Originally Posted by
terrymorse
Yeah, I think the hypothesis is that your brain is trying to avoid muscle fatigue by pedaling faster. The "lower resistance/higher reps" idea. I think we all know that leg sensation that says to us "hey, this is getting hard, downshift now please".
Other than sprinting, I find my power starts to drop off as I approach 100 rpm on a flat grade. But on uphills, maintaining power above 90 rpm is difficult for me, with the "sweet spot" 80-85.
I vaguely remember a study of elite cyclists that found their efficiency and power was unchanged between 80 and 100 rpm, but they both dropped off above 100.
My preferred range is 90-100rpm. I can even spin it up to 105rpm, although my HR does start to creep up at that speed. At higher intensities, I begin to struggle around 85 rpm. It basically feels like I'm struggling to "stay on top of the pedal stroke," for a lack of better terms. Even my standing cadence is a bit on the fast side, 75-85 rpm standing, feels totally normal to me. If I had to venture a guess for my preference for a high-cadence, I'd guess it's because I can more effectively use my fast-twitch muscle fibers. Sprinting is what I'm naturally good at, I've had to deliberately develop myself into a climber, and I suppose the fast cadence is likely some sub-conscious compensation to support that.