Training breakthrough! (I think...)
 

Today while out on my usual second ride, I tried to go for higher cadences again- and something snapped. I used to have a consistent cadence of about 55-65 rpm, and 65 was about the highest I could keep pinned at for a long time. Going all out I could manage about 95 for less than ten seconds, and around 85-90 for 30 seconds before needing to slow down.

But today, I was able to do a high speed run at 110rpm for 15 seconds, 100rpm for 35 seconds, and was able to keep up a consistent and comfortable 70-75rpm for the rest of the ride.

I'm curious, is this a common thing? And more importantly is it likely to continue when I go out for a ride tommorow morning or just fade away again?

For background, I have been seriously riding every day (missing about one day every two weeks) for a month and a half now. Once for 45 minutes in the morning, and once for 45 minutes at dusk. I never shift gears so I ride a de facto singlespeed, and generally ride as if it were a fixie (I rarely coast). My typical rpm for the entire 1 1/2 months was at most 65. In terms of nutrition I usually eat a meal before riding and try to make sure it has a decent balance to it. I occasionally take a glucose tablet (though I'm not diabetic) before riding. My water consumption is usually 1/2 litre every 45 minutes.

Thanks.

Yes, the more you ride, the better you get at it. Concentrate on pedaling perfect pedal strokes, so that your upper body doesn't move at all. Watch your shadow. Try to pedal circles. At first you might get three good pedal strokes in a row. Then a few days later, you might pedal perfectly for 100 feet. As your pedaling gets rounder, your cadence will naturally increase.

Not coasting is good. You should only coast when you can't pedal fast enough in your biggest gear. Unless you are riding really long distance when you need to conserve energy. But shifting is also good. Learn when to shift so you maintain a good cadence going uphill, downhill, and on the flat. Shift down before you think you need to. Shift up early, too, before you run out of pedal rpms.

I wonder if part of the issue when you try to ride at a faster cadence is that you may be just trying to ride harder/faster rather Han just shifting to an easier gear and maintaining the same speed, but at a higher cadencene. When you were riding at a higher cadence today, were you in the same gear as usual? do you usually make a conscious effort as to what gear you are in?

Guys - I believe the OP stated that he is on a singlespeed...

"as if"

gotcha...

No, he's on a geared bike, but he has issues so he won't shift. Probably nothing we can do about that. He doesn't say what his gear-inches are. Umd's got it, I'm just too stupid.

To the OP - if you want to ride SS, calculate your gear-inches. Divide the teeth on the cog in the back into the teeth on the cog in the front and multiply by 27. The most common number for general use is 67-70. Find how to get a gear combo like that on your bike. Ride a gear like that. With practice you'll be able to spin over 100 on the flat for long periods. I can pull in that gear at 130 and I'm an old man. Just takes practice. You should be able to climb 10% grades in that gear, but not much more. There's always the "two-foot gear" for steeper bits.

You're just noticing the result of frequent riding. Some people call that training! Works good.

I have sort of the opposite problem. On flats my cadence runs between 90 and 100 all the time. I have become accustom to riding in this range but I wonder if I am burning myself out. I start to fade at about 15 miles. I do this because it seems to keep my heart rate down more than riding at lower cadence in larger gears, but maybe that is what I need to do.

I am coming back from a nasty surgery that in the short term has reduced my lung capacity. I think in time I can bring it back through training though.

This is my first year of riding seriously on a road bike. First I was on a Trek 7.3 FX and my cadence was around the high 50's to high 60's. Then gradually as I began to ride more and eventually picked up a good road bike my cadence is now between mid 80's to mid 90's riding at 18 mph - 20 mph. Feels really good and I don't become winded or fatigued. Feels natural and soon enough it's like you're in the zone with a very controlled, rhythmic pace - both heart and riding.

When I started riding I was very concerned about my cadence. Not so much anymore.
The first few years I tried to hit 90-100. Now I settle around 80ish maybe.
I think it may have something to do with the fixed gear I picked up a few years ago. Your cadence is what it is on a FG.

Thanks for the advice.

And to clear things up, yes I am aware consistent riding = improvement. I just didn't expect it to be a sudden improvement like that. And I ride singlespeed because my other bikes are FGs, and as soon as I have some cash this one will be an SS. The bike's gear inches are around 65.5 I believe.