(De)Cadence...

Whatever works for you. I'm generally in the 80-90 RPM range, though climbing a steep hill that might drop to 60-70 RPM. Descending I might spin up to 110-120 RPM or so.

You can train your cadence to spin faster with less force applied per pedal stroke, or you can train yourself to "mash"--which is not as good for your joints.

Higher cadences also mean cleaner, crisper shifts. If you are already pedaling slowly and hit a hill that makes you slow down even more, you may not be able to execute a downshift. Higher cadences give your feet some angular momentum (think flywheel) that give you more opportunity to downshift when you come upon a hill that slows you down.

Hmmm I think I have to get one of those cadence sensors...

One rotation of one crank in one second is 60 RPM. So if you count one second as your right pedal goes in a complete circle from the 6 o'clock position to the 6 o'clock position, that's 60 RPM. If you add another half circle to that and keep it to a second, that's 90 RPM. 1.25 revolutions in 1 second (one full revolution plus going from 6 o'clock to 9 o'clock, for example) would be 75 RPM.

That would get you started, but I do like having a computer with a cadence function--I find it more useful than speed while I'm riding.

Yeah or the old school wristwatch shortcut. Count your pedal strokes on one side only for 6 seconds and add a zero to get your cadence.

Volnix said:

Hmmm I think I have to get one of those cadence sensors...

its likely that your current bike computer has the capability already to read cadence, in which case you only need to buy the sensor accessory for that brand and model,

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by vspa [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

its likely that your current bike computer has the capability already to read cadence, in which case you only need to buy the sensor accessory for that brand and model,

Hmmm I dont really want to install a computer.
I thought that there would be a very simple cadence meter but there isnt. 🙁 Its just computers with multiple functions that also display cadence or some borg kind of stuff witch display everything... [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif[/IMG]

its worth to have one, especially if you do indoor training or cycle solo most days, even if you don't look at the data all the time you will get important feedback when checking out the workout memory. Having said that, i had two weeks without my chest strap for the heart rate displays so i rode without heart rate information and i kind of liked it... but now im using all data again, its the modern times !

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by vspa [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

its worth to have one, especially if you do indoor training or cycle solo most days, even if you don't look at the data all the time you will get important feedback when checking out the workout memory.
Having said that, i had two weeks without my chest strap for the heart rate displays so i rode without heart rate information and i kind of liked it... but now im using all data again, its the modern times !

Hmmm basically I went for a ride this morning and got very tired very fast and was pretty slow on my way back. So I was thinking of getting a cadence sensor to try to built up speed with a more "constant" effort or something. I am not racing or anything but I like to cycle whenever I can to have some exercise to counter balance with the beer and get some fresh air. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]

I record the rides with strava and get some basic data output for speed over distance or time. The cadence sensors I checked either send the data directly to a large display device (phone laptop etc) which is pretty bulky to place on the handlebars or they send the data to a cycle-computer (like the cateye stuff) which you cant export to a laptop (not that I mind but it would be a nice to know the cadence over the time in a graph too).

I was basically looking for just a cadence displaying thing but it seems that a computer is the way to go to have the data easily available whilst on the bike.

the third choice is a wristwatch device with cycling capabilities (after iphone-strava and bike computer but in no particular order of hierarchy), that is what i actually use for cadence, and yes the magic number is 90 rpm, for the flats at least, it could be a bit higher or a bit lower, but almost always in that zone,

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by daveryanwyoming [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Yeah or the old school wristwatch shortcut. Count your pedal strokes on one side only for 6 seconds and add a zero to get your cadence.

We counted for 15 and multiplied by four. Finer granularity. Learned how to do this before bike computers were invented.

Your way is easier for the mental-mathematically deficient.

I am currently trying to do 1.5 revs per second which should be around 90 per minute... It works pretty well for not getting tired but speed is probably the same.

90 rpm is a good goal. With a little coordination it's pretty attainable, and there's enough leg speed for momentum, torque, and acceleration. And pushing hard at 90 doesn't stress the joints.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Volnix [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Hmmm basically I went for a ride this morning and got very tired very fast and was pretty slow on my way back. So I was thinking of getting a cadence sensor to try to built up speed with a more "constant" effort or something. I am not racing or anything but I like to cycle whenever I can to have some exercise to counter balance with the beer and get some fresh air. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]

I record the rides with strava and get some basic data output for speed over distance or time. The cadence sensors I checked either send the data directly to a large display device (phone laptop etc) which is pretty bulky to place on the handlebars or they send the data to a cycle-computer (like the cateye stuff) which you cant export to a laptop (not that I mind but it would be a nice to know the cadence over the time in a graph too).

I was basically looking for just a cadence displaying thing but it seems that a computer is the way to go to have the data easily available whilst on the bike.

Your cadence will not affect how tired you are. At least not by much. Power output will affect how soon you get tired. A speedometer with cadence costs $20. Something to measure power costs $600 lightly used.

I have bad knees due to a car/bicycle accident. I get along with an average 81 cadence while pedaling (not counting the coasting sections) on 3 hour rides. Low cadence does not cause me any knee problems not even 40rpms at 125% FTP up steep hills. I am comfortable pedaling above 100rpms. I just don't have a reason to do so for long periods of time.

---

Just go out and ride your bike. Do what is comfortable. In time you will get stronger and increase your endurance.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by An old Guy [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Your cadence will not affect how tired you are. At least not by much. Power output will affect how soon you get tired. A speedometer with cadence costs $20. Something to measure power costs $600 lightly used.

I have bad knees due to a car/bicycle accident. I get along with an average 81 cadence while pedaling (not counting the coasting sections) on 3 hour rides. Low cadence does not cause me any knee problems not even 40rpms at 125% FTP up steep hills. I am comfortable pedaling above 100rpms. I just don't have a reason to do so for long periods of time.

---

Just go out and ride your bike. Do what is comfortable. In time you will get stronger and increase your endurance.

Thats what I ment with low rpm. I had a small dash in the beginning of the ride where I was pushing the bike on a higher gear and then I got exhausted. I could gradually get to that speed with a higher cadence on a lower gear and not get tired.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by An old Guy [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Your cadence will not affect how tired you are. At least not by much. Power output will affect how soon you get tired. A speedometer with cadence costs $20. Something to measure power costs $600 lightly used.

I have bad knees due to a car/bicycle accident. I get along with an average 81 cadence while pedaling (not counting the coasting sections) on 3 hour rides. Low cadence does not cause me any knee problems not even 40rpms at 125% FTP up steep hills. I am comfortable pedaling above 100rpms. I just don't have a reason to do so for long periods of time.

---

Just go out and ride your bike. Do what is comfortable. In time you will get stronger and increase your endurance.

Forty years ago I damaged my right knee by chuffing big gears at low cadence. It became so bad that I could ride no more than 20 miles a day and I could barely walk down stairs after riding. I thought my cycling was finished until I started doing club runs with a racing club and got my cadence in the 90-100 rpm range. These days I get a little arthritis in my lower extremities and I still injure myself from time to time. Low-stress pedaling is part of my rehab and maintenance program.

If you are happy with the way you're riding and you're not hurting yourself, then don't change. If you're trying to attain a new level of performance, be it going farther, faster, or higher, then cadence development should be a part of your program.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by oldbobcat [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Forty years ago I damaged my right knee by chuffing big gears at low cadence. It became so bad that I could ride no more than 20 miles a day and I could barely walk down stairs after riding. I thought my cycling was finished until I started doing club runs with a racing club and got my cadence in the 90-100 rpm range. These days I get a little arthritis in my lower extremities and I still injure myself from time to time. Low-stress pedaling is part of my rehab and maintenance program.

If you are happy with the way you're riding and you're not hurting yourself, then don't change. If you're trying to attain a new level of performance, be it going farther, faster, or higher, then cadence development should be a part of your program.

Basically I am just doing 20-30km runs every few days. Havent checked any athletic clubs so far. I was wondering if I am exercising in the correct way...

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Volnix [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Basically I am just doing 20-30km runs every few days. Havent checked any athletic clubs so far. I was wondering if I am exercising in the correct way...

While you're on some flat level road, using your watch, count pedal strokes (on one side) for 15 seconds. Multiply the count by 4 and you get rpm. After a while hitting your target cadence becomes instinctive.

Below 70 rpm might lead to injury if you're pushing hard. 80-90 is a good goal for getting some decent power down. Road racers generally cruise at 90-110. The most painless way to boost rpm is to drop down a cog or two or three until you hit your target. Then as your power increases you can increase the gearing without lowering cadence. That equals going faster. Nearly all cyclists can benefit from a little more cadence.

Benefits of higher cadence include stressing the cardio system over the legs, more suppleness in the muscles, less muscle bulk and strain, and increased ability to power through hills, winds, bad road, and other impediments while dropping less speed. In fact, the exercise of maintaining speed over varying conditions, called fartlek training, is a good moderate stress interval workout.

Everyone has their own magical number, just take a look at the low cadence style of Tony Martin vs. the high cadence style of Lance, yes Lance Armstrong. Personally my last TT was at an average or 103rpm or so, I go lower when climbing or whenever it suites my riding soup-du-jour, but just find what feels comfortable. I do find bridging gaps and acceleration changes at speed are easier the faster I am pedaling however. Ya ever floor an anemic 4-speed manual in top gear while in low revs? Doesn't work so great. Learn to accelerate through your gearbox and shift when it feels like you are close to spinning out, on a Kawasaki ZX-11 Ninja that would be about 90mph in 2nd gear.