Cadence and speed data

[Tin Pot]

I know there are few fans of cadence based training here, but is here anyway this can be useful information in improving my workouts?

 

[Yellow Saddle]

No.

 

[Milkfloat]

A higher RPM in the same gear will mean you will get faster (for a while).

 

[Citius]

Cadence is generally irrelevant in terms of improving cycling performance and is largely self-selecting. It's a by-product of pushing on the pedals. Focus on pushing on the pedals.

 

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

No

 

[Tin Pot]

Ah, you guys!

What about combined with HR data?

£45 just to get virtual power on the occasional turbo session seems a little unfrugal.

 

[Citius]

Please just forget about cadence. HR numbers will be useful if you are using some kind of HR zone-based training program.

 

[Milkfloat]

Ah, you guys!

What about combined with HR data?

£45 just to get virtual power on the occasional turbo session seems a little unfrugal.

Virtual power on a turbo will get you a lot more though.

 

[pclay]

Cadence can give an indication of whether you are in the most efficient gear. spinning at 60rpm on the flats means you are in to high a gear (usually).

 

[Citius]

Cadence can give an indication of whether you are in the most efficient gear

Cadence can only ever tell you how fast you are pedalling. Nothing more.

spinning at 60rpm on the flats means you are in to high a gear (usually).

Spinning at 60rpm simply means you are spinning at 60rpm. You cannot read anything else useful into that number.

 

[Tin Pot]

The don fink half iron distance trainjng plan includes weekly sessions riding at over 100rpm.

 

[Citius]

The don fink half iron distance trainjng plan includes weekly sessions riding at over 100rpm.

Does it say why?

 

[Tin Pot]

Does it say why?

Stop asking awkward questions, I'm looking for answers!

There's a lot of articles that advocate varied cadence in training, and I'm looking for advice on what to do - such as:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/technique-cadence-matters-16394/

He's got links to studies supporting his article, but I'm not trying to argue the benefit or lack of it here. I just want ways to get more out of my commute based on cadence.

Ideas for working on cadence

1. NOVICE RIDERS At least get a cadence sensor on your bike and watch how you actually ride: Are you spinning? Chugging? Or oblivious? Then, once

you’ve made the mental link between your legs and the cadence, start the drills below. It takes time to sense your cadence so only start the drills when you can accurately guess your cadence.

2. FITNESS DRILLS Gain fitness and efficiency by using a cadence sensor with dedicated sessions of:

SPINNING Once warmed up hold a minute each at 90, 100, 110rpm, then spend two minutes at your preferred cadence, before repeating the 90, 100, 110 spin drills for two minutes each. Do this once more for three minutes at a time before descending through two and one minute spin intervals. Aim to hold periods of 20 minutes.

POWER UP Warm up for at least 20 minutes then find an incline around five percent (1:20). Ride three minutes uphill at your preferred cadence around 85% HRmax, then spin back down before riding another three minute incline in a gear one cog bigger on the rear cassette. This will mean cadence drops, but your power per revolution will be higher. Repeat the drill until you get either big lactate burn or your breathing gets out of control. Aim long term to adapt to low cadence work and being able to tolerate using bigger gears up your power incline.

3. ADVANCED Use your cadence sensor and HR monitor to see how you race and where you can improve. Do drills as above (cadence and power inclines). Also consider rollers, fixed wheel road and/or track work and some off -season mountain biking or cyclo-cross fun.

 

[Citius]

There's lots of articles on cadence, in the same way as there are lots of articles on leg strength. There's one of those on the Bikeradar news page right now. None of them mean anything though..

Varying cadence is usually just a misplaced reference for varying effort level, which is a more useful objective. Of course cadence will vary, but on its own, it is meaningless and should not be regarded as a training metric.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10994916

 

[Tin Pot]

There's lots of articles on cadence, in the same way as there are lots of articles on leg strength. There's one of those on the Bikeradar news page right now. None of them mean anything though..

Varying cadence is usually just a misplaced reference for varying effort level, which is a more useful objective. Of course cadence will vary, but on its own, it is meaningless and should not be regarded as a training metric.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10994916

I did make it clear in the OP that I recognise a lot of CCers don't like cadence based training.

And I'm not here to argue for or against it, but your linked article on delta efficiency doesn't address optimal oxygen uptake, fatigue or the effect on running after the bike. In fact at the bottom of the article links more recent studies:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19342296/?i=5&from=/10994916/related

So, bearing in mind that I'm obviously insane, are there any cadence based workouts out there?