RPM/GEARS

davala95

Hi all

just wondering which do you think is better?

higher gear - lower rpm /// lower gear - higher rpm

Pross

Whatever feels right for you. Basically high cadence / low gears will help keep your legs fresh for longer but requires more cardio fitness. Vice versa for low cadence / high gears. I would suggest playing around to find what's comfortable for you. Being able to spin can certainly be a useful tool though.

sungod

generally the latter

aside from when idling or sprinting, aiming for a cadence of 90-100 is typical, but there are always exceptions and many will prefer a different cadence, for instance some tt riders opt for 70-80

a higher cadence reduces the amount of force per pedal stroke, which is easier on the legs, the penalty is that loads the cardiovascular system a bit more than lower cadence, but the cvs tends to recover faster than the legs, so it can work out better overall when you have frequent accelerations

when climbing, unless you have very low gears available (or are a climbing god), there comes a point where cadence just has to drop, short term that's ok, but excessive grinding away at low cadence puts a lot of pressure on the knees and can cause problems

unless you naturally pedal at high cadence, it may take prolonged training to get your legs used to putting out power at higher speed

Hoopdriver

Just enjoy you ride and go with what feels most comfortable at the time.

ShutUpLegs

The ability to do both is better

napahighcycling

Learning to "spin" gears is much more effective because it reduces stress on your knees.
Another reason:
If you are maxed out in your highest gear, but are accustomed to lower cadences, your max speed will be significantly lower than if you are used to spinning high gears. It is better to spin above 85 rpms.

It does vary though. For instance, I stay at anywhere from 70-88 rpm when climbing, around 100 on flats, 111 when I am pushing it on flats, and when putting out immense efforts I get to about 120 or so.
On a descent, since I have junior gearing, I occasionally get my cadence up to about 160 in an all out sprint to set a max speed on my cyclocomputer

And Lance Armstrong popularized high cadence climbing during his domination of the Tour.

fludey

160 :shock: Shesh how do you get up there, I generally sit between 80/90. I find if I go much over 110 I'm bouncing out the seat and can't keep the rhythm going.
Am I doing something wrong or do some just naturally spin at very high RPM?

sungod

i've read that there're some bmx riders who can do 200+, it's short bursts, still insanely fast though

there'll always be some who can go higher than others, but over time you can train your legs to go faster

niblue

I've got a cadence sensor on one of my bikes and can see that I find it easier spinning higher revs when going uphill. Normally my cadence is in the 80-90 range but on any decent size climb I find I spin about 100rpm.

davala95

ok thanks fro the advice ... seems I need to work a little bit lower on the gear range

although, (showing my inexperience here) what do you mean by "spinning", is it simply pedaling??

sungod

yep, spinning in this context is pedaling at a high cadence (vs. grinding in a lower one)

pinno

Track riders develop phenominal leg speed because they are mainly on a fixed gear. You need to find a nice flat, smooth, quiet road and practise spinning the gear whilst keeping your body still and the bike in a straight line.
Before too long a cadence of 90 with a smooth style is easily achievable. Count 15 pedal strokes over a 10 second period (90rpm), you will find that its not uncomfortably quick.
Cadel Evans, having covered 2000 miles plus, had an average cadence of 104 for the final TT in the TDF last year!
Initially, do not worry about speed, condition is acheived through high pedalling speeds. Condition is:

Fitness
Stamina
Strength
Speed of recovery.

I can tell a half decent cyclist 200 yds away just by pedalling style and bike position.
The Belgians say (and they know a lot about cycling) 'Souplesse' - (suppleness roughly translated) and the Italians say Piano Piano, its much the same thing - pedalling softly but fast and smooth.
Try pulling up on the pedal stroke as well as using the arms as a lever on the handlebars to pin yourself to the saddle at the same time. A turbo trainer is ideal for practising spinning gears. Do it in short bursts and just see how fast the legs can go whilst keeping the bike in a nice straight line.

mattshrops

I'm guessing the 160 rpm is linked to being on junior gears and therefore being a youth and made out of rubber


OP you can do a little test of cadence/speed/effort, on a fairly flat run while you are pushing on at a good speed try holding the same speed whilst you first change up a gear and then change down a gear. Most people are surprised they can hold the same speed at a higher cadence with a lower perceived effort.