Does anyone have links to articles on bike cadence? I’ve always followed the high cadence philosophy (90+); however, recently I’ve begun to adapt what feels more natural (80). I’m not necessarily looking for a faster bike split (IM), just info on the impact cadence has on one’s run performance. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
“Cadence is a red herring” -RChung
There is no debate.
Check out the thread about Jordan Rapp and his cadence at NYC and Kona. I was very surprised at how low his cadence is. I have always had a higher cadence, maybe I should re-think that.
no data, sorry.
higher cadence (90-95) seems to help my run after the ride. The bike spilt seems about them same as my “natural” cadence of aroud 85. I will do some intervals purposely at 80ish RPM’s - for strength.
Unlike (it appears) 99.99% of ST’ers I think cadence DOES matter. That’s what my 50 year old knees tell me. Since I’m kinda attached to 'em - I’ll listen to them first.
my two pennys.
Best to you. Happy training & Enjoy the journey.
Check out the thread about Jordan Rapp and his cadence at NYC and Kona. I was very surprised at how low his cadence is. I have always had a higher cadence, maybe I should re-think that.
I think the fact that you were a 7X Kona finisher means that what you are doing is good for you!
I think in the end my vote is for cadence being a relatively personal ‘choice’. My ‘choice’ has always been in the low 70’s and I’ve done relatively well.
Jamie
I naturally settle into a 82-86 rpm cadence. Cadence of 90+ wears me out and I can’t keep that up for an extended period of time. I will ride the 90+ for the last few miles of a race to get ready for the run but that’s it.
My n=1.
I have never considered cadence to be an important metric to follow, I always have felt we self select what is appropriate for the individual. And I thought I was a very low cadence rider but for the first time recorded cadence at Kona and was surprised it was 87 average of the race. That was higher then I though it would be. Regardless I still don;t spend a ton of time concerning myself with it.
high cadence, low cadence, volcanos, new-fangled dry land pilates… snake oil.
“Cadence is a red herring” -RChung
There is no debate.
ding-ding-ding-ding. we have a winner here
When I raced bikes at the Masters level I worked on getting my cadence up and was in the high 90’s or low 100’s. At my highest I had my best season. In tri I now ride around the mid 80’s and often have the best time splits for bikes around here.
So I guess all that really matters is how fit you are, as when I raced bikes, my best season was my last.
One thing I do like is to spin up a bit right before transition. That seems to wake up my legs some what.
Does anyone have links to articles on bike cadence? I’ve always followed the high cadence philosophy (90+); however, recently I’ve begun to adapt what feels more natural (80). I’m not necessarily looking for a faster bike split (IM), just info on the impact cadence has on one’s run performance. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
I experiment with my trainer and power meter from time to time. I can get 20MPH on my trainer using
- 19T cog and about 93 cadence… that uses about 230watts (+/- 2watts) to hold that pace.
- 17T cog and about 84 cadence… that uses same 230watts (+/- 2 watts) to hold 20MPH
The 19T test makes my heart rate average higher while the 17T is easier on my heart. I believe lower cadence uses your leg power more and less of your cardio power, while higher cadence saves your leg muscles and uses more of your cardio… which makes sense why you would use higher cadence on the bike leg of a tri…
So it all depends how strong your cardio system is versus your leg strength.
So it all depends how strong your cardio system is versus your leg strength.
That’s an interesting point, I had never framed it like that.
I believe lower cadence uses your leg power more and less of your cardio power, while higher cadence saves your leg muscles and uses more of your cardio… which makes sense why you would use higher cadence on the bike leg of a tri…
So it all depends how strong your cardio system is versus your leg strength.
I also feel this way. I can target say 250 watts and get there with a lower cadence (say 80) and a lower HR, or a higher cadence (say 90) and a higher HR. At a lower cadence it’s more of a muscular workout, so if you’ve got the quads and are a masher, this may be your thing. It all depends on each individual and how they best operate. As with most endurance sports, you find what works best for you through trial and error. Jordan’s lower cadence for an IM may not work for you, and, conversely, Lance’s notoriously high cadence could also work for you (but maybe that was due to doping!).
Lance’s notoriously high cadence could also work for you (but maybe that was due to doping!).
LOL funny… yes, if you use EPO you can probably take on 95+ cadence and save them legs for the run 
Does anyone have links to articles on bike cadence? I’ve always followed the high cadence philosophy (90+); however, recently I’ve begun to adapt what feels more natural (80). I’m not necessarily looking for a faster bike split (IM), just info on the impact cadence has on one’s run performance. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
I experiment with my trainer and power meter from time to time. I can get 20MPH on my trainer using
- 19T cog and about 93 cadence… that uses about 230watts (+/- 2watts) to hold that pace.
- 17T cog and about 84 cadence… that uses same 230watts (+/- 2 watts) to hold 20MPH
The 19T test makes my heart rate average higher while the 17T is easier on my heart. I believe lower cadence uses your leg power more and less of your cardio power, while higher cadence saves your leg muscles and uses more of your cardio… which makes sense why you would use higher cadence on the bike leg of a tri…
So it all depends how strong your cardio system is versus your leg strength.
Wouldn’t you want the option that makes your heart rate lower for the same watts? I get the leg muscle fatigue angle but that should also correlate with HR.
Wouldn’t you want the option that makes your heart rate lower for the same watts? I get the leg muscle fatigue angle but that should also correlate with HR.
Intuitively that sounds right but I read riding at lower gears will deplete the glycogen reserves which makes it bad for running. Obviously 84rpm on the bike isn’t considered low gear so that might be okay.
Like Bryan, i just do what my body likes during a race and I don’t focus in on the RPMs too much… I normally ride dead on 90 rpm.
I believe lower cadence uses your leg power more and less of your cardio power, while higher cadence saves your leg muscles and uses more of your cardio… which makes sense why you would use higher cadence on the bike leg of a tri…
So it all depends how strong your cardio system is versus your leg strength.
I also feel this way. I can target say 250 watts and get there with a lower cadence (say 80) and a lower HR, or a higher cadence (say 90) and a higher HR. At a lower cadence it’s more of a muscular workout, so if you’ve got the quads and are a masher, this may be your thing. It all depends on each individual and how they best operate. As with most endurance sports, you find what works best for you through trial and error. Jordan’s lower cadence for an IM may not work for you, and, conversely, Lance’s notoriously high cadence could also work for you (but maybe that was due to doping!).
Tis is what it comes down to for me. Lower cadence = lower HR, higher cadence = higher HR. I usually prefer the lower cadence for tri’s (80-85) and higher for when I used to RR (90-95)
That said, as I approach my peak fitness, I find my cadence usually picks up naturally.
I’m not certain why some feel that cadence is not important or a red herring, because it seems to me it can clearly impact your performance. However, I do agree that there is no “ideal” cadence to target as it is largely individual. But I think it pays to spend some time analyzing which cadence works best for you.
For triathlons, I pay no attention to cadence, yet I always average just over 85. For mountain bike racing, I pay close attention to cadence since the terrain changes every 2 seconds and I’m constantly shifting gears.
I saw his data from those rides(not the thread) and was wondering about his avg cadence of 76!?
I saw his data from those rides(not the thread) and was wondering about his avg cadence of 76!?
Think out loud here, 76 cadence over 112 miles where you’re not pace lining or hitting hills hard or attacking etc, on rolling to flat terrain doesn’t sound like a low cadence average. You’re trying to keep your VI low and hold consistent watts, no punchy riding, what’s not to like? There just doesn’t seem to be any reason to bang away at more than low 80s, until maybe spinning out the legs at the end.
Anyone ever check out rider cadences for a relatively flat grand tour stage?