Thoughts on cadence sensor?
06-25-19, 06:51 AM
#26
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Here’s how I did mine. The wahoo sensor comes with a shoe pod. I used Velcro cable ties to secure it. Inside the pod I put a small piece of hook tape so the pile side of the Velcro tie sticks to it. The sensor is then placed in the pod further compressing the Velcro to the pod. The ends are simply run through shoe eyelets then trimmed and secured over the sensor. Easy to take on and off because I only use it when I ride my backup bike with no power meter.
06-25-19, 06:58 AM
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I don’t have a pic handy. The Wahoo cadence sensor is designed to attach to your shoe as one of the mounting options. There’s an opening in the sensor that you fit a Velcro strap through or ( in my case) thread the laces through.
06-25-19, 07:49 AM
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What’s the general consensus on a cadence sensor? My tcr has a spot for one and I’m thinking about picking it up. I know it’s not as useful as a power meter, but I don’t know if I can justify a meter at this time. I’m a casual rider looking to increase speed and endurance. I’m currently a 18.5 mph solo rider and 20-21mph group rider.
Thanks
Thanks
Last edited by Clipped_in; 06-25-19 at 07:53 AM.
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06-25-19, 01:26 PM
#29
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I appreciate the feedback! After reading through the responses and talking with a couple local bike shops I believe I will hold off and find a power meter. I’m looking to build on each ride and have a set of number I can build off of. Now comes the intensive power meter search!
06-25-19, 01:58 PM
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I appreciate the feedback! After reading through the responses and talking with a couple local bike shops I believe I will hold off and find a power meter. I’m looking to build on each ride and have a set of number I can build off of. Now comes the intensive power meter search!
06-25-19, 02:17 PM
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Good call on the power meter. I'm a new convert to the power meter game and am enjoying it immensely.
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06-25-19, 03:22 PM
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What’s the general consensus on a cadence sensor? My tcr has a spot for one and I’m thinking about picking it up.
I know it’s not as useful as a power meter, but I don’t know if I can justify a meter at this time. I’m a casual rider looking to increase speed and endurance. I’m currently a 18.5 mph solo rider and 20-21mph group rider.
Thanks
I know it’s not as useful as a power meter, but I don’t know if I can justify a meter at this time. I’m a casual rider looking to increase speed and endurance. I’m currently a 18.5 mph solo rider and 20-21mph group rider.
Thanks
Is there a way to objectively establish your proper cadence w/o power measurement?
I think with experience you will be able to quantify effort by feel, from 30 - 90% and corollate it to you cadence range.
I have calculated my base cadence range using my speedometer and noting the sprocket selection to be about 60 - 90 rpm. At 40% effort 60 - 65 rpm is good, 60% about 70 -75 rpm, and at 80% effort perhaps 80-85 rpm.
Even as a recreational rider, I still like to monitor my effort by feel and cadence sometimes when fighting strong wind or climbing steep hills. Experiment with the gears. I used to use only very low gears on a hill in my neighbourhood, But found it much more efficient using taller ones for much of the ride.
Actually now that I think about it, A cadence sensor makes sense.
I have calculated my base cadence range using my speedometer and noting the sprocket selection to be about 60 - 90 rpm. At 40% effort 60 - 65 rpm is good, 60% about 70 -75 rpm, and at 80% effort perhaps 80-85 rpm.
Even as a recreational rider, I still like to monitor my effort by feel and cadence sometimes when fighting strong wind or climbing steep hills. Experiment with the gears. I used to use only very low gears on a hill in my neighbourhood, But found it much more efficient using taller ones for much of the ride.
Actually now that I think about it, A cadence sensor makes sense.
To me cadence is helpful when I am able to reference my power and speed. When I'm going all out, what feels faster is not always the case.
In certain instances (referencing speed and power) dropping a gear and increasing my cadence (even though it feels easier) has produced more power and resulted in more speed, especially with wind in your face.
In certain instances (referencing speed and power) dropping a gear and increasing my cadence (even though it feels easier) has produced more power and resulted in more speed, especially with wind in your face.
"Cadence"
I’m a 40+ year cyclist and I ride mainly for fitness. My training tool is the Relative Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale, and I use cadence to chose gears to maintain my desired exertion.
I’m a 40+ year cyclist and I ride mainly for fitness. My training tool is the Relative Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale, and I use cadence to chose gears to maintain my desired exertion.
This year though, I decided to go for speed (intensity), and I use the semi-quantitative, standardized, but personally relavant system of (Borg’s) Relative Perceived Exertion (RPE), with my own particular adaptation.
My basic training is to ride at my RPE of 50% for six miles to warm up, then cruise at an RPE of 60%, and do intervals (on hills) at 70%.
I try to change gears to maintain a cadence of about 85-90 rpm on flats and rolling hills, and about 60 to 80 rpm on harder hills, to maintain my RPE. Shift up to higher gears as the cadence rises, and shift down as the RPE increases.
The RPE scale ranges from 6 to 17, with descriptions of the intensity. Multiply the RPE by 10 is the approximate heart rate. Jim's scale is the equivalent on a 0 to 100 scale, easier to think about:
RPE = 6, resting... Jim's scale = 10 to 20
RPE = 7, very, very light... Jim's scale = 20 to 30
RPE = 9, very light... Jim's scale = 30 to 40
11, fairly light...50 (my usual happy-go-lucky pace without thinking about it)
13, somewhat hard...60 (I have to focus to maintain)
15, hard...70 (I start breathing hard at about 30 seconds)
17, very hard (lactate threshold; breakpoint between hard but steady
breathing and labored with gasping)...80 (my predicted max HR)
19, very, very hard...90 to 100.
RPE = 6, resting... Jim's scale = 10 to 20
RPE = 7, very, very light... Jim's scale = 20 to 30
RPE = 9, very light... Jim's scale = 30 to 40
11, fairly light...50 (my usual happy-go-lucky pace without thinking about it)
13, somewhat hard...60 (I have to focus to maintain)
15, hard...70 (I start breathing hard at about 30 seconds)
17, very hard (lactate threshold; breakpoint between hard but steady
breathing and labored with gasping)...80 (my predicted max HR)
19, very, very hard...90 to 100.
I try to change gears to maintain a cadence of about 85-90 rpm on flats and rolling hills, and about 60 to 80 rpm on harder hills, to maintain my RPE. Shift up to higher gears as the cadence rises, and shift down as the RPE increases.
06-25-19, 04:53 PM
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Note on an individual basis one's best cadence may vary quite a bit depending upon whether its a flat, ascent, or descent and the distance. However, once one rides enough you know within seconds in your mind what the speed or time that you have accomplished for a ride or segment of a ride.
06-25-19, 05:06 PM
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@jadocs, that looks like a great set up. My Garmin cadence sensor is attached to the left crankarm, but I guess that I could just as easily attach it to a shoe.
Last edited by eja_ bottecchia; 06-25-19 at 06:51 PM.
06-25-19, 05:29 PM
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@jadocs, that looks like a great set up. My Garmin speed sensor is attached to the left crankarm, but I guess that I could just as easily attach it to a shoe.
06-25-19, 05:33 PM
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I appreciate the feedback! After reading through the responses and talking with a couple local bike shops I believe I will hold off and find a power meter. I’m looking to build on each ride and have a set of number I can build off of. Now comes the intensive power meter search!
Power = RPMs * torque
What that means is if you want to do 300 watts, or whatever other number, you can achieve it at pretty much any cadence you like. And what that means is that knowing cadence and not torque vector is off very limited value at best, and potentially misleading at worst.
Power is what really matters.
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06-26-19, 05:35 AM
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I saw the pic from @jadocs, is that how your set up looks like? Great idea.
06-26-19, 07:17 AM
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Not sure but I couldn't make this work
06-26-19, 02:51 PM
#42
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I've had both power meters and cadence sensors. Both have value. Power is just torque times cadence. There is such a thing as an inappropriate cadence. You want good power and endurance. Run too big a gear at a low cadence and endurance suffers.
I'm too old now to care about power, but I do a lot of climbing in Colorado, and I know that letting your cadence drop below 65 isn't wise. If I'm on a climb and can't maintain 65 gpm, I need lower gears.
I'm too old now to care about power, but I do a lot of climbing in Colorado, and I know that letting your cadence drop below 65 isn't wise. If I'm on a climb and can't maintain 65 gpm, I need lower gears.
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06-26-19, 03:31 PM
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