Cadence

Dizzy the Egg
Dizzy the Egg Posts: 153
edited October 2008 in Commuting chat
I'm starting out again cycling back to work on a decent standard mtb. I've been reading a lot recently about cadence on cycling and was wonderng what sort of speed I should be doing on flats/moderate hills to be hitting a cadence of 85 - 95, and which gears should I be using?

Cheers

Comments

  • Bugly
    Bugly Posts: 520
    :shock: what gear will you be in?
  • linsen
    linsen Posts: 1,959
    It entirely depends how hard you push, what gear you're in, how nobbly your tyres are, how strong the wind is etc. You should find as you get fitter that you can keep up a higher cadence in higher gears. I have a cadence function on my cycle computer and I look at that to see I keep around 90 or so. The speed is then not really relevant, I just look at it at the end
    Emerging from under a big black cloud. All help welcome
  • Underscore
    Underscore Posts: 730
    Dizzy the Egg wrote:
    I'm starting out again cycling back to work on a decent standard mtb. I've been reading a lot recently about cadence on cycling and was wonderng what sort of speed I should be doing on flats/moderate hills to be hitting a cadence of 85 - 95, and which gears should I be using?

    Cheers

    My understanding is that the speed is irrelevant; you simple select the gear that allows you to pedal at a certain cadence with the required level of power production. If you're training, the required power production will be based on your heart rate zone; for commuting it'll be getting to work while still being able to start work when you get there!

    HTH,

    _
  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    In normal, neutral road conditions I tend to use 50/19 and 50/17 with a cadence ideally in the low 90s, which gives me a speed of about 20mph and 22mph respectively.
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    If you're just starting out again, find the cadence that feels right (it will generally be that at which you ride most smoothly) and work from there.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Greg T
    Greg T Posts: 3,266
    Underscore wrote:
    My understanding is that the speed is irrelevant; you simple select the gear that allows you to pedal at a certain cadence with the required level of power production.

    That's what i go for, find a cadence you are happy to spin at for the duration of the ride / exercise you are going to do and stick to it by adjusting your gearing.

    90-100 BPM is often deemed about right but might feel a bit spinny for you...

    WGBGWarbuton (Buns) pushes for mad high rpm - make sure your hips and knees and screwed in tight if you are going north of 120.

    If you have no gearing find a cadence that means that you keep you lungs on the inside of your chest wall and just keep on going.
    Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.

    What would Thora Hurd do?
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    biondino wrote:
    In normal, neutral road conditions I tend to use 50/19 and 50/17 with a cadence ideally in the low 90s, which gives me a speed of about 20mph and 22mph respectively.

    Wow. I use 48/18 or 48/16 and get about 18 ish... so I guess I'm doing about right myself
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    Ignore this lot of jokers, they don't stick to anything if they get passed by a scalp-burglar.

    After that it's "Hi-Ho, Man Up and Balls to a steady cadence!!!"
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Littigator wrote:
    Ignore this lot of jokers, they don't stick to anything if they get passed by a scalp-burglar.

    After that it's "Hi-Ho, Man Up and Balls to a steady cadence!!!"

    Takes one to know one. :wink:
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    No cadence-o-meter so can't help, but I just cycle everywhere as fast as I can bear to! :D

    I'm sure it's helping my fitness...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    No cadence-o-meter so can't help, but I just cycle everywhere as fast as I can bear to! :D

    I'm sure it's helping my fitness...

    This is the "Balls-out, Leg it Everywhere" School of Commuting :)
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    cjcp wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    No cadence-o-meter so can't help, but I just cycle everywhere as fast as I can bear to! :D

    I'm sure it's helping my fitness...

    This is the "Balls-out, Leg it Everywhere" School of Commuting :)

    Oi! :lol:

    I don't know what the laydeeez equivalent would be so that's all I have to say...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Littigator
    Littigator Posts: 1,262
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    cjcp wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    No cadence-o-meter so can't help, but I just cycle everywhere as fast as I can bear to! :D

    I'm sure it's helping my fitness...

    This is the "Balls-out, Leg it Everywhere" School of Commuting :)

    Oi! :lol:

    I don't know what the laydeeez equivalent would be so that's all I have to say...

    Modesty prevents me from further elucidation on the topic :oops:
    Roadie FCN: 3

    Fixed FCN: 6
  • sc999cs
    sc999cs Posts: 596
    Back to the original subject (sigh :roll: )

    You can work out the speeds fairly easily. Work out the different gear ratios you have available which along with your wheel circumference will tell you how many metres you cover per pedal revolution. Then multiply by your cadence.

    i.e. back sprocket of 15 teeth, front ring 45 teeth and tyre circumference of 2 metres (made up figures to keep the maths easy) gives a ratio of 3:1 which means that each pedal rotation turns the rear wheel 3 times so you cover 6 metres. A cadence of 80 rpm is 480 metres per minute, equal to 28.8km/h or 18 mile per hours!

    Or buy a bike computer with cadence sensor. :D
    Steve C

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