AVerage cadence query (probably a case of how long is a piece of string)

[Dogtrousers]

It is indeed a piece of string question. There used to be someone on here who insisted that 90rpm was definitely the best and most efficient. Anyone who suggested otherwise was wrong.

In reality it depends so much on the terrain, wind, the type and purpose of ride and above all the rider that it's impossible to say that any particular value is "normal".

I measure my cadence, just because I'm interested in fiddling around with data. But I don't consciously try to control it. I never think, "uh oh my cadence is low, better change to a lower gear". I outsource all that business to my legs, they decide when to call for gear changes, and get upset if I interfere.

Riding on the turbo is a different matter. Some workouts are done at a set cadence

 

[presta]

Optimum cadence varies with output power, so your actual cadence should do too:

(Taken from Coast & Welch: Linear Increase in Optimal Pedal Rate with Increased Power Output in Cycle Ergometry)

I'm using (perhaps unsuccessfully) my cadence and heart rate to measure my effort.

If you have a HRM it's easy to find your optimum cadence: just adjust your gear until you have the minimum heart rate at your chosen speed. I started checking my optimum cadence once, but quickly stopped bothering when I found that the comfortable cadence I selected intuitively was already optimum.

 

[Sittingduck]

Cadence - the most pointless and misleading metric in cycling (imho). Unless it is zero, just do what feels natural.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Cadence - the most pointless and misleading metric in cycling (imho). Unless it is zero, just do what feels natural.

Something about Lance Armstrong something something Froome

 

[Sharky]

Even more beneficial with fixed

I do race on fixed, but living on the North Downs, there are just too many descents for a low fixed gear.

 

[ColinJ]

I do race on fixed, but living on the North Downs, there are just too many descents for a low fixed gear.

Same here - I would have to do well over 200 rpm on some of my local descents if I didn't have a headwind slowing me down!

 

[geocycle]

I measured cadence for three months, realised I was as slow as I thought I was and got back to enjoying the ride! It was typically 70-75 average but the median was higher. I tried to increase it and it reached 80 rpm average but then I turned it off.

 

[FrothNinja]

Todays stats - fairly typical

• 41.23mi
  Distance
• 4,533ft
  Elevation

• 124W
  Estimated Avg Power
• 1,675kJ
  Energy Output

Show Less

	Avg	Max
Speed	10.8mi/h	37.4mi/h
Heart Rate	144bpm	170bpm
Cadence	61	215
Calories	2,434
Temperature	24℃

Heart Rate Zones​

Zone 5 > 170 bpm • Maximum 0:16 0%
Zone 4 151 - 169 bpm • Threshold 1:18:00 25%
Zone 3 132 - 150 bpm • Aerobic 2:31:28 49%
Zone 2 113 - 131 bpm • Easy 1:11:58 23%
Zone 1 95 - 112 bpm • Warm Up 2:12 0%

 

[CXRAndy]

That's quite a lot of elevation climbed in 40 miles. Are there any flat routes where you can hopefully stay in lower HR and practice with your cadence?

 

[FrothNinja]

That's quite a lot of elevation climbed in 40 miles. Are there any flat routes where you can hopefully stay in lower HR and practice with your cadence?

Only the canal towpath (once I am on it)

 

[Sittingduck]

If you’re serious about monitoring cadence you should check your cadence meter isn’t mis reading. I notice a max in excess of 200?

 

[wafter]

Even though I ran out of fingers and toes I counted around 87 rev/min on the flat earlier

 

[ColinJ]

That's quite a lot of elevation climbed in 40 miles. Are there any flat routes where you can hopefully stay in lower HR and practice with your cadence?

That tends to be standard around there (and here) unless you stick to towpaths or busy valley roads. Approximately 100 ft/mile or 20 m/km.

I did 590 metres of ascent on this evening's 23 km ride! (1,936 ft in 14.3 miles.)

PS Actually, there are less hilly routes in the Ribble Valley but there are lots of nice hills to tempt you away from them!

 

[FrothNinja]

I notice a max in excess of 200?

I've isolated that to the first 0.2 of a mile on the descent from the Gorple Track to Widdop.
The cadence meter is a fairly new Garmin and the reading seems to be a one off spike though the next highest is 187 on the hill up Gorple Track to the Widdop turnoff.
I regularly get into the 150s down Greenhead Lane near Burnley, the drop into Barley from the north, and the descent to Clitheroe from the Nick Of Pendle, especially if there is a headwind

 

[cwskas]

I often see an excessively large cadence when going really fast (from the previous downhill) and I try to spin on the immediate climb with too low of gear for that speed. My bike computer will record a crazy number as the maximum . . . and I may hurt something. On my recent extended trip my average cadence was probably around 70. I aim for 75 but almost always freewheel downhill. My computer doesn't ignore the 0 cadence parts when averaging.

I found an online gear calculator the other day when considering various options for gearing.

Here is one example of the results for my Catrike Expedition.