purptiger

Do you folks try to maintain a certain cadence on your hybrid bikes or just get out and enjoy cycling?

practical

These are not mutually exclusive options. Developing a quick cadence can improve your riding.

travbikeman

I'm not as worried about cadence as much as getting out for the ride. But...I don't like mashing when going up hills or level terrain. So I do try to keep a higher cadence to keep from killing the knees and wearing out or bonking out.

Pompiere

I don't have a cadence display on my computer, but I know what feels comfortable. Therefore, if I feel like I am spinning out, I shift up. If I feel like I am pushing too hard, I shift down.

purptiger

Good advice, thanks.

purptiger

Reason I am asking this question is because, I see racing and road cyclists saying this is important. Was not sure if hybrid riders felt it was as necessary.

SirrusEliteDisc

I spent a few bucks and put a Topeak Cadence sensor on my bike. Found myself looking at it only when I was uncomfortable below 70 RPMs and above 90 RPMs but those were the points my knees said to look for another gear anyway. It's now in the "BOX". The one with all of the other stuff I bought and really don't need.
If you are in South Alabama and have the itch to use a cadence sensor, show me your login on bikeforums.com and you can have it !!

rolandk

I use a computer for commuting and fitness rides and average 90 rpm's because I'm trying to keep a brisk pace. Running errands is no computer and relax.

a1penguin

A couple of years ago, I got a cadence sensor. My cadence was around 70, which is low. For a couple of months I focused on keeping cadence higher. At first, it felt like I was REALLY SPINNING at 90 rpm. I downshifted to maintain higher cadence instead of mashing. After a while, 90 rpm felt natural, and spinning above 100 feels crazy fast. I pay less attention to cadence as I ride, but the two months of cadence training got me to an average cadence of about 80 rpm for most of my rides. I've read that lower cadence uses leg muscles and higher cadence uses more aerobic. I think I have found a happy medium for me.

SHBR

Generally speaking, higher cadences between 80-100rpm are more efficient for most riders. At low intensity, a low rpm cadence is fine for casual riding. Mostly it comes down to personal preferences, desired intensity level, factors such as distance, wind resistance, inclines and what your knees can handle.

DaveQ24

It depends on your goals. Roadies are all "competitive" - most are anyway - and view it as a sport with technical requirements as any sport has. People ride hybrids for any of a dozen reasons - fitness, pleasure, weight loss. A cadence meter or doing a rough count sure isn't necessary. If it fits with your goals go for it. Hard to tell grandpa of 73 who bought a intro level hybrid to ride the 3 or 4 miles to his daughter's house to see the grandkids and get exercise in the process that he needs to get the latest Garmin Edge or Fenix and hook up cadence or he's just not doing it right.

If you get on the bike and start to view it as training towards a cycling or even non-cycling athletic goal you might consider it. If you get envious every time you see a roadie club speed by in full kit and you wanna belong you're gonna need to go there all around, bike on down.

canklecat

I only think about cadence and perceived effort. I don't worry about speed. Around 80 rpm feels right to me. And for a long casual ride I try to keep the perceived energy expended to sound 2/3 of maximum effort. So I shift gears to accommodate both. Occasionally a hill climb or sprint in traffic pushes me a little harder.

coominya

A lot of people on hybrids get by with the factory pedals ar something similar so for them Cadence is a not in the equation. I don't use a computer but I always try to pedal at a fast rate and seek to increase that rate.

I think a more apt question would be how many hybrid cyclists push themself continuously when cycling verses how many just putt along enjoying the view. The only view I ever see is the 30 or so meters in front of me, with occasional glances at the mouth of side streets.

DorkDisk

If I didn't enjoy cycling I never would have accumulated the aerobic fitness or muscle memory to maintain 110-120rpm.

coominya

lol, well said.

gemini

The principle is the same for any kind of a bicycle. Whether it matters depends on how much you ride and whether you care about performance, I guess. I think of low cadence as analogous to running with too long a stride. It takes more muscle strength, puts more strain on your knees and will probably wear you out sooner.

FXjohn

wow nice. for how long?

CliffordK

I don't pay attention at all (casual roadie). I mash and it doesn't bother me.

However, I think my cadence is naturally evolving faster the fitter I get.

Anyway, I'd encourage you to just enjoy the ride, and not get too stuck on cadence.

If you keep at it, then it all will get easier.

DorkDisk

My non-commuting/jaunt rides are on average from three to four hours; sometimes I'll do more but after five hours I'll need to stop and eat something. 110-120rpm is about 60-80% of my max heart rate depending on the day, which is very sustainable.

In real life there are stoplights, traffic, off-roading requires various cadences to compensate for terrain, and I generally stop pedaling downhill @130-140rpm

TheLibrarian

Understanding it a bit more I try to keep it in mind. don't have any gear to track it, I just know it should be a bit higher than I expect and it allows me to play around with things on hills or not. If anything it allows me to stay in a lower gear and not feel bad about it but I often stand or mash up hills.

coominya

I generally stop pedaling downhill any chance I get , unless I'm going through a dip and up another hill that is. Does anyone sit against a wall and elevate their legs after a long ride? I was told to do it years ago to rest the valves in your blood veins. I used to do it but got out of the habit.