Training & Nutrition - Low HRM Zone

Hello all,

This is my first post hence pardon my basic questions that I am going to ask.

I am trying to find out how does one maintains cadence of 100 RPM but still be in low HR zones.
Every time I try cycle my HR is around 160 and when I attempt to pedal at around 100 RPM it shoots to 170. If I try to relax and free wheel I am still at 150.

My target is continuous pedaling 100 RPM with zone of less than 140.

Thanks..!

Shift to an easier gear

Hello all,

This is my first post hence pardon my basic questions that I am going to ask.

I am trying to find out how does one maintains cadence of 100 RPM but still be in low HR zones.
Every time I try cycle my HR is around 160 and when I attempt to pedal at around 100 RPM it shoots to 170. If I try to relax and free wheel I am still at 150.

My target is continuous pedaling 100 RPM with zone of less than 140.

Thanks..!

How did you pick this goal? Perhaps you just naturally have a high hear rate.

Newbie poster, probably newbie cyclist. In which case an easier gear won't help much. It takes time, time, time, to develop the neuromuscular coordination to spin the pedals with ease. Years really, but don't give up 'cause it just keeps getting better. Right now, your muscles are fighting each other as the pedals go 'round. The opposing muscles need to learn to relax with only the helping muscles firing.

Relax your toes. Let your feet go flat. Don't allow the soles of your feet to press against the insole of the shoe - try to keep air under your foot. Try to pedal as far around the circle as is comfortable for you. And relax. Try to do just one perfect pedal stroke. Then try to do three in a row. Then try to pedal perfectly for 100'. I can pedal at 115-117 cadence at a 125 HR and I'm nothing special. Just takes time.

Newbie poster, probably newbie cyclist. In which case an easier gear won't help much. It takes time, time, time, to develop the neuromuscular coordination to spin the pedals with ease.

Sure it will help. It's not an issue of not being able to pedal at that cadence, it is just a matter of his HR going up higher than he wants. If he is trying to spin faster but isn't dropping the gear, or dropping it enough, then he will be trying to push more power and not realizing it. You can always just drop to the easiest gear and spin at like 100rpm on the flats if you want; your HR will be down, you just won't be moving very fast.

Newbie - yes
noob cyclist - yes

I ride 40/24 and even if I drop to 40/28 I am still in 160 zone. The reason I am concerned is because at 170 I have to stop pedaling and even by the time I reach around 150 the bike almost stops hence I have to pedal again. Even with low RPM the rate is still around 160+ and slowly climbs to 170.
Else where on forums everybody advise to be on 100+ RPM and they say HR will come down over period of time. In 60+ days of cycling it's not going below 160.

BTW I don't intend to loose weight I am already 145 pounds.

I am totally confused

60 days is nothing, sorry. Don't worry about the high HR. Most folks experience this when starting out. How old are you and male or female? For now, don't worry about riding high cadence everywhere. There are a lot of vocal high cadence riders out there, but in real life most folks ride close to a 90 cadence. Many fine riders spin more slowly than that. So don't worry about that either. It's a breathing/HR/leg stress balance thing. If your legs get tired before you run out of air, you should pedal faster. If you run out of air before your legs feel like the strength is leaving them rapidly, you should pedal more slowly.

As your total mileage increases, you'll gradually pedal faster. What you can do right now is to go out and pedal faster and faster in your lowest gear until you start bouncing in the saddle. Hold that for a minute or two and then go back to your normal cadence and gear for a few minutes. Repeat this high cadence drill several times in a row, on one ride/week. After a few weeks, you should notice a difference. Then try pedaling a very high cadence for 15 to 30 minutes, again 1 day/week. By this time next year, your pedalling will be much more fluid. That's the time frame. Meanwhile, have fun riding and don't worry too much about the technical details. Rack up some miles.

Don't worry about the 100+ rpm thing. To hear people on bike forums everyone spins a high cadence, but that's not what you see out on the road. It is useful for some situations, and for some riders most of the time, but it's not for everyone all the time.

If you're having to stop pedalling at 170 because you are winded, you're working too hard. Try going a little easier.

Is there any reason you picked 160? Maybe you just have a relatively high HR...

Pick any cadence/speed you like, but stay below 140 bpm. Sooner or later you will see improvements. Just don't try to jump over your head.

You heart and muscles will thank you after several months of base training.

Hi all,

So I spent couple of days staying in 40/28 mode and striving to achieve HR of less than 140 but I was pretty unsuccessful. Average HR stayed in 140 but less than 160 but I felt good as compared to my previous rides. I guess I should stay with 40/28 for couple of months until I spin near 100+ and still stay in 140 or less.

During these days I also noticed that while on climbs when I dogmatically try to spin faster I suddenly felt an some kind of pull in my thighs. At that time my HR was 175. I guess 170+ should be lactate threshold and I should eventually learn achieve maximum power between 140-160 zone and still speed at close to 15 Mph. Sadly I don't know how to proceed with this goal.

You are thinking about this all backwards. Now you are mentioning climbing, which you did not say before... Depending on the grade that is a pretty big gear to "spin" and you still have not said how you arrived at 140bpm or 100rpm as a goal.

I am pretty new hence whom ever I have spoken to has always said
1) Strive to stay at higher cadence (100+)
2) Buildup endurance for long distance ride (Stay in lower HR zone)

I don't really have flat roads to ride most of roads that we have certain over bridge with 60-70M in length with close to 45° climb.

What I would like to go for is achieve around 60+ miles ride with close to 20 Mph average speed.

I am pretty new hence whom ever I have spoken to has always said
1) Strive to stay at higher cadence (100+)
2) Buildup endurance for long distance ride (Stay in lower HR zone)

I don't really have flat roads to ride most of roads that we have certain over bridge with 60-70M in length with close to 45° climb.

What I would like to go for is achieve around 60+ miles ride with close to 20 Mph average speed.

I highly doubt you are climbing 45° inclines. That's 100% grade, and as far as I know nobody builds 100% grade roads. It may feel very steep, but it's nowhere near 45°. And if it is, you aren't doing it in a 40/28, and if you are there is no way you are spinning it at 100 rpm. If you are, give Lance a call. He's looking for more members for the Radio Shack team next year.

Cadence doesn't matter nearly as much as people like to make you think it does. Also, what is your max HR? If your max is 170 or so, you really aren't in a low zone at 140 or 150 bpm. Even for me with a max of 205, 140 isn't what I'd consider a "low zone".

But, to sum it up, I think you are overthinking it. 60 days is nothing. I've been riding 5+ years seriously (5000 miles a year at least) and I'm still learning what works for me and what doesn't.

Put your HR away and go out and ride. Don't worry about the gear you're in. Don't worry about your HR. Just go ride. Even if you are in perfect physical shape, that doesn't mean you are in great riding shape. You need to get your body used to riding. That takes time. Don't worry about numbers (except maybe mileage). Definitely don't worry about average speed. Worry about getting to the point where rides that were very difficult for you start to be easier.

Then, in another 6 months, put your HRM back on and start "training"...

First, don't worry about what your average speed is. It will come up with time.

Second, Relatively high cadences are usually thought of as better but there is no magic number, it will vary from person to person depending on what you are used to and your physiology. 100 is a little high to shoot for, especially for a beginner. Usual recommendation is 90ish, and it is better to work up to a higher cadence rather than just force yourself to lock into it all the time. You can also do high cadence drills to help you get used to it. For example do 120rpm for a minute, rest repeat, and eventually 100 will feel like cake. Also, people often climb at lower cadences (even when easier gears are available), so there is no one cadence fits all. And, you just may not be strong enough to maintain the desired cadence with your gearing on a climb, depending on the grade. You have to realize that speed, cadence and gearing are all linked; you cannot spin a high cadence on a climb without either going faster or shifting to an easier gear. If you are in your easiest gear then your only choice is to go faster, which takes more power/effort. So you have to chose, more effort or drop your cadence. Again it's personal but conventional wisdom is that below 60rpm is "bad".

Finally, regarding HR, everyone is different and it is impossible to just spit out a recommended number like stay below 140 without know more about you. If you look in the training and nutrition forum there is a sticky about doing an anaerobic threshold test, I recommend you start there.