Tour of Cambridgeshire

[AndStilliRise]

Usget said:

Sounds like you're pushing too big a gear - have you tried some cadence drills?

? Err no. I am more of a (wannabe) runner. Not really sure what i should/should not be doing on a bike. i just thought that my running fitness would translate onto the bike.

[Marcellus]

Cycling is quite a bit about technique as well as pure fitness/power!

[SixPotBelly]

AndStilliRise said:

? Err no. I am more of a (wannabe) runner. Not really sure what i should/should not be doing on a bike. i just thought that my running fitness would translate onto the bike.

If you're transitioning from another sport you'll have the aerobic fitness but not the cycling-specific muscle strength. So you'd be better spinning an easy gear at a high rpm than trying to push hard gears slowly. Everyone has their own sweet spot, but if you're currently averaging 70rpm maybe aim for 90.

Higher rpm can feel unnatural at first but becomes less so with practice. I went through a similar process as I came from wannabe running also, but now my default cadence is higher my HR more closely mimics that I'd had whilst running.

[Gruffy]

Same here. Gradually upping my cadence from 75-80 to 90-100 has helped to overcome a lack of strength in my cycling guns.

[AndStilliRise]

I am going to need something that tells me my cadence. I have Garmin Fenix at the moment but due to being on wrist can be difficult to read whilst riding.