sac02

At slower speeds (such as riding by myself, or during the warm-up portion of a group ride), my comfortable cadence is somewhere in the 90 - 95rpm range. I have to make a conscious effort if I want to pick my cadence up over 100, and it doesn't really feel natural.

On the other hand, when zipping along in a pack or paceline at 25mph+, it's not unusual for me to look down at my computer and see 115 or 120rpm and be feeling totally comfortable.

Does anyone else notice this phenomenon? Have an explanation for it?

Mac

HolyInstantRice

I've noticed it too - being a track racer, it's obviously necessary to have cadence be a function of speed, but even on the road, I notice the same occurence.

When I'm cruisin', my cadence is from 100 - 115. Hammering along steadily constitutes 110-125 rpm, and full-on sprints are 140 - 160 rpm.

Voodoo76

Im kind of the opposite, spin more solo and tend to push a gear more in a group.

mark_dc

I would agree that for me the faster I'm going the more comfortable a higher cadence feels. My typical cadence is between 85-95, with 120 being a reasonable high. I've rarely spun above 130rpm. I think I would do my knees a favor if I aimed for 90-98, instead of below 90.

I also find it helpful to spin more in a paceline. If I slip off the back and the gear is too big, I overrun the last wheel to catch on. A lower gear with more spin reduces the surge effect.

fordmanvt

It's your brain playing a trick on you. Your brain learned from running and walking that the faster you travel, the faster your legs move.

sac02

This makes sense in a common-sense sort of way. But I've gotten my share of exam questions wrong using "common-sense reasoning". Do you have any sort of reference to substantiate this theory?

Mac

fordmanvt

I read it once, I forget where. It talked about training yourself to run the same cadence at all speeds, as running at a slower or faster pace because of ground speed makes you less efficient.

Dubbayoo

I average 70rpm on the trainer and 85-90 rpm outdoors. I don't see the point in averaging 100+ rpm for any length of time. It doesn't seem very oxygen efficient, at least not for my body.

The Carpenter

Ty it for yourself. Get on your bike, put it in your granny gear on flat ground and pedal at 100 rpm or what ever rpm you like during a normal ride. Chances are you will not be comfortable.

bdcheung

On flats, the higher my power output the lower my cadence. Don't know why that is.

In sprints or when climbing, I crank out higher powers at higher cadences.