Originally Posted by
cyclezen
So I've been thinkin... and the recent threads about cadence has reinforced my attention...
so, if you feel you have a cadence upper limit, a 'Cap' on the upper range of cadence that you can ride at, for an extended period, with a positive effect on your riding rate...
I'm looking for thoughts and ideas on effective ways to Raise your 'Cap' and generate more work...
... the under lying 'Why'... I'm finding that I'm currently 'stuck' at cadences in the 80's. I can ride at higher cadences, and have some measurable greater power. but the 'efficient feeling, comfort feeling range is currently in the 80's. Prior history has me, for a very long time, riding mostly in the high 90's, low 100's...
what caused the drop? three & half years of very intensive Chemotherapy from Mid 2019 thru first few months of 2023... I was cycling thru it, not often and moving barely enough to not fall over...
That aside, and Lots of reasons (which I won;t go thru) for me wanting to regain my capability to ride at higher cadences than I can, at this time..
So, IF you wanted to 'UP' your Cadence High End and at the same time Raise that 'Default Cadence ' that you seem to easily drift into
What would you do, work at ??? and why you might do it that way...
Parameters - for me - I don;t have a Velodrome near by, I don;t have a power meter, mtb for this is 'out'. and I like to get out for minimum of 90 minutes... otherwise open to most anything.
What would you do to keep your cadence efficient and enhance the effective cadence range for your riding?
Ride On
Yuri
I have some thoughts of my own, but everything is worth analyzing, considering and possibly using.
Our legs evolved for walking and running. Until recently, the recommended running pace for greatest efficiency in endurance runs was plus or minus 90 strides per minute, which is, unsurprisingly, roughly the average cadence used by experienced racers. (Recommended running paces now span approximately 80 to 90 strides per minute.)
Gearing allows bike riders who are so inclined to use lower cadences. Which is fine, unless their intention is to get an optimal cardiovascular workout. (The consensus in the sport science community seems to be that you can't load your muscles enough while cycling to see more than a fraction of the strength improvements achievable through the use of weights and other forms of resistance training.)
A reliable sign that your cadence is sub-optimal for such a workout is pushing hard on the pedals, giving the feeling of doing a hard workout, but not breathing particularly hard. Breathing hard is a sure sign that calories are being burned at a significant rate.
From a quick search:
The recommended running cadence, or number of steps per minute (SPM), depends on your easy pace:
- Slower than 10 minutes per mile: A cadence of 160+ SPM is recommended
- Faster than 10 minutes per mile: A cadence of 170+ SPM is recommended
While 180 SPM was once considered the ideal cadence for all runners, it's now known that everyone has their own optimal cadence. Factors that can affect cadence include height, hip mobility, and level of overall fitness.