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Cycling Forum: Proper Cadence

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  1.  
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberVandalay
    • CommentTimeFeb 12th 2008
     
    Vandalay

    Hi All,

     Could someone tell me a good "average" cadence to shoot for during rides?  Someone told me 100 is the number to shoot for.  Seems a bit high for me (but perhaps my endurance will improve if I get it to 100)?

     Thanks for any input!

    - G 

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberswpaulsen
    • CommentTimeFeb 13th 2008
     
    swpaulsen

    I've heard that between 70 and 90 is a good target range.  My bike's cyclometer has a cadence sensor that sure helps to maintain this.  I find that when I'm cycling up a hill, I shift into a higher gear and get off the seat and use a slower cadence (sometimes as slow as 60 RPM).   About the only time that I'll hit the higher end of this range, or exceed it, is when I'm going downhill.  If truth were known on this issue, it probably boils down to an individual body composition and musculature.  A candence slower than this works for me because I have strong legs.

     

    Hope

  3.  
    ThackieKevin

    Hi,

     

    as a long time cyclist I have worked on 80 as a good cadence for "club runs" ~60 for touring, some of my racing buddies reckon 80 in the peleton with modern coaching suggesting 100 for climbing (the lance Armstrong technique) at the end of the day its what works for you - but I would aim at 80 for the longer runs 

  4.  
    backinthebiz
    Proper cadence depends on too many factors to determine a single one for every situation.  For a new cyclist working on technique and starting to build up endurance an average cadence of 80 is a good number to work towards.  The better shape you get into and the more you learn about training will determine what you work on after that.
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberfprintf
    • CommentTimeFeb 18th 2008
     
    fprintf
    I have liked higher cadences since the early 80s, before Lance made it popular. My base cadence is 80. When going up a hill I strive to maintain at least that, finding that it only slips lower when my heart rate gets way high. If my breathing is so heavy that I am gasping, my cadence goes down. Otherwise, it is 80 - 100 on the flats/uphills and then 105+ for the downhills. This is on a geared bike. You may find on a fixed gear bicycle that the range is much greater - you spin slower on the uphills and much faster downhill.
  6.  
    unexceptionalracer
    I'm a racer and coach says 90 or higher is good. When I forget myself in a race and start mashing a big gear, my speed suffers.
  7.  
    mellophonium
    I am very green when it comes to cycling, but I will chime in on this one.  I let my heart rate determine my cadence.  Anytime I have been out on open road, my heart has seemed to be a good metronome for myself.  After riding for a year, I have noticed that my cadence has increased while still in a comfortable range for my heart.  Sorry if I'm being Captain Obvious here, but like I said I'm pretty green when it comes to this subject.
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberRoadie12
    • CommentTimeApr 23rd 2008
     
    Roadie12

    Cadence is kind of a preferential/personal aspect of cycling.  Some people are natural mashers, some are spinners.  One thing I did, after years of mashing, was experiment with different cadences.  It works best if you have a HR monitor.  I've found that my heart rate will actually drop when I get in a "sweet spot".  It's right around 90-95.  If it drops below 85 my HR start to rise a bit and if I go over 100 the same happens.  This is all while maintaining the same speed.  I've also noticed that, on most occasions, if I'm cruising along at 85 rpms or less and then gear it so the rpms go into the 90-95 range, the HR drops and the speed actually can increase.  Now, the only scientific basis I have for this is my own experiments on myself, so I can't be sure that it will work for the general public. Wink  If you want to increase your RPMs then I would suggest some high cadence workouts.  very high RPMs, very low resistance.  I usually aim to hit 120-130 rpms for 3-5 minutes at a time with equal recovery.  HR shouldn't really factor in, but you don't want to go anaerobic.  I used to have problems maintaining  cadences over 115.  But after doing a lot of leg speed work over the years, I can now comfortably stay in the 130-140 range for extended periods of time.  I actually hit 165 the other day, granted I almost bounced myself out of the saddle, which is not a good thing, but I hit it.  When doing your high cadence work you want to make sure that you're able to maintain the cadence without bouncing in the saddle.  Hope this helped some!

     

    Jim 

  9.  
    shawnskee22

    Jimweber3,

     As a new cyclist that is some very helpful advice. 

     

    I have been doing triathlons off and on for a year having also done a century ride last august. I know at the time I was able to keep my cadence at around 95 somewhat comfortably. I just got back out on the bike about a month ago and have been gearing up for my second century ride that will be next weekend, unfortunately I havent been paying attention to the cadence. I am getting a ride in tomorrow morning though and i will see where i am at. 

     

    • CommentAuthorChampionship Membershipwightboi
    • CommentTimeJul 27th 2008
     
    wightboi
    I like 95-100 if i'm riding fast... i think the high cadence at high speed helps battle the increased wind resistance... if i'm only riding around 18-20 mph i keep it around 75 - 80
    • CommentAuthorBronze membershipjbrownjib
    • CommentTimeAug 21st 2009
     
    jbrownjib
    I think that cadence depends upon the terrain, strength and endurance. I average 80-82 but I live in Georgia which can be hilly. On flats I run at 90-105 (I am more aggressive on flats and slight uphills) and downhill 100-125. I need to work on my climbing technique and hope to improve my uphill cadence which I climb between 60-80 rpm. However, for right now I am happy at 80-82 but I do try to improve and hope to one day run at 90 rpm.
    • CommentAuthorChampionship Membershipmikep
    • CommentTimeSep 19th 2009
     
    mikep
    Like most of the above comments I try to stay above 80rpms as a base.  iI like to hang around 90 on flats.  That being said some days I change it up, maybe one day I try to stay 60-70 and work on power another stay above 100 the whole ride.  i have a few regular routes I do, so this helps keep things fresh and I think it's good to change things up from a training/endurance standpoint.

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