Optimum Cadence for 91% FTP 3x20?

wiredued said:

I have been in a bit of a rut with my 3x20s on the KK at 97rpm in the 52/21 combo (next cog being 18T in the low 80rpm range) until I changed my cassette which allowed me to get back down to about 89 RPM in the 52/19 combo and with a notable power increase. Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

I like 85 rpms

wiredued said:

Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

Why not mix it up? For instance, I know that I climb at a lower cadence than I ride on the flats, even though the given power may be the same. Likewise, making power at a given cadence feels different between my road bike and my TT rig. Why not get a feel for making power at low cadences and high cadences? You're getting a little too fixated on the issue imho.

wiredued said:

I have been in a bit of a rut with my 3x20s on the KK at 97rpm in the 52/21 combo (next cog being 18T in the low 80rpm range) until I changed my cassette which allowed me to get back down to about 89 RPM in the 52/19 combo and with a notable power increase. Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

I'd have thought cadence of choice was just that - whatever works for you.

I don't even think about how fast I'm pedalling, nor watch or care that much about it, I just ride with power/RPE. Turns out I ride 'em at ~100rpm. Higher intensity intervals I tend to pedal faster.

I do find myself spending a great deal of my spare time thinking of such things I think I am becoming a cycling geek.🙂

shawndoggy said:

Why not get a feel for making power at low cadences and high cadences? You're getting a little too fixated on the issue imho.

This is interesting and makes me wonder what your happy TT cadence is.

Alex Simmons said:

I'd have thought cadence of choice was just that - whatever works for you.

I don't even think about how fast I'm pedalling, nor watch or care that much about it, I just ride with power/RPE. Turns out I ride 'em at ~100rpm. Higher intensity intervals I tend to pedal faster.

wiredued said:

Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

I'm not sure if my self-selected cadence is 'optimum', but I do tend to do trainer SST at 85-90rpm. My self-selected cadence tends to be a little bit lower on the trainer than on the road.

wiredued said:

happy TT

? No such thing😉😄

wiredued said:

I have been in a bit of a rut with my 3x20s on the KK at 97rpm in the 52/21 combo (next cog being 18T in the low 80rpm range) until I changed my cassette which allowed me to get back down to about 89 RPM in the 52/19 combo and with a notable power increase. Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

105rpm on the trainer for SST or L4
On the road normally 100-110rpm (headwind 90-100rpm, tailwind 105-120rpm)

wiredued said:

I have been in a bit of a rut with my 3x20s on the KK at 97rpm in the 52/21 combo (next cog being 18T in the low 80rpm range) until I changed my cassette which allowed me to get back down to about 89 RPM in the 52/19 combo and with a notable power increase. Is this the cadence of choice for most riders targeting 91% FTP?

I use a minimum of 4 different workouts to accomplish the same objective as 20min. intervals -- I live in Maine and do a lot of indoor trainer work and having variety keeps one mentally fresh and also provides a broader metric for assessing progress.

Best,
Bill Black

Bill Black said:

I use a minimum of 4 different workouts to accomplish the same objective as 20min. intervals -- I live in Maine and do a lot of indoor trainer work and having variety keeps one mentally fresh and also provides a broader metric for assessing progress.

Best,
Bill Black

I do all levels at a mixture of cadences, just to have a broader range.

I have to pay attention or I tend to let my cadence drop.

But my "favorite", self selected cadence has always been 85, ever since I took my first AT test over a dozen years ago, before I had any preconceptions of what I was "suposed" to be doing. 85 still feels best for Level 4.

Sorry for the short answer earlier[img]cyclingforums.comicon12.gifOpen ↗[/img]