70 years old Biking for 3 months
09-17-15, 12:41 PM
#26
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 19,529
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3886 Post(s)
Liked 1,938 Times
in
1,383 Posts
I'm going to disagree with the consensus here. Pedalling at a higher cadence will not, of itself, make you faster. In fact, pedalling faster for a given speed actually consumes more energy, simply because there is an energy cost to moving your legs faster.
What it MIGHT do is improve your endurance, because it reduces the load on your muscles per pedal stroke and your legs may get less fatigued. But it will do that at the cost of a higher HR. That doesn't matter if you're fit enough to sustain it.
Those who advise a higher cadence aren't mistaken, but they often mistake cause for effect. Pro cyclists aren't fast because they have a high cadence - they can employ a high cadence because they are already fit enough to be fast. And interestingly, lots of the best time-triallists compete at cadences of around 75-80 rather than the 90-95 that is often recommended.
none of this is meant to discourage you from working on increasing your cadence, it's probably a good thing to do if you're currently pedalling at 60rpm. But it isn't a panacea, and actually you'll probably find your preferred cadence rising naturally as your aerobic fitness improves.
(Disclaimer: I'm a mere stripling of 60, so what do I know?)
What it MIGHT do is improve your endurance, because it reduces the load on your muscles per pedal stroke and your legs may get less fatigued. But it will do that at the cost of a higher HR. That doesn't matter if you're fit enough to sustain it.
Those who advise a higher cadence aren't mistaken, but they often mistake cause for effect. Pro cyclists aren't fast because they have a high cadence - they can employ a high cadence because they are already fit enough to be fast. And interestingly, lots of the best time-triallists compete at cadences of around 75-80 rather than the 90-95 that is often recommended.
none of this is meant to discourage you from working on increasing your cadence, it's probably a good thing to do if you're currently pedalling at 60rpm. But it isn't a panacea, and actually you'll probably find your preferred cadence rising naturally as your aerobic fitness improves.
(Disclaimer: I'm a mere stripling of 60, so what do I know?)
Oh . . . I should mention that I'm talking about doing this on a tandem, which means Stoker can do it too. We trained identically, on the bike, on the trainer, in the gym.
Last edited by Carbonfiberboy; 09-17-15 at 12:45 PM.
09-17-15, 01:22 PM
#27
Senior Member
09-17-15, 01:58 PM
#28
Banned.
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Uncertain
Posts: 8,651
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Yup. He was pretty much right, too. If you have the time, just putting in a lot of hours on the bike is the answer, one doesn't have to get much more technical than that.
A few years ago I got into veterans (you call it Masters in the States) racing, 55-59 age group. I was struggling to hang on, those old guys seemed ridiculously fast. One of them asked how many training miles I was doing, and I told him something over 150 miles a week. "Nowhere near enough", he said. "Most of us are doing AT LEAST 250".
Umm, OK.
A few years ago I got into veterans (you call it Masters in the States) racing, 55-59 age group. I was struggling to hang on, those old guys seemed ridiculously fast. One of them asked how many training miles I was doing, and I told him something over 150 miles a week. "Nowhere near enough", he said. "Most of us are doing AT LEAST 250".
Umm, OK.
09-17-15, 04:13 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 11,016
Bikes: Custom Zona c/f tandem + Scott Plasma single
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times
in
11 Posts
Quit worrying about the 'numbers'!
Enjoy the ride.
Am 82 and still ride 100 miles a week.
Live at 2,640' elevation so this is not flat like Florida.
Enjoy the ride.
Am 82 and still ride 100 miles a week.
Live at 2,640' elevation so this is not flat like Florida.
09-22-15, 06:40 PM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,719
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 258 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
72 and, now retired, back on a road bike pretty much daily this season after 20 years away. Velo7 just to kinda keep track of stuff but no longer feel the need to be competitive with myself or others. Five to 10 or 11 miles a day at 12.5 to 13.5 mph normal average and just sittin' back and enjoying the ride. 
09-23-15, 02:58 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,473
Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1743 Post(s)
Liked 1,281 Times
in
740 Posts
Listen to what everyone here says but ultimately ride the way that makes you feel good. Yes, there are beneficial techniques, such as learning to spin, but in the end it's your ride. I will be 70 next June. I got back on the bike 11 yrs. ago after an 8 yr. hiatus. Here's what I've learned this time around....you cannot be 25 again but you can feel like it. You can actually get faster/stronger up to a point and you can always get better. The French have a word for it...supplesse. That's what you want.
09-24-15, 05:31 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,719
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 258 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Listen to what everyone here says but ultimately ride the way that makes you feel good. Yes, there are beneficial techniques, such as learning to spin, but in the end it's your ride. I will be 70 next June. I got back on the bike 11 yrs. ago after an 8 yr. hiatus. Here's what I've learned this time around....you cannot be 25 again but you can feel like it. You can actually get faster/stronger up to a point and you can always get better. The French have a word for it...supplesse. That's what you want.
09-25-15, 05:07 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 11,016
Bikes: Custom Zona c/f tandem + Scott Plasma single
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 77 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times
in
11 Posts
Am 82 years old and been cycling for 40+ years and covered over 300,000 miles.
Use your gears and push yourself harder . . .
Use your gears and push yourself harder . . .
09-26-15, 07:11 AM
#34
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924
Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II
Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,056 Times
in
635 Posts
The fact that you are biking is a good thing. Dont let people make you believe you should always get faster and faster. Just ride at the speed you feel comfortable riding. With more miles you will get faster up to a point. Also realize that on some days you will feel better and ride faster than you do on others.
09-27-15, 12:36 PM
#36
Full Member
I am 73 and have had to start over multiple times since I started serious riding at age 39 due to various surgeries and conditions. I see you are located in Fla. a state with a lot of riders and clubs. Try to find a group with riders over 60 and you will get a lot of good advice and will find your speeds increasing. Raise your cadence on the flats to at least 80RPM as your knees will thank you. I might wait for clipless pedals as you usually will suffer at least one fall when you start. If you are like the rest of us you will forget you are in clipless pedals sometime when you come to a stop in the beginning.
If you wish to measure your fitness take your pulse each morning when you wake up. It will start to drop as fitness increases. Your heart rate will get over 120 if you ride with a group. I usually do 40 - 60 mile rides and sometimes have average heart rates under 120 (Garmin). It takes my heart at least a half hour warm up to get over 135bpm. My max was over 200 at age 39 but is now in the 150's after warm up. Good luck to you. Hopefully you will find cycling to be a major part of your life. fastcarbon
If you wish to measure your fitness take your pulse each morning when you wake up. It will start to drop as fitness increases. Your heart rate will get over 120 if you ride with a group. I usually do 40 - 60 mile rides and sometimes have average heart rates under 120 (Garmin). It takes my heart at least a half hour warm up to get over 135bpm. My max was over 200 at age 39 but is now in the 150's after warm up. Good luck to you. Hopefully you will find cycling to be a major part of your life. fastcarbon
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bullwinkl360
Fifty Plus (50+)
92
05-01-15 10:05 PM
melvinator
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
37
02-06-13 08:01 PM
episodic
Road Cycling
11
05-04-11 06:13 AM
