A beginner. How does he exactly search for something he does not know? Never mind.

And LowCel, I am not suggesting a sticky about cadence. But clearly, the sticky for the beginners could be much more helpful and there could be more than one sticky. A simple statement: "In cycling, cardiovascular workout is achieved by purposeful high cadence. Beginners should also use low cadence as it is gentler on the joints."

This is a good community overall. The ignoramus and their threads are unfortunately more vociferous, but then again that's how it is in politics and many other fields. A good leadership can address that, but I digress.

Sooo we can safely say Jan Ullrich (a TDF winner) with his 70-80 rpm cadence is safely in the non-aerobic range? Or maybe even Santiago Botero (2002 World TT champion) and his 50-60 rpm cadence... Both these guys accomplished what they did anaerobically by what you're saying correct?

I'm not sure how you got it in your head the aerobic threshold is somewhere ~90 rpm range; it's not. If you need a defined number the crossover point is probably closer to the 45-50rpm range. Which is why many people say for a climbing cadence just keep it above 55-60rpm and you're good. The ~90rpm number is just what a 'typical' person will experience the most efficient tradeoff in regards to muscle strength and endurance vs cardiac endurance. There's people who fall in anywhere from 50rpm - 130rpm as the best cadence for them, all the while still being primarily aerobic.

You are more than welcome to write up a beginner thread. If it turns out nice enough I will be more than happy to sticky it.

Cadence is like saddles. There's no one size fits all, or even one cadence for one person in all circumstances. I did a race with a 3x TDF racer along with a 2x Olympian. One rode the climbs at 100 RPM, the other at 70. Both rode off from the field.

You're fine.

There's the heart and muscles. Assuming the same power output a lower cadence (bigger gear) will demand more of the muscles and a higher cadence will demand more of the heart/aerobic system. The trick is calling on the right system for a given situation and ideally both would simultaneously exhaust at the end of the ride/race. I try to push my aerobic system more for as long as possible (high cadence TTs for instance) then when the end is near I'll push a big gear until my legs scream to stop...then go a little bit more. GL

Optimal cadence like many things in life, is a trade off between two things: muscular effort and cardiovascular effort. Riders who prefer a big gear (e.g. higher gear inches) have accelerate slower from a standing start and all other things being equal will have a lower cruising cadence. Pedal effort per stroke will be higher and the muscles will tend to fatigue faster than faster cadence. It is this increased effort per pedal stroke that can harm the knees in the long run.

Riders who prefer spinning on a smaller gear (e.g. lower gear inches and cadences from 100-120 rpm) typically accelerate faster from a standing start, have a higher cadence and correspondingly lower effort per pedal stroke. This makes it easier on the joints but more taxing on the cardiovascular system.

Higher cadences allow slightly faster in-gear acceleration which is important to TdF racers and criterium racers making sure they keep up with someone trying a breakaway. If you wish to take a precautionary approach in avoiding knee injuries, learning to spin comfortably at higher cadences is a good choice.

Having said that, there is not one optimal cadence for every rider. Keep a cadence which you think maximizes your power and endurance.

For me, my comfortable cadence range is from 85-105. Somewhere in there depending on prevailing wind. I ride a singlespeed between 62 gear inches to 73 gear inches depending on my bike of the day. At that cadence range, I am cruising around 30-34 km/h on the flats which is as much as I can do riding solo carrying commuter weight. Beyond that wind resistance is strong and I am not able to sustain such pace without tiring rapidly.

I don't know if I have the experience needed to make this reply, but the best advice I have heard (and followed) on cadence was this -

If you are breathing easy and your legs are dead - your cadence is to low.

If you can't get your breath but your legs feel fine - your cadence is to high.

if both legs and lungs are equally tired - your cadence is fine, adjust if you want to, but don't feel that you have to.

(for those who take everything litterally - these examples are the extremes. Use the principal to adjust cadence up or down until your lung power and leg power run out at about the same time)

Michael

I've heard that before as well and it seems dead on.

Op you are doing great.

Seriously before Phil Liggett's never ending sausage fest over Lance, no-one ever considered cadence to be better low or high. Just whatever worked for you.

Now cause Lance rode at 100RPM give or take, it's like some truth that this must be the perfect pedaling style.

I ride track all summer, and find I start the road season, in the 100-110 range, and by the end of the season am riding around 90-95. I don't perform any better or worse either way.

You just bought a bike 3 months ago, and you're already an expert. I would suggest spending as much time with a thearapist fixing your PFS than *****ing at people here.