Cadence

[mrmr96]

What's it all about then? I think I've grasped that it's the rate at which you're pedalling (like RPM for your legs.)
Going at a constant speed cadence will change based on gearing, so I can alter my cadence with the gears.

So, why does it matter? (Please help me as I'm trying to learn about riding for fitness.)

[Japsteeze]

Think of cadence as similar to RPM of an engine. Although you may have plent of power in your legs (torque) you can only exploit so much power at a certain cadence.

The most efficient cadence to ride at is around 80-90 rpm.

On the flat, you can probably cruise at a slightly lower cadence, but when going up hills then its much easier to sit in a lower gear with a higher cadence. Also you'll tire your legs out less and be able to ride for longer.

Track sprinters hit cadences of 160+ , as they have single speed bikes and must be able to accelerate quickly but then must hold such a high cadence to keep their speed up.

[crisisjez]

Use the gears to maintain a constant cadence, when you run out of gears either rule 5 it or let the cadence drop off.
You are also less likely to injure yourself by overstressing at a higher cadence too.





















(I'll let someone else explain what rule 5 is)

[anonymous-user]

Why does it matter? Think of it this way: what's easier - lifting a 25kg weight 40 times or lifting a 5kg weight 200 times.

Little and often allows you to stay aerobic, rather than anaerobic. Anaerobic = lactic acid = pain. So you're better off turning the pedals at a high frequency and low load (spinning) than at a low frequency and high load (mashing).

[Raven Flyer]

Low cadence and high leg power puts more strain on your leg muscles and they will fill with lactic acid and tire. High cadence puts the train on your heart and your heart recovers very quickly.

Cadence is critical to getting your distances and average speeds up.

[mrmr96]

Ok, sounds like it is important then!

I guess that so long as you're not in top or bottom gear, then you can vary your cadence for any given speed, or (as you guys have suggested) keep my cadence in a certain zone but use the gears to vary my road speed.

My technique for climbing short hills (like 200m, so very short) would be to put the bike in a very high gear and crank really hard. My legs would be burning like hell by the time I got up - which means that they're full of lactic acid and I think it also meant I was working anaerobically during the sprint.

I've been trying to choose a computer, and trying to decide if a cadence read out if worth while, and it sounds like it might be - so I can aim to keep in an RPM zone rather than targeting a road speed. (Esp since I'm riding for health, not for competition.)

[daz3210]

The thing is a cadence equipped computer is expensive. And you may not use it for that long if all you want to do is work out what your natural rate is.

There have been suggestions (I think on here) of ways of using a cheap cycle computer to give the same information at a lower price.

[anonymous-user]

mrmr96 said:

My technique for climbing short hills (like 200m, so very short) would be to put the bike in a very high gear and crank really hard. My legs would be burning like hell by the time I got up - which means that they're full of lactic acid and I think it also meant I was working anaerobically during the sprint.

Yep - correct. For a short hill though that's what most people would do and there's nothing wrong with it (in fact, it cam be a quite good training technique to build strength/sprinting power). But as you've realised, it's not a strategy for a longer hill.

A cateye computer with cadence should be around £30. Wireless makes for a cleaner installation.

[crisisjez]

mrmr96 said:

My technique for climbing short hills (like 200m, so very short) would be to put the bike in a very high gear and crank really hard. My legs would be burning like hell by the time I got up - which means that they're full of lactic acid and I think it also meant I was working anaerobically during the sprint.

Thats a kind of interval training and is very good for improving strength and anaerobic fitness. For longer rides you need to rapid fire the gears down as the cadence starts to drop and stay in the saddle, if you are looking at a time for the whole ride the best technique is to make sure you crest the climb and power out before reducing the effort to poke your lungs back in your mouth (this is the point that I get out of the saddle if necessary). This will result in a higher average speed as you ride away from the climb rather than sitting at a low speed and cadence waiting for your legs and lungs.
Short term, just pedal as fast as you can for the total ride without overstressing your heart or breathing and my guess is you'll be give or take in the 90rpm region.
It will feel very fast though.

Edited by crisisjez on Saturday 1st September 14:03

[S6PNJ]

daz3210 said:

There have been suggestions (I think on here) of ways of using a cheap cycle computer to give the same information at a lower price.

I suggested it on the Lidl bike bits thread, link here