Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - What to work on first / next ...

I've been taking to my bike kinda seriously for about 2 weeks now, and can see some progress. My cadence has gone from an average in the 60s, to one in the 80s, and I am very often in the 90s (two or three times I've gotten it over 100). I can ride 20 miles fairly easily with an average speed between 13 - 15 MPH. It seems that when I concentrate on cadence, my MPH goes down for now. I understand that this will get better ... spinning is really helping with the hills though! (My ride includes some urban sections getting to / from, which really tank my MPH average. Oh well.)

So my question ... should I a) work on doing my current 20 mile loop faster, b)concentrate on cadence / form over that 20 mile loop, or C) should I work on going perhaps a titch slower, but futher ... say 25 - 30 miles, which I am sure I could do if I took it a bit easier than I am now.

My goals are #1) weight loss and #2) would like to be able to do some group type rides by the late fall ...

Thanks again to everyone!

I think you're ready to start breaking up the routine a bit. Use your 20 mile loop for the full on hard ride interval days, and the endurance ride at least once a week of a longer ride, and recovery rides at an east pace. Start developing that explosive power as well as endurance. Outstanding job, BTW:D

I'd mix it up. Why not have a short mileage day of high cadence followed by a long slow ride. It is good to hammer down, but it is also good to cruise and check out the scenery.

I'm new, what is cadence exactly?

-Joseph

Cadence is the number of rotations you make with your pedals per minute. A lot of people ride their bikes with a cadence over 90 for as much of the ride as possible. When I first started riding and got the cyclometer, I thought 100 was terrible and I was jumping out of the seat. Now I can hit 120 and still be pretty even, but anything higher and I feel like I am just bouncing everywhere.

If I am on the road with my Ventura Sport, I am usually pushing myself and watching my heart rate. If I am on trails with my wife on the other bike, I go much slower with everything.

How do you monitor your cadence? Cyclometer? Not trying to hi-jack the trigger, but I am very new to the sport and curious.

-Joseph

How do you monitor your cadence? Cyclometer? Not trying to hi-jack the trigger, but I am very new to the sport and curious.

-Joseph

Best way, if your bike computer does NOT have cadence, set it on timer mode, count the number times one pedal reaches the top of the crank, in 5 seconds, multiply by 12, and you have your cadence. For example if you count 5 then your cadence is 60, 6 would be 72, 6½ would be 78, 7 would be 84, 7½ would be 90, 8 would be 96, 8½ would be 102, 9 would be 108. Theory has it that between 80 and 100 is the most efficient, although many new riders tend to ride much lower then that.

If you find your cadence is much beyond the 100 mark, then your in too low a gear, if it's much below 80 then your in too high a gear, this is the advantage modern bikes with 24 or more speeds have, the gears are closer together, so you can stay within your "power band", much easier.

Wogsterca has it right. I try to keep my cadence over 90 and will run up to the 120 just to raise my heart rate, not to run a high cadence. I am doing it on purpose for my normal workout and when it happens to be flat and my heart rate isn't where I want it.

I did the count the rotations, but then bought a Cateye Strada Cadence cyclometer. I found that once I used the cadence for a week, it is very obvious to me where 80 - 100 is and when I am not doing my 90.

Gotcha! Thanks for the info.

-Joseph

I did the count the rotations, but then bought a Cateye Strada Cadence cyclometer. I found that once I used the cadence for a week, it is very obvious to me where 80 - 100 is and when I am not doing my 90.

Sorry for the threakjack but I was wondering what you thought of the Strada Cadence computer. I've been looking for a comp with cadence and was considering this a one of the options.

You may return to your regularly scheduled thread now.

How long have you been riding, and what has been your duration/intensity/frequency to date?

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will do; if you don't know where you are, a map won't help."