Should I get a cadence meter???

shaggs2riches
shaggs2riches Posts: 7
edited June 2012 in MTB beginners
I'm looking at my recent rides to and from work and noticed that there has been a decent change in my ride times. Probably not the fastest 7.5km runs but I feel good about it. When I started 4weeks ago it was 23-26minutes. Now I can average 17-22minutes depending on how windy it is that day. I was wondering if it was that my legs getting stronger thus getting more thrust per pedal revolution, or me pedaling more cadence to make me go faster. I was thinking that I should invest in a heart monitor and cadence meter to accurately measure my total workout while riding, but also wondered what's the point?? If my time continues to decrease and I start making my route longer to compensate the shorter ride would it really matter how fast I'm pedaling or where my heart rate is at??? Will I still be getting more fit as time goes on???

Comments

  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Your legs getting stronger won't give you "more thrust per pedal revolution". Your bike travels a set distance in a given gear per pedal revolution, although more powerful legs might mean you can now push a bigger gear.
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    If you're trying to get race fit then the cadence meter might help you work on your technique and hr monitor to help optimise/analyse your workout.
    If you're just riding to get fit and enjoy the ride then it's only worth it if you're a geek and want to analyse everything.
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  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Ride up mountain, ride down mountain. Cadence is extremely not important.
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  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    If you fit a cadence meter your not allowed to play with the cool kids any more and must sell the mountain bike and get a roadie!! :P

    Seriously tho? No need cos, theres no way on gods green earth youll be able to keep cadence, over difficult terrain. Its just the nature of the beast imo
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

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  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    cooldad wrote:
    Ride up mountain, ride down mountain. Cadence is extremely not important.

    THIS with big knobs on. If you start on cadence next thing you will be shaving your legs and wearing bib lycra.
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  • steelie600
    steelie600 Posts: 519
    Does shaving your legs make you faster or summat?? Always wondered why they do that?
    Idiot ^^^^^^^^^

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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Your legs getting stronger won't give you "more thrust per pedal revolution". Your bike travels a set distance in a given gear per pedal revolution, although more powerful legs might mean you can now push a bigger gear.

    Well being stronger will give more power per pedal stroke, that doesn't mean the OP will be going further, but he didn't say that.

    If you're interested in training, rather than just riding, then a HRM can be useful, I'd not get too involved in cadence (I've had cadence sensors for years but rarely look at them, can be useful for time trials, but not much else IMO). If you're just going to look at the number on the HRM I'd not bother.
    Does shaving your legs make you faster or summat?? Always wondered why they do that?

    Reduces risk of infection, makes massage easier, stops mud sticking to your legs and makes your legs look more toned. No aero advantage.

    Bib shorts are better than anything with a waistband though.
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    njee20 wrote:
    Well being stronger will give more power per pedal stroke, that doesn't mean the OP will be going further, but he didn't say that.

    No, but going faster equals going further in the same amount of time.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    njee20 wrote:

    Bib shorts are better than anything with a waistband though.

    Till you need to go the toilet :lol:
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  • shaggs2riches
    shaggs2riches Posts: 7
    Just as I thought, I'll skip the cadence meter and just continue using my timer as a guide to my performance. Thanks guys!!!
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Till you need to go the toilet

    Peeing is easy enough, admittedly slightly harder if you need a dump, but that's never happened to me mid ride.
    No, but going faster equals going further in the same amount of time.

    Yeah but he didn't say that either, he just said he could be getting more 'thrust' per revolution, which I read as using a higher gear. Anyway, rather a pedantic discussion!
  • lc1981
    lc1981 Posts: 820
    Indeed. Anyway, either you're pedalling faster or using a high gear (which presumably you'd be aware of), or more likely a combination of both!
  • Dave_P1
    Dave_P1 Posts: 565
    I'm not sure if I would fit one to an MTB due to all the mud and grit that you cycle through. Not sure how others have got on......
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  • shaggs2riches
    shaggs2riches Posts: 7
    lc1981 wrote:
    Indeed. Anyway, either you're pedalling faster or using a high gear (which presumably you'd be aware of), or more likely a combination of both!

    It must be a combo of everything then. I normally ride within the three hardest gears. Today being one exception as it was blowing 70km/h headwind for my entire ride to work, and it shifted to 70km/h headwind for half my ride home today. Still made it in 22minutes both ways, but holy hell my legs are hurting bad this evening. Without a wind yesterday morning I was able to maintain an average of 28km/h and at some point my top speed was 42km/h. When I started my average was 16km/h and my top was 23km/h all in the same gear range. So I must be pedaling faster. We'll see how much it pays off when I get to some trail riding this weekend. No shaved legs or lycra for this guy. :shock:
  • Briggo
    Briggo Posts: 3,537
    Dave_P1 wrote:
    I'm not sure if I would fit one to an MTB due to all the mud and grit that you cycle through. Not sure how others have got on......

    A decent amount of dirt from the usual muddy rides doesn't effect my Garmin sensors, but I've never got it properly covered in thick mud.

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