as a rule so I had to make sure. I'm thinking the higher cadence is actually an advantage, as long as I can maintain it. |
| 2006-05-19 10:38 AM in reply to: #428185 |
Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question I use to run my cadence at 95-100. Then, once I hit 100, I would shift gears. Lately, I have found that I get more power out of my pedaling, if I shift at 95. I also found that my legs, when they are tired, feel better at 95 versus 100. They are still tired and in pain...but it's a better kind of pain. I think it's all a matter preference and what feels good to you. I know people who run an 80-85 cadenace and that is what works for them. |
| 2006-05-19 10:42 AM in reply to: #428198 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question I get as high as 105 - 110 sometimes before I "need" to shift. I'm one of the higher cadence pedalers out there ..... just feels natural and efficient to me. Sounds like you're fine. The higher cadence allows you to spin an easier gear at the same speed as others mashing the big ring at 70 rpms ....... |
| 2006-05-19 11:20 AM in reply to: #428185 |
Pro 4675  Wisconsin near the Twin Cities metro | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question You should be OK. What people don't want to do is have a low cadence on the bike and then ask their legs to perform at a much higher cadence on the run - especially in longer races. Yours are pretty close together. |
| 2006-05-19 4:36 PM in reply to: #428198 |
Pro 4311 Texas | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question KSH - 2006-05-19 10:38 AM I think it's all a matter preference and what feels good to you. I know people who run an 80-85 cadenace and that is what works for them. That would be me. I don't focus on my speed at all really, I focus almost entirely on keeping a consistent cadence and shift my gears accordingly. It seems to work for me, though I'm sure others have a different(and possibly more technically correct) view. |
| 2006-05-19 4:44 PM in reply to: #428185 |
| Crystal Lake, IL | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question I'm under the impression that the 80-90 range is a desired minimum (to be considered "high cadence"
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| 2006-05-19 4:46 PM in reply to: #428663 |
Pro 4311 Texas | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question hangloose - 2006-05-19 4:44 PM I'm under the impression that the 80-90 range is a desired minimum (to be considered "high cadence") and the top end of the scale is determined by where you start to feel out of control/bounce in the saddle/form breaks down, not necessarily a specific number.
If that's the case, then I start to feel out of control in the low 90s. Maybe with more miles under my belt(I think I've done a little over 1000 in the last year) that number will rise. Edited by JBrashear 2006-05-19 4:47 PM |
| 2006-05-19 8:40 PM in reply to: #428185 |
Coach 9167 Stairway to Seven | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question To the OP, it sounds like you are right on track. The thing is, you have to practice higher cadences, they don't feel natural at first. Bouncing may just mean that you need to learn to smotth out the stroke, and it may be more efficient once you've done that. Daremo feels "natural" at higher cadences, but he's been biking since before he was born. Riders waiting to get in more miles before it feels comfortable, it won't happen...just like swimming with bad form won't improve your technique. you have to practice the technique to get good at it, and it seems like lots of people just "settle" for lower cadences because at first it feels easier, and that's what they end up practicing all the time. |
| 2006-05-19 8:51 PM in reply to: #428185 |
Regular 61 | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question OH my goodness. Sounds like trying to run / bike without any hi tech gadgets puts me somewhere back in the dark ages! I may as well give up now, I'll never beat all you guys dripping with technology... What hope is there for me? |
| 2006-05-19 10:00 PM in reply to: #428797 |
Pro 4675 Wisconsin near the Twin Cities metro | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question divegirlrox - 2006-05-19 8:51 PM OH my goodness. Sounds like trying to run / bike without any hi tech gadgets puts me somewhere back in the dark ages! I may as well give up now, I'll never beat all you guys dripping with technology... What hope is there for me? What hi tech gadgets?? I do all of my cadence counting on the run and bike just by counting in my head and looking at my stopwatch. Pretty low tech I think. Confession: I do have a bike computer that I've had for a year that I still haven't put on my bike yet. |
| 2006-05-19 10:26 PM in reply to: #428797 |
Elite 3650 Laurium, MI | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question divegirlrox - 2006-05-19 7:51 PM OH my goodness. Sounds like trying to run / bike without any hi tech gadgets puts me somewhere back in the dark ages! I may as well give up now, I'll never beat all you guys dripping with technology... What hope is there for me? welcome to triathlon. We're not called tri GEEK's for nothing. Seriously though, having your cadence displayed on your computer is important. Proper cadence is one of the most important things to learn when it comes to riding, and counting and multiplying gets tedious real fast. High cadence is something you get better at the more you practice, but you need to practice it. Something that helps are drills that focus on it. One leg drills, where you sit on the trainer and do 1 min left, 1 min right, 30 sec both over and over with a 5 min fast spin with both legs after about 20 min, will help smooth it all out. The other drill I like is to warm up and hammer away at 90 rpm, 100 rpm, 110 rpm, then 120 rpm for 3 min each with 1 min easy spinning rest in between. once you feel it one time, it becomes easier. Kind of slaps you in the face |
| 2006-05-19 11:54 PM in reply to: #428185 |
| Elite 2458 Livingston, MT | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question No fancy computers here other than a stopwatch. You can get your cadence by counting one leg for 10 seconds and multiply by six. Not so hard  |
| 2006-05-20 12:29 AM in reply to: #428185 |
Coach 9167 Stairway to Seven | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question You also learn to feel it. I had a cadence read out all last year, but havn't put one on my new bike yet (5 months). Whenever I cycle at what "feels" like 90 rpm, I count and sure enough, I'm right on target. |
| 2006-05-21 11:28 AM in reply to: #428185 |
Expert 1070 North Carolina | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question On the trainer my cadence seems lower. I do not have a computer on my trainer bike so I just count and I am usually around 85. On the road though, I try to keep it over 90. My average cadence during the half ironman was 98!! |
| 2006-05-21 1:08 PM in reply to: #428185 |
Master 2629 brummie land | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question sorry to hijack your thread danielle but should expect the same cadence on a hybrid as on a road bike? i took my hybrid for a looooong ride yesterday and struggled to get the damned thing above 80rpm! yet on my road bike anythign above 85 feels fine.
could it be the crap weather, the crap paths, the crap cyclist (quite possible) or the type of bike. i did try to keep the gears pretty low to improve things. |
| 2006-05-21 2:22 PM in reply to: #428185 |
Extreme Veteran 707 pnw | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question I like to run 100/105 on a TT. Hit the mid 90s and you start feeling bogged down. But I am a gaget guy and watch my cadence and HR religiously both of which go hand in hand for gear selection |
| 2006-05-21 2:43 PM in reply to: #428788 |
Cycling Guru 15134 Fulton, MD | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question AdventureBear - 2006-05-19 9:40 PM Daremo feels "natural" at higher cadences, but he's been biking since before he was born. Hehehehe ..... new sig. material!  |
| 2006-05-21 5:37 PM in reply to: #429368 |
Master 2629 brummie land | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question Nob - 2006-05-21 8:22 PM I like to run 100/105 on a TT. Hit the mid 90s and you start feeling bogged down. But I am a gaget guy and watch my cadence and HR religiously both of which go hand in hand for gear selection
tbh yday at times didn't feel that smooth but my hr rocketed at the start so took it down a gear or two and lowered the cadence a bit to calm things down as i knew i had ages left to go. hr rose again later but it was nearer the end so didn't mind as much. by that time i was up a gear or two but it still didn't feel that smooth. longer ride next w/e but on my road bike this time.
anybody else notice the difference cadence wise between hyrbid/mtb and road/tri bikes? |
| 2006-05-21 6:56 PM in reply to: #428185 |
Extreme Veteran 707 pnw | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question I look at cadence first....staying around 100 after I am warmed up. (95/105 if I am running hard) What ever gear it takes to keep my HR at 173/175 and a 100 cadence is what I turn. Speed isn't part of my equation. I'm in the red at 176 HR and can go to 188 on a good day. So it just depends on how much recovery time or how close I am to the end of the ride if I want to run the numbers up. |
| 2006-05-22 3:38 AM in reply to: #429375 |
Coach 9167 Stairway to Seven | Subject: RE: Higher cadence cycling question Daremo - 2006-05-21 3:43 PM Hehehehe ..... new sig. material! Now I'm in TWO sigs! (you and oneword). I guess I can start backign off on the post count. |
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