cadence

[Boris Bajic]

If cadence 'depends on where you live' (personally, I can't see how it would make a difference) - surely average speed would also be highly dependent on where you live - especially if you live in a hilly area.

This is a very sage point. I neither agree nor disagree, but in a wholly positive way.

For my part, I find that the route I take to get home is dependent on where I live.

Clearly, the cadence is always between 90 and 95, but the critical factor is knowing where I'm going.

I might add at this juncture that once you have the technique sorted out, your natural cadence will find you - both holistically and tangibly.

 

[Andy_R]

cadence is obviously only relevant while the pedals are turning - and inevitably your cadence will drop if you ride up hill. Which is why cadence is pretty pointless and average cadence is even more pointless...

obviously your cadence will drop when going uphill.....unless you change gear...OH WOW......I'm going uphill, dropped to a lower gear, and MY CADENCE DIDN'T DROP...use your gears folks!!!!!

 

[black'n'yellow]

obviously your cadence will drop when going uphill.....unless you change gear...OH WOW......I'm going uphill, dropped to a lower gear, and MY CADENCE DIDN'T DROP...use your gears folks!!!!!

there's no particular issue with not maintaining the exact same cadence throughout the course of a ride...

 

[billy1561]

My cadence doesn't change a great deal whatever route or course i take be it 10 miles or 100. I think without looking at the monitor i hit a sweet spot for me and then just keep it there.

 

[Rob3rt]

obviously your cadence will drop when going uphill.....unless you change gear...OH WOW......I'm going uphill, dropped to a lower gear, and MY CADENCE DIDN'T DROP...use your gears folks!!!!!

Then the hill was not steep enough!

 

[Andy_R]

Then the hill was not steep enough!

Or I've got a suitable range of gears for where I live.........

 

[black'n'yellow]

Or I've got a suitable range of gears for where I live.........

either your regular cadence is lower than average - you must go up hills really slowly...

 

[SquareDaff]

Your comfort zone changes over time and also varies from bike to bike (well - for me anyway). When I 1st started my cadence was around 65-70. On my commuter I now average around 85, whilst on my road bike it's nearer 95.

 

[oliver]

Cadence computers usually discard the zero values so the average is for the time the pedals are rotating not the entire time the bike is moving.

ah OK - didn't know this! mine sadly just tells me what I'm doing at the time, and doesn't store the averages!!!

 

[GrasB]

Or I've got a suitable range of gears for where I live.........

You'll find that your natural cadence will migrate down the rpm scale as the gradient gets steeper. However your preferred cadence will rise with power production. The strength of these tendencies & their interplay are tied to your bike fit, along with your muscle composition...

 

[MattHB]

Cadence is not pointless. Higher cadence will have a lower glycogen cost, at the expense of a higher cardio load. It's important to get the balance right for competitive pacing.

 

[black'n'yellow]

Cadence is not pointless. Higher cadence will have a lower glycogen cost, at the expense of a higher cardio load. It's important to get the balance right for competitive pacing.

all of that goes out the window in the bunch Matt....

 

[MattHB]

all of that goes out the window in the bunch Matt....

How?

 

[black'n'yellow]

How?

it just does - I don't know how or why...

 

[MattHB]

it just does - I don't know how or why...