Originally Posted by
CptjohnC
I think I probably shift a lot, but only by feel. If my legs are moving too slowly or too fast, I shift.
^^^This.
My preferred natural cadence seems to be between 90 and 100 RPM. I'll generally max on most commutes somewhere around 105 ±2.
I run 12-23 cassettes on my 9 and 10-speed bikes, a 13-23 on my 8-speed bike. I'm typically in the 39 ring of the 9 and 10-speed bikes, and the 42 ring of the 8-speed bike. I'll run the cassette end-to-end between most stoplights. On the ride home (tailwind generally) we can even get into the big ring (52 on the triples, 53 on the doubles) for a mile or so, again, depending on the stoplights.