Power Vs Cadence

TooSloJoe said:

For foundation mile training, is it better to have a higher cadence with a lower wattage, or vice versa.

For instance, on a slight grade, i can produce approximately 260 watts at a cadence of 81-83 with a hr of about 152. If I spin a little more in a smaller gear, I can have a cadence of 92 with wattage of only 240 and a heart rate of 152.

So for foundation miles, which is better?

I'd say that depends: do you race, and if so, can you pedal smoothly at a sufficiently high cadence to be able to accelerate well, close gaps, etc.? If you do race but can't do the latter, then pedaling at the higher cadence during your "foundations miles" may be better in the long run. However, if you don't race, or if you do race but don't have any problem pedaling smoothly at a cadence that allows you to generate the requisite power, then I wouldn't worry about it.

Okay, sounds good.

i was just wondering. I do plan to start racing again this year after a haitus, but dont have a problem with spinning. I am trying to increase my wattage output, so i thought that training at the higher wattage would be better.

Thanks

TooSloJoe said:

I am trying to increase my wattage output, so i thought that training at the higher wattage would be better.

If you're training by power, then don't let HR drive your intensity level. Pedal so that your power is in the right zone and just be aware that doing so at a higher cadence will produce a somewhat higher HR (ie, something to note, but not to worry about).

If your training plan calls for 260w, then don't stop at 240w just because your HR exceeds 152bpm.