peggyd73

Hoping to get some advice -- I keep reading that I should 'spin' the pedals and a typical cadence is 80 rpm. I bought a cycling computer and have been trying to focus more on cadence this summer (hoping speed will magically follow) and thought I had finally figured it out yesterday (average was 78 on a bike route with lots of stop signs / road crossings at either end, so I think it was actually higher for regular riding)

However - my heart rate was very high for the majority of the trip (Fitbit says 99 of 122 minutes were at peak) -- and I was feeling pretty nauseous by the end and my legs were ready to be done with the bike about 2 miles from my car (ride was 26 miles - a distance I've done before w/ much less fatigue at same speed but lower cadence).

I'm sure some of it could have been heat (it was 86 degrees -- i drank lots of water), but thought I'd see if this is normal as I have to train my legs and cardio for the different style of riding.

I'm training for a 50 mile charity ride the first weekend in August, so want to make sure I can train to go the whole distance! Thanks for any help!

DrIsotope

Yes, it's normal. Riding with a cadence higher than your "natural cadence," particularly early on, will result in elevated heart rate. Also, don't worry too much about the cadence at all-- when I started 2 years ago my average cadence would be between 65-70 on most rides. Now, it's exceptionally rare to see it below 80, and most rides average 87-92. Your cadence will increase with fitness.

dual650c

Gear down(up?) one rear cog... Makes it easier to spin with the same effort. Your heart rate should go down as you acclimate to the new spin rate. When it does, go back to the "starting rear cog".

Myosmith

Don't put too much stock in the "ideal" cadence. Everyone is different and you will find your natural cadence. Even among the pros there is a fairly wide range. Blame it on body mechanics, slow twitch vs. fast twitch fiber ratio, whatever. If you're on a group ride and your average cadence is 78 and your buddy's is 92 it doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Listen to your body.

It is beneficial to condition yourself to be efficient at a range of cadences. About once a week I'll do wind or hill repeats where I pick a gear where my cadence is 70 or so headed up a moderate slope or into a headwind. After a couple of miles I turn around and, without shifting, spin back to the starting point at 100. My natural cadence is in the low 80s.

brianmcg123

80 is fine. That's a good cruising cadence. The only time you want it higher is if your exerting a lot of power, i.e. up a long climb or during a time trial.

dabac

Functionally, I CAN ride at "low" cadences.
I may even be a tad faster at lower cadences.
But my knees really don't like it. Its painkillers post-ride, throbbing at night, and a stubborn feeling of fatigue some days after.
Keeping the average at/above 85 avoids that.
Shorter cranks and one-legged pedalling exercises helped me get into higher averages.
If you don't have any issues, and aren't too far from an 80 average, I don't know how much benefit you'll get from retraining to a higher cadence.

Yendor72

It takes time. I was setting a goal of 85 this year. I find myself spinning at 90 most days now. Going up the hills this past week I was seeing anything from 95-110. It really helped me get up the hills. Just keep working at it. My wife still isn't comfortable at higher cadences, but her knees thank her.

bigbiker1

Showing my noobness here, I had no idea it was a good thing to have high cadence. I have no idea what mine is, but I always have a tendency to upshift when I start pedaling too fast. I guess I would have thought it would be easier on your knees to ride at a lower cadence, but I guess it make sense because lower cadence means you are having to push harder.

Myosmith

Remember that cadence is only part of the equation. Pushing hard in big gears for extended periods can be hard on the knees, but a cadence of 60 while cruising around the MUP at a leisurely pace won't cause you any problems. When I need a recovery ride, I typically use relatively low-cadence, low-intensity.

mrodgers

This is what I did. Note, gear down 1 cog as he said but maintain the same speed. For example, if you ride 13 mph on flat terrain, gear down and maintain the same 13 mph. Heart rate will elevate a bit more than it was before. A few rides you will be use to that increase in cadence and do it again, another gear down and maintain 13 mph. Eventually after a few rides, a higher cadence will begin to feel more comfortable.

When you get use to the higher cadence, you will notice you will start to ride faster and you'll just adjust the gearing to accomodate the faster cadence to match.

HerrKaLeun

Pedal faster and cadence will increase. If resistance increases too much, shift down in lighter gear.

dabac

Knees - the actual joints - don't mind bending much.
The main driver of wear and ache is the combination of (deep) bends and high loads.

I'm sure SOMEONE has managed to, but high cadences is generally not seen as a cause of knee issues.

Likewise, deep bends and low loads is not a recognized risk factor.

Myosmith