Cadence

AlahDamIt

Bought a Garmin Edge with Cadence sensor and hr monitor, well chuffed with the purchase. How ever being fairly new to road cycling im confused with the right training to go for. Since getting the Garmin I've concentrated on cadence upping from 63 avg to 80 avg which im getting used to. Ive noticed what feels like im going slower averages out to actually being faster :roll:

Should I be concentrating in spinning (Lower gear peddle faster) or crunching (Higher gear peddle slower) ? or is this all down to the individual.

Mikey41

Spinning. Unless you are going slowly up a serious hill.

Holding a higher cadence is much more efficient, isn't slower and is less tiring. Generally you are aiming for between 80 and 90rpm.

Don't use average cadence, just display what you are turning and maintain the spin as much as you can. If you drop below 80, change down, if you start going uncomfortably fast, change up.

RDB66

Spin at 85-100...Believe you me, Your Knees will thank you for it in the long run !! 90 give or take is about right for me.
If your spinning at about 65+, going up to 85+ will seem pretty strange, but it'll soon seem natural if you stick at it.

AlahDamIt

Cheers, managed 35 miles at an avg of 75 this week, most of the time above 80 which ive set as the target. As im newish I don't want to concentrate on cadence just to find ive missed something.

Xingzd

Stick to the cadence until it becomes natural. It won't take a long time. Focusing on spinning doesn't mean that you have to stick to a very low gear. Imagine the way that automobile goes, always start with a low gear and keep spinning, when you feel too light or too heavy on your feet, it's time to change the gear to maintain cadence. You may find you can cycle at about the same gear with higher cadence, then you'll be faster.

sub55

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40011&t=12882231

as a relative beginner i would recommend that you don't overly concern your self with cadence. it will come on just fine as your cardiovascular system improves.

Herbsman

Pedal at a rate that feels comfortable to you.

Secteur

Herbsman wrote:

Pedal at a rate that feels comfortable to you.

+1

Lance Armstrong popularised the high cadence technique, but Jan Ullrich just couldnt replicate it despite trying.

Everyone has their own natural style.

High cadence relies on a good cardiovascular fitness and is hard to maintain unless you are very fit, however it does takr the strain off the knees.

I tend to have a lower cadence and grind up the hills, though i climb quickly, but sometimes my knees feel it. It worked for Jan, and it seems to work for me!

Ultimately find your natural style and stick with it and perfect it.

FlacVest

You ride at a comfortable cadence; spin faster and you'll work your heart; spin slower and your legs will start building up lactic acid and you'll feel the burn. Regardless, you can spin either for longer with a better heart.

If you want to maintain speed on hills, shift into a lower gear, get up, and peddle out of the saddle. There is no "right" or wrong way to do it; Lance was known for spinning high, and there are a ton of guys who spin low.

It's all about what feels right for you; I'm black, and both my parents ran track. As a result, I have a lot of fast twitch (fast glycolytic) muscles and feel like I'm lacking in the slow-twitch/endurance (slow oxidative).

As a result I spin fast. Just do what YOU feel best at, and move around there. People don't understand this and suggest spinning fast or slow or always stay in the seat or whatever, and you should do what feels right for YOU.

Obviously science gets involved and there is a matter of efficiency, but your body will tell you what's right and what isn't.