High Cadence = Big difference

[benverner]

I've been mashing pretty good on most of my rides trying to improve my speed. last night I was a little sore so I decided to just spin, get some blood flowing, work on my spinning etc.



I came in a full mph over my average at the end of my ride, same 20 mi I always do. I set my computer to show cadence and distance only and I tried to keep as close to 100 rpm as I could usually between 97-93 consistantly. I pulled in the garage and went through the computer and WOW 19 mph average! AND I'm not sore today. Spinning won't get you big legs but it will get you big lungs I bet.

[af895]

Heheheheh. I'm outta shape and can't gronk on the pedals at low RPM without hurting my knees severely.

I CAN spin pretty fast.

I have a ride partner (aka: MOM!) who runs about 50% lower cadence and always comments on mine. I'm probably in the 85-95 range most of the time. As you've suggested, I don't suspect I'll get thunder-thighs this way but it will burn fat.

My knees/IT band is a lot stronger after a few months of this and I'm finding I can handle lower cadences now without hurting myself so I do intervals to give my muscles more resistance.

[operator]

... wind?

[craigery]

Hmm...funny you posted this because I noticed the same thing on my commute in to work. I would ride on a lower gear and spin faster and I would end up going a few mph faster than my average. Hopefully I can burn more fat this way. I'm going to try it for a couple of weeks to see if it helps. I think I can also go futher because I wont be wearing my legs out as quickly.

[Don Gwinn]

I'm just starting to explore this cadence thing. My computer doesn't show it (or average speeds) and it's about time to get a better one.

I'm a big, big guy with not much going for me in cycling except a high threshold for pain and strong legs, so I tend to mash. I've only had my OCR2 a little over a week, so during this week I've been exploring the art of shifting (I just about never shifted my old MTB; the front derailleur froze up and the rear refused to hold a gear for years, and I never bothered to do anything about them because I didn't really think I needed them.)

I have found I like to spin a little faster than I used to, but I'm mystified by pedaling technique. I know you're supposed to go in circles, and I have toe straps to keep my feet on the pedals, but no matter what I try it feels like it's just the cranks forcing my feet to go in circles regardless. Doesn't feel like I'm increasing the "circularity" of the motion at all by any effort I make.

I'd like to spin more, not less, because I want to lose fat as fast as possible and when I take the short way to work I'm on the bike maybe 20 minutes when I'm going at a good clip, so they might as well be 20 highly aerobic minutes.

[NzAndy]

Here is a link to a page that helps to cover some of the finer points of pedalling.

http://www.sportzhub.com/PerformanceLab/pedalling.html

I get accused of mashing sometimes but when I'm pedalling slowly I'm usually doing miminum effort to maintain my speed while I have a drink or catch my breath from the last hill climb. If I'm trying to make tracks I keep the cadence above 75 to 80. It seems to work for me.

[cedo]

Perhaps one of the reasons your average speed is higher is that your muscle building activity ("mashing") has worked so that now when you go back to spinning you have more power behind the pedalling.

[af895]

cedo: I tend to agree with you.

There's an article by Paul Chek called "The Chunky Syndrome" that fits well with this discussion.

Take a look: http://totalkaizen.com/articles/chunky.html

[cedo]

"The Chunky Syndrome"

af,
Thanks for that article. My wife works about 2 hours a day and can't seem to lose any more weight. I have told her she just needs to burn more calories than she takes in, but I know that's too simplistic. The article provides a simple manageable workout structure. I'll pass it along.

[DannoXYZ]

Perhaps one of the reasons your average speed is higher is that your muscle building activity ("mashing") has worked so that now when you go back to spinning you have more power behind the pedalling.

Yup, that's where sprints and intervals comes in... Does wonders for building up strength and increasing your average speed. If you do sprints and intervals intentionally with structured workouts rather than getting them in by accident, you'd improve that much faster... :)

[Walkafire]

I'm just starting to explore this cadence thing. My computer doesn't show it (or average speeds) and it's about time to get a better one.

I'm a big, big guy with not much going for me in cycling except a high threshold for pain and strong legs, so I tend to mash. I've only had my OCR2 a little over a week, so during this week I've been exploring the art of shifting (I just about never shifted my old MTB; the front derailleur froze up and the rear refused to hold a gear for years, and I never bothered to do anything about them because I didn't really think I needed them.)

I have found I like to spin a little faster than I used to, but I'm mystified by pedaling technique. I know you're supposed to go in circles, and I have toe straps to keep my feet on the pedals, but no matter what I try it feels like it's just the cranks forcing my feet to go in circles regardless. Doesn't feel like I'm increasing the "circularity" of the motion at all by any effort I make.

I'd like to spin more, not less, because I want to lose fat as fast as possible and when I take the short way to work I'm on the bike maybe 20 minutes when I'm going at a good clip, so they might as well be 20 highly aerobic minutes.

Don, Keep up the good work!
I am a big guy also...6'4" 232
What I did before I got my CatEye Astrale 8
I counted... yep counted my Cadance.... 1..2..3..4....1..2..3..4...etc.
If I found I wanted to go faster... I would count as I did with Music... ...1..AND..2..AND..3..AND..4..AND..
Sounds funny but it worked.

Mind you I have had this CatEye for about 10 years now. I would buy another if this thing went out. Here is the NEW one: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16439&subcategory_ID=4110
I run about 85-90 rpm...when I fall to 80 or below, I know it's time to shift.
It has made biking a lot easier...

Good luck to ya!

*The MPH ...avg. Speed... Max Speed.... is all nice, but I live on the Cadance of the computer.

[ron19]

I've been mashing pretty good on most of my rides trying to improve my speed. last night I was a little sore so I decided to just spin, get some blood flowing, work on my spinning etc.



I came in a full mph over my average at the end of my ride, same 20 mi I always do. I set my computer to show cadence and distance only and I tried to keep as close to 100 rpm as I could usually between 97-93 consistantly. I pulled in the garage and went through the computer and WOW 19 mph average! AND I'm not sore today. Spinning won't get you big legs but it will get you big lungs I bet.

I'm in total admiration of you guys who can do 90-100 rpm. I don't have a monitor but have counted manually and can only get to 70-75. If I try to do 80 my legs come off !! I've been riding for 2 years ,am 56 years old and currently do 100 miles a week. Incidentally,I've been watching LA VUELTA and these guys seem to be doing 80-85.

[af895]

FWIW, doing 110rpm with 180mm crank arms may be painful but it's a different story with 160mm arms... ;) I heard that when Lance Armstrong was discussing with his coach riding at higher cadence, they switched to shorter cranks.

[cibai]

fwiw, I find it helps my pedal stroke not to think of pedaling, but swimming. It seems to help take the focus off the downward pressure, and onto the rest of the pedal stroke. Same for running.