Desired Cadence of 50+ers on Flats with a Roadie
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 20,917
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
10 Posts
Okay, what cadence do you usually try to achieve on a flat ride on a road bike?
I know this varies a lot with wind and other circumstances.
But, your best estimate of desired cadence is:
Mine is 90-100
I know this varies a lot with wind and other circumstances.
But, your best estimate of desired cadence is:
Mine is 90-100
#2
cut my gas use in half
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 324
Bikes: walmart beater, Dahon boardwalk, A bike, schwinn tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I gear down to a cadence of 60 minimum, and when I am thinking about it closer to 80, because I get better speed and endurance from that rate. I am still slow, if I am doing 10 miles an hour, I figure I am doing good, but when I remember, I am up to about 14 mph on the flat at the higher cadence.
#3
'Bent Brian
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Wellington Ohio
Posts: 560
Bikes: Trek 1000, Rans Tailwind
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
For me it all depends. I've putzed along at a leisurely 60RPM. Most of the time I run mid 80's cruising and during commute mode. It seems to feel good at that rate. Climbing a hill or accelerating I run up into the 90's and have been in the low 100's for a fast quick climb, or just after a launch.
'bent Brian
'bent Brian
#4
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Originally Posted by Jessica
I gear down to a cadence of 60 minimum, and when I am thinking about it closer to 80, because I get better speed and endurance from that rate. I am still slow, if I am doing 10 miles an hour, I figure I am doing good, but when I remember, I am up to about 14 mph on the flat at the higher cadence.
The advantage of spinning faster does mean that hills, and in particular the short sharp rises that occur on the ride, can be taken easier. You may still have to change down, to keep the cadence up, but it is easier.
I am an offroader, and my cadence is lower than the road boys, but just to give an example, Ride along a trail and there is a big muddy puddle in front. If your cadence is too low, say around 60, when you hit the mud, the bike slows down and one of two things can happen. With the slowing down, your cadence drops(Just like going up a couple of gears on the Bike) and you either have to strain to turn the pedals, or you can't turn the pedals and you fall off. If your cadence was higher at say 80, you would have a chance of getting through the mud.
If you are experienced enough, you will speed up a bit to 90, then change down two gears and keep the speed up by pedalling faster, and sail through the mud without too much dropoff in speed. You can then look round and dodge the mudpies being thrown at you by your mates who are sitting in the goo that you sailed through.
Problem is that initially, a higher cadence is not natural, you have to train yourself to it, so ride at your normal speed on the road, and change down one or two gears. Then pedal faster to keep the same speed. You may not be able to do this for too long, but keep trying it. I actually go the other way on the Tandem for winter training, by putting higher gearing on the bike. I then keep up my normal cadence up the hills, but basically one gear higher than normal. Not to be recommended for too long a ride, or too steep a hill, but does improve my leg muscle strength
Incidentally, I try to keep the cadence as a minimum of 80 on the solo, but on the tandem this drops to 70 on the steepest hills. Normal flat riding is around 100 on the solo and 110 on the tandem
Last edited by stapfam; 11-03-04 at 02:46 PM.
#5
Sophomoric Member
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Burlingame, California USA
Posts: 272
Bikes: Trek 5000, Novara Randonee, Meridian Cascade
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I seem to be most comfortable at 90-100, as well.
#6
Senior Member
Wow, I just have no idea. I know I'm a "spinner", but I don't have a cadence feature on my 'puter. Normally without wind, I'm thinking about like DenverFox.
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 15
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i also twiddle at 100 to 110, occasionally going to 120. i think i may have developed this when i rode a fixed wheel with a gear of 54 inches for about 25 years.
#8
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,798
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1393 Post(s)
Liked 1,326 Times
in
837 Posts
90-110 rpm
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#9
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 20,917
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times
in
10 Posts
Originally Posted by Dchiefransom
Wow, I just have no idea. I know I'm a "spinner", but I don't have a cadence feature on my 'puter. Normally without wind, I'm thinking about like DenverFox.
#10
LeMond Lives!
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Edina, MN
Posts: 560
Bikes: In 1963 my sister taught me to ride on her girl’s frame (no wonder I shave my legs) Schwinn it was blue and it weighted a billion pounds. – Gone, 2nd bike - a Schwinn Colligate (Gold) 5 speed – Traded in, 3rd bike – 1971 Schwinn Continental (Maro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'm 47 I spin at 90-120. Don't use speed on the computer, just us RPMs.
Cheers,
Dusk
Cheers,
Dusk
#12
Senior Member
Originally Posted by DnvrFox
I don't have a cadence function, either. I just count for 20 seconds every now and then and multiply by 3! Gives a pretty good estimate, and, after awhile, I know pretty close without even counting.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Sierra Madre, CA, USA
Posts: 303
Bikes: Trek 5300
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I don't think determining your cadence without the aid of a bicycle computer with the built in cadence is worth a hoot. For years I used to determine my cadence by various counting schemes. When I finally got an Avocet computer with cacence and more recently a Cateye computer with cadence I found my estimates were way off no matter how I did it. How I got started at trying to determine my cadence was at a time many years ago when it was thought that there was an ideal cadence. There isn't!!!!!
#14
A cop selling bike parts
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Upstate NY....Love the Adirondacks!!!
Posts: 31
Bikes: KHS Flite 2000 & Trek 6700
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you'd like a 'puter that has the cadence function just give me a shout at lightrj@plattsbrugh.edu I would love to offer you guys and gals a discount! Check this out!
Sigma 1600 with optional cadence feature-
LightClycles $32.00 (with the cadence option)
Performance $29.00 cadence kit $5.99 total $34.99
Nashbar $24.95 cadence kit $4.49 total $29.44
Hmmm I'm not the lowest but if you spend 50.00 I'll give you free shipping! Need any Pearl Izumi Clothing? I'll give you 20% off of that too! Check www.pearlizumi.com Email me with any questions!
Plus I'm a cyclist helping cyclists! So from one cyclist to another....email me!
Pedal On,
Bob Light
LightCycles
Sigma 1600 with optional cadence feature-
LightClycles $32.00 (with the cadence option)
Performance $29.00 cadence kit $5.99 total $34.99
Nashbar $24.95 cadence kit $4.49 total $29.44
Hmmm I'm not the lowest but if you spend 50.00 I'll give you free shipping! Need any Pearl Izumi Clothing? I'll give you 20% off of that too! Check www.pearlizumi.com Email me with any questions!
Plus I'm a cyclist helping cyclists! So from one cyclist to another....email me!
Pedal On,
Bob Light
LightCycles
#15
A cop selling bike parts
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Upstate NY....Love the Adirondacks!!!
Posts: 31
Bikes: KHS Flite 2000 & Trek 6700
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Oh...sorry all I'm only 42!
Pedal On,
Bob Light
Pedal On,
Bob Light
#16
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,798
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1393 Post(s)
Liked 1,326 Times
in
837 Posts
Originally Posted by Robert Gardner
I don't think determining your cadence without the aid of a bicycle computer with the built in cadence is worth a hoot. For years I used to determine my cadence by various counting schemes. When I finally got an Avocet computer with cacence and more recently a Cateye computer with cadence I found my estimates were way off no matter how I did it. How I got started at trying to determine my cadence was at a time many years ago when it was thought that there was an ideal cadence. There isn't!!!!!
Assuming one is not coasting, isn't computing one's cadence from the gear ratio and the ground speed reliable?
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#17
Super Modest
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 23,466
Bikes: Trek Emonda, Giant Propel, Colnago V3, Co-Motion Supremo, ICE VTX WC
Mentioned: 107 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10963 Post(s)
Liked 4,620 Times
in
2,123 Posts
Originally Posted by witcomb
i also twiddle at 100 to 110, occasionally going to 120. i think i may have developed this when i rode a fixed wheel with a gear of 54 inches for about 25 years.
__________________
Keep the chain tight!
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: south central Texas
Posts: 210
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
At age 50, I find it fairly easy to stay in the 90-100 range. Unless, of course, I hit some "big" hills. Which around my neck of the woods, there are only a couple. More accurately could be describe as short but steep. Sometimes actually achieve 110+ on the short ones.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 103
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by LightCycles
Oh...sorry all I'm only 42!
Pedal On,
Bob Light
Pedal On,
Bob Light
Puppys!
Constant 90 to 100. If I go over 100 I "spin out" after a short while. I drop into the 80's only when I runout of gear!
#20
Senior Member (Retired)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Great North Woods
Posts: 2,671
Bikes: Vittorio, Centaur triple; Casati Laser Piu, Chorus Triple.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I try for 100 on the flats and near-flats, and 80 climbing. I had strayed lower for a while, but this is easier on the body. However, I think I am sensing a loss of "strength" now that I have returned to the higher RPMs. I have to figure that one out. It almost seems to be a choice of one or the other at times.
Cheers...Gary
Cheers...Gary
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cushing, Oklahoma
Posts: 628
Bikes: 1969 Peugeot U08, unknown MTB circa 1980, '93? Merckx MX-Leader
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Guys,
What's wrong with me?
I have UPPED my cadence to the mid-80's with concentrated effort. I thought that was good. You guys are all in the 90's to low 100's. What's up with that?
I am fairly new to biking (actually returning after 25 years) but seem to run with the fairly fast pack. On my own on the flats, I run just under 20mph for an hour or more. Would I improve with more RPM?
Tyson
What's wrong with me?
I have UPPED my cadence to the mid-80's with concentrated effort. I thought that was good. You guys are all in the 90's to low 100's. What's up with that?
I am fairly new to biking (actually returning after 25 years) but seem to run with the fairly fast pack. On my own on the flats, I run just under 20mph for an hour or more. Would I improve with more RPM?
Tyson
#22
Time for a change.
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England
Posts: 19,913
Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
4 Posts
Originally Posted by TysonB
Guys,
What's wrong with me?
I have UPPED my cadence to the mid-80's with concentrated effort. I thought that was good. You guys are all in the 90's to low 100's. What's up with that?
I am fairly new to biking (actually returning after 25 years) but seem to run with the fairly fast pack. On my own on the flats, I run just under 20mph for an hour or more. Would I improve with more RPM?
Tyson
What's wrong with me?
I have UPPED my cadence to the mid-80's with concentrated effort. I thought that was good. You guys are all in the 90's to low 100's. What's up with that?
I am fairly new to biking (actually returning after 25 years) but seem to run with the fairly fast pack. On my own on the flats, I run just under 20mph for an hour or more. Would I improve with more RPM?
Tyson