Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

I have been focusing a lot on my cadence. it has gone from the low 70s to the high 80s, but after watching the TDF and readinga lot esp about TTs and i am alarmed about how high the cadence is.


So what is a good cadenced?????? I know this depends on flats, hills, distance, TTs

BarryTas wrote:I have been focusing a lot on my cadence. it has gone from the low 70s to the high 80s, but after watching the TDF and readinga lot esp about TTs and i am alarmed about how high the cadence is.


So what is a good cadenced?????? I know this depends on flats, hills, distance, TTs

That seems to be a tough question.. I think it varies for different people. Maybe other cyclist who post up their cadence under different riding conditions might give you a better idea.

5-8% gradient hill cadence (<3km) is about 85 to 90rpm on the saddle
4-6% gradient hill (<8km), cadence is about 90 to 95 rpm
pushing hard for an ITT (30km), 95 to 100 rpm on a painful gearing
easy riding 95 rpm to 100 rpm on an easy gearing
sucking wheel, 100 to 110 rpm on a moderate gear
1 hour on the trainer 110rpm on a moderate gear
down hill < 170rpm (should not even be pedaling)

My average cadence on 120km rides with 1500m of climbing and uphill and downhill is typically around 100 rpm.

J

Thankyou

Oh what is evryone else's cadence ?

Average cadence for most of my rides is around 100, but may be lower if I do a lot of climbing. Generally on the flat I am comfortable with the 95-105 rpm range, climbing (10%+ gradient) it generally drops to around 70 (not that I want it to, I just can't seem to go any faster).

I have no idea what my cadence is and I don't care!

nescius wrote:Average cadence for most of my rides is around 100, but may be lower if I do a lot of climbing. Generally on the flat I am comfortable with the 95-105 rpm range, climbing (10%+ gradient) it generally drops to around 70 (not that I want it to, I just can't seem to go any faster).

+1. If I could, I would, but that would mean I have to use 50-34 and only one of my bikes have a 50-34 chain set...... the one I seldom use.

J

philip wrote:I have no idea what my cadence is and I don't care!

+2

toolonglegs wrote:

philip wrote:I have no idea what my cadence is and I don't care!

+2

+3
most of my riding is done commuting on the Single Speed
Sometimes cadence is 30 sometimes its 130
I just ride as fast as i can

Don

My average is 87, & slowly improving, but I'am an old fart

If I'm just cruising along on flat ground (what I would think of as the equivalent of walking on the bike) it's around 75-80.

If I pick up the pace it's 95+

Going up hills my natural tendancy is to drop to somewhere in the 70s, I have to actually think about it to spin faster in an easier gear. This is probably something I should focus on more.

Then when they get too steep it's whatever I can do, towing my son in the kiddiecarrier up the hill to home I've seen it drop as low as 32 with a speed of 4.7 km/h.

What is meant by 'good' when referring to cadence?

Take a look at dutch commuters or cyclists in Fitzroy on a sunny day. Most cyclists taking it casually don't spin at 80+ cadence. Thats because the right cadence depends on the person and depends on the intensity. For the human motor it is more important to stay in the comfortable torque band than comfortable cadence.

Its not too disimilar with cars. Sure maximum power might be at 6000rpm but the engine will cruise leisurely at 2500...

silkishuge wrote:That seems to be a tough question.. I think it varies for different people. Maybe other cyclist who post up their cadence under different riding conditions might give you a better idea.

5-8% gradient hill cadence (<3km) is about 85 to 90rpm on the saddle
4-6% gradient hill (<8km), cadence is about 90 to 95 rpm
pushing hard for an ITT (30km), 95 to 100 rpm on a painful gearing
easy riding 95 rpm to 100 rpm on an easy gearing
sucking wheel, 100 to 110 rpm on a moderate gear
1 hour on the trainer 110rpm on a moderate gear
down hill < 170rpm (should not even be pedaling)

My average cadence on 120km rides with 1500m of climbing and uphill and downhill is typically around 100 rpm.

J

That all sounds like hogwash to me.

Spin cadence that feels the best for you and choose the gear to suit.

A casual conversation with a coach " if you learn to spin at 100 cadence comfortably at an easier gear then you slowly introduce a higher gear, this will improve you quicker than trying to push a higer gear with a lower cadence."
With my Garmin I find the exercise facinating & will be trying to improve cadence to av90 by December.

Mustang wrote:A casual conversation with a coach " if you learn to spin at 100 cadence comfortably at an easier gear then you slowly introduce a higher gear, this will improve you quicker than trying to push a higer gear with a lower cadence."
With my Garmin I find the exercise facinating & will be trying to improve cadence to av90 by December.

Agree. For road training rides, I find generally the higher my cadence (ie. selecting lower gears), the better my times/average speeds. And i feel fresher at the end. Much prefer to spin at 110 doing 30km/hr than 85 at the same speed.

BarryTas wrote:Cadence...discuss

nooooooooooooo!

i don't want to see anything titled "pedalling technique" either

human909 wrote:That all sounds like hogwash to me.

Mustang wrote:A casual conversation with a coach " if you learn to spin at 100 cadence comfortably at an easier gear then you slowly introduce a higher gear, this will improve you quicker than trying to push a higer gear with a lower cadence."

Oh dear.

What will improve you "faster" is training at the right effort levels in the right doses.
Cadence is a red herring.

I just got a new speedo with cadence.

I discovered I average a cadence of 60.

However I suspect I've always liked this cadence for the 30 odd years I've been riding. I found it hard to push an average of 70 over 15km's. Let alone 90-100 like you guys are talking about in this thread!! Eeek!

Help?!

so more specificly should i/do i need to/would you recomend that i increase my cadence?

its at 85 average at the moment

BarryTas wrote:so more specificly should i/do i need to/would you recomend that i increase my cadence?

its at 85 average at the moment

Focus on improving power output.
Cadence just comes along for the ride.

The most important thing is,
Are You Having FUN...???...???...!!!...
If the answer is YES, all else is superfluous....

Max...

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:Focus on improving power output

if power = torque x rpm it may be possible to produce more power (with less torque) at a higher rpm, no?

250w on the flat feels easier (by HR, perceived effort, burning quads etc) at say 90rpm on the flats compared to 250w at 60rpm on a hill...at least that's what i think i'm finding with the PM. but you don't really have a choice on a hill if it's steep enough and you're already in 39x25

JV911 wrote:

Alex Simmons/RST wrote:Focus on improving power output

if power = torque x rpm it may be possible to produce more power (with less torque) at a higher rpm, no?...

That's what I was thinking. I don't have a power meter and was thinking the only way I can monitor my power output changes over time is to track my cadence and speed averages. Is this a wrong way to interpret/monitor power output without use of a meter?

Question: How do I ride with a higher cadence?
Answer: Use a lower gear.

Cadence should be what you find most comfortable. If you are trying to maintain high power then be aware that most people racers are more efficient around a cadence of 100. But this varies so much between people that you really should just use what you are comfortable with.

one_damo wrote:That's what I was thinking. I don't have a power meter and was thinking the only way I can monitor my power output changes over time is to track my cadence and speed averages. Is this a wrong way to interpret/monitor power output without use of a meter?

proably too many variables to use average speed as a good guage i.e. wind, terrain, traffic, traffic lights etc etc

philip wrote:I have no idea what my cadence is and I don't care!

+4

Used to care, but now i don't. I focus on other things like breathing and being comfortable. I'm now used to what feels good and what doesn't.

Buggered if I could do 90 - 95rpm up a 4 - 6% hill that is less than 8km. I'm more in the mid 70's to 80's. But the key is what feels good at the time. Each day is different