i generally spin around 85rpms on the flats (i use a edge 305) but it seems like when i start to climb i unknowing increase my cadence. I usually go up to 90-95rpm untill the grade gets really steep then i goto like 60rpms or so, but i guess my question is this normal for others?

No.

Ya if you have a really wussy crankset.

Sometimes.

i do something similar. i usually find myself in a big gear (most of the time too big) on the flats and increase the cadence on climbs for that added torque. needless to say, i wear myself out quickly. i don't have a cadence sensor so i don't know my exact numbers but i know it is down to my youthful inexperience.

Once you learn how to spin, knowing your cadence is worthless.

or if he's just going really fast

on my road fixer, i've done 160

I average 85-95 on the flats, and 100-110 uphills. Going downhill I overshift and go down to 70-80rpm.

I have read that one should keep their cadence regardless of hills if at all possible. I find this impossible but a nice theory to strive for.

No it's not...

For the last 3 years I've been riding at an average cadence of 90....

This year the number has crept up to 95-97 consistently...This is after 2700km of riding...Without a cadence sensor I wouldn't know this.

I still use my cadence sensor to adjust my gear selection on the flats.

Personally I like having it and it's just another tool to help me track how my progress is going.

90-100 flats, 100-110 longer climbs, 90-100 when I gear up for attacking small steep hills, whatever I need to do to maintain the speed I want downhill.

Those must not be very steep hills...

Most descents here I'm able to spin out my 52x12 at about 125-130 before my pedal stroke goes totally to pot and/or I have to brake for the bend...

Generally ~90 in normal conditions, getting up to about 120 if I'm really getting into it and I have a tailwind. Can drop to about 60 or 70 if I've got a headwind like I generally do for probably a third of my usual daily ride.

On our weekly flat crit practice course I find that I'm often in the 110-115 range...

In our weekly climbing couse I'm usually in the 90-105 range when possible.

I'm still working on a very smooth full circle spin and have just started to notice the benefits from it lately. But it takes effort still. Hopefully soon it will be second nature.

Both of the above mentioned group rides are 'race practice' rides and thus are at or near max output and only lasting about an hour each. My cadence will slow down a bit on casual rides (especially climbing with non-competitive friends) but is still gets up to 110 but goes lower when my gears run out before theirs do on the uphills.

-Jeremy

I pedal at 85rpm....hills, flats, everything...I keep it at 85rpm-ish.

Ask the power guys what their meters say when they keep a faster spin. Its the difference between localized muscular fatigue and cardio vascular fatigue.
V

Interesting concept, can you elabotate?

Sure its like this. Here is an article that a friend of mine showed me that can explain quickly.
https://home.earthlink.net/~acoggan/setraining/

V

110~120rpm on flats, 10% less going up hills.

You'd need to better define hills with gradient and length. Climbing mountains for 10, 20 or 30 miles continuously is nothing like climbing a hill.

On rolling terrain, I might run 90-110 rpm, but on long climbs I find 80's to low 90's to be the most efficient. If the climb gets steep enough, you won't find many who have low enough gear to reach 80. I used to run a 53/39/28 with a 12-25 and I've spun by a lot of under-geared riders over a 4 seasons in the mountains. These days, I'm using a 50/34 with a 11-25. I lost my lowest two gears, but I'd rather stand on the few steep sections where I'm slighly undergeared, than have two gears I seldom use.

...until I shift into top gear, then I take it to the max.

fine tuning your cadence is a peronsal matter

spinning too fast or too slow is inefficient and will over-work your cardiovascular system or your localized muscles respectively (i.e. too fast and your lungs will burst, too slow and your legs will explode)

the key is to listen to your body (and use a heart rate monitor or power meter or both) and find a good balance of gear size and cadence. when you ride, watch your cadence along with how you feel. if your legs are pumping out, but your lungs and heart have energy to spare, pickup the rpms, and vice versa.

if you are searching for extra speed on your rides, it is easier to teach your body to ride faster at a higher cadence than to ride at a lower one. your cardiovascular system recoveres and rebuilds more quickly than your muscle fibers. if you overstress broken-down muscles you run a higher risk of overtraining and knee injury (as knee injuries tend to occur when the muscle is so fatigued that the stress it would normally absorb goes to the joint). that is not to say you shouldnt work on building more muscle and your capacity to push bigger gears, that too is important, just takes longer to achieve and must be done with a little extra care to avoid injury.

the climbs here aren't that long at all...maybe 1-2 miles at the most...i am comfortable with how i pedal, i just thought it was different than most. I guess its just how my body works i suppose.

+1