I am really curious about the relationship between average cadence, average speed and age. Since high cadence generally drives up heartrate, and maximum heartrate decreases with age. Does higher cadence become a limiting factor for average speed as age increases?

If your interested in participating provide your:

Average Speed solo
Average Cadence solo
Average Cadence group
Average Speed group
Chain Ring sizes (eg. 50/36):
Cassette range (eg. 12-28):
Number of sprockets on cassette:
Age

for a one hour "competitive" (you gave it your best) ride with little or no stops or traffic lights, and close to zero elevation gain. Preferably a solo effort for solo and group efforts, if you only have one or the other thats fine. I will compile and report the results if I get more than a handful of responses. And of course feel free to estimate your data if you don't have exactly a one hour zero elevation ride.


Thanks for the feedback so far. Some very interesting results even with this small sample size so far. I have averaged some of the values since some respondents gave a range:


[TABLE="width: 423"]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 43, bgcolor: transparent"]Age[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 48, bgcolor: transparent"]Avg Spd solo[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 43, bgcolor: transparent"]Avg Cad Solo[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 50, bgcolor: transparent"]Avg Spd group[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 44, bgcolor: transparent"]Avg Cad group[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent"]crank lg[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 47, bgcolor: transparent"]Crank sm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 56, bgcolor: transparent"]cassette sm[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 59, bgcolor: transparent"]cassette lg[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]speeds[/TD]
[TD="class: xl24, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]step/gear[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]63[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]23.9[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]26.5[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]97[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]57[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]23.8[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]91[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]26.9[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]89[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]58[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]23[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]75[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]36[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]54[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]78[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]77[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]23[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]56[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]20[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]55[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]21[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]80[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]36[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]60[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]18.5[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]80[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]28[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]60[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]18[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]57[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]17.5[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]83[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]32[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]68[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]17.4[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]87[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]83[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]54[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]32[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]54[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]87[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]85[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]48[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]36[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.6[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]56[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]57[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]40[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]16.5[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]75[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]53[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]1.4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]73[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]16.2[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]93[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]40[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]28[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]55[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]87[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]48[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]36[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]28[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]56[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]85[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]48[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]38[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]62[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]42[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: xl25, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: xl26, bgcolor: transparent, align: right"]2.0[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

In the mean time I found an interesting study on optimal cadence speed:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/...text.html#Fig3
Which I found on a really outstanding cycling blog:
http://myworldfromabicycle.blogspot....bicycling.html

Basically the study and the blogger who is a racer provide evidence that spinning is not as efficient and beneficial as it is claimed to be and that the optimal balance between speed and power may in fact be closer to 80rpms. Interesting reading...