Rocking at high cadence

dru
Posts: 1,341
Hi people,
From the observations of a fellow rider who rode with me on the weekends sportive does anyone know why when I'm going higher than 90 rpm/cadence I start to rock (from side to side in the hip department)
Also and more importantly does anyone know how to cure it - either with bike positioning or drills?
Cheers,
Dru
From the observations of a fellow rider who rode with me on the weekends sportive does anyone know why when I'm going higher than 90 rpm/cadence I start to rock (from side to side in the hip department)
Also and more importantly does anyone know how to cure it - either with bike positioning or drills?
Cheers,
Dru
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Comments
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over 90 Id say you were spinning out and making yourself unstable...
Either that or you put excessive pressure in your down stroke rather than maintaining a smooth motion which would shift your weight and be more notceable at higher cadence....0 -
Seat possibly too high
The higher rate of pedalling may just bring the over extension of the leg to be more noticeable.0 -
i'd echo jgsi's post, i wonder if your seat is too high.0
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+3 Sddle to high?You should'nt spin out under120rpm.TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/0
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+4 deffo seat too high, drop it an inch and see if it is better, your upper body should not move unless out of the saddle.0
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dare i say it?
+50 -
Having considered the likeliest causes, I'd go for errr... seat too high. So +6 then.0
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+7 !0
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+8 on the seat but it could just require practice, you get better at spinning high RPMs without rocking. There is research out there to suggest that pedalling piston-style is actually more efficient but a more circular style can tend to reduce rocking in my experience.0
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+9
Anyone for double figures?0 -
I thought this was going to be a music thread about a new bike orientated Bar/Club.0
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-1
You need longer legs0 -
I don't see your problem as necessarily too high a saddle. If you rock from side to side no matter what the cadence, then yes, try lowering the saddle. For spinning up in the higher cadence ranges I would recommend that you concentrate on pushing your toes straight ahead when the down stroke starts for that particular foot. Don't try to push down or pull up, just push the toes forward and everything else will take care of itself. This should allow you to pedal at a higher cadence without coming off the saddle. Assuming the saddle is not too high.0
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I only bounce around like a loon when I'm spinning out, ie spinning very fast and still having trouble putting any pressure on the pedals.
It's usually on a steep downhill where I can't be arsed to change up because a steep uphill is imminent. Probably not the most efficient technique tbh.0 -
I find that I have a natural frequency at which I get a bouncy cadence - around 150rpm, but if I push on through it smooths out and I can go all the way to 220rpmMake mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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your leg should have a slight bend at the bottom stroke 15 degrees or so. may be the saddle hight so +6 from the troll. could be just a rusty technique also. you might be a low cadencer like me i only topped 93 today do a steady 80 usually.0
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Ok guys - I get the feeling that the first thing to try is the saddle being too high. I'll drop it by 5mm and see how we go this weekend.
The only thing I don't get is that I don't rock at lower RPM/cadence, so it problably a bit of techgnique as well. Anyone got any ideas for drills to do on a turbo to solve this?
Also, would my cleat positions have anything to do with this?
Cheers,
Dru.0 -
To get a very smooth riding style takes time and one of the things that helped me many years ago was a set of rollers, you can't ride them properly without being smooth, so maybe look at a pair of them in the winter.0
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Monty Dog wrote:I find that I have a natural frequency at which I get a bouncy cadence - around 150rpm, but if I push on through it smooths out and I can go all the way to 220rpm0
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Slow-N-Old wrote:+4 deffo seat too high, drop it an inch and see if it is better, your upper body should not move unless out of the saddle.
Lower it 2mm initially then ride again and lower it gradually over a few rides so your legs get used to it.0 -
oldwelshman wrote:Slow-N-Old wrote:+4 deffo seat too high, drop it an inch and see if it is better, your upper body should not move unless out of the saddle.
Lower it 2mm initially then ride again and lower it gradually over a few rides so your legs get used to it.
Well I dropped it 5mm yesterday and tried it out today on a little ride (little meaning a 100km ride up from Cardiff and did the rhigos and bwlch)
The same rider I rode with earlier in the week, commented that I was not rocking today.... so a good result all around0 -
I bet you did not do 90 rpm going up those ?0
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a smidge under
average for the ride was 75 (there was alot of free wheeling coming down, despite the head winds
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You don't freewheel down those climbs, you pedal all the way
MAybe I will join you for a ride when I come down soon, who do you ride with?0 -
oldwelshman wrote:You don't freewheel down those climbs, you pedal all the way
MAybe I will join you for a ride when I come down soon, who do you ride with?
Don't get me wrong - I did try, but with the headwind we only hit 40 mph also as it was my firt time down did not really know the sections.
I must say there was loads of clubs on runs up there today you could take your pick0 -
+ 1 seat too high
look up set up tips0