I’ve been playing around with my cadence for SS specifically. Normally it’s always between 95-100 but have been trying 85-90 and 90-95 out of curiosity (used outside rides and galena +3 to measure).
I know that a lower cadence = more muscle focused and higher cadence = more cardiovascular focused. I’m just curious to hear which cadence you prefer and why?
97 rpm is about my self-selected cadence. When nothing else matters and I aimlessly ride in ERG, then check cadence, that’s where I am +/-2 rpm.
If I am training for particular reasons, events, races and such, I will choose higher or lower cadence to suit those. I also like to mix in low cadence work as a rule, for “hill work”. Those range from 60-80 rpm depending on the goal in mind.
85-90 because it’s what my brain says works for me. I enjoy forcing myself to maintain higher cadences because as an offroad rider I have always defaulted to 80-90 rpm. For longer races this comes into play for me, being able to spin faster v. harder, but for my primary races ie shorter, less than 2 hours, I just like pushing a slightly taller gear. I think it’s better for off road surfaces.
I selected 85-90. I really was mashing in the 75-80 range until I started SSBLV1 and Coach Chad started all of the 85-95 talk. I am only 8 or 9 weeks with TR now and I feel comfortable up to 95 while doing SS. Cadence has not been the main focus of training but just today I was working on a few VO2 intervals at 115 just to try it out and see if I can keep it together.
My natural cadence is 83-87. I find that my RPE is lower at lower cadences. If i’m struggling to complete an interval, whether it is SS, O/U, or Threshold, i can make it by lowering my cadence to 60-70 and smashing through it. On the other hand, i burn out quickly at 95+.
~105-110. Last 20 minute FTP test was at 115 or so. It loosely scales with power for me. It’s not uncommon to go through something like galena without shifting. Outdoors is a bit lower, although I don’t track it closely outside.
Edit: As to why - partly it’s just what I’m used to and find comfortable. It used to be more in the 80-90 range. Also it feels like it’s easier to accelerate. And on the track I don’t really get a choice anyhow.
103 seems to be my self selected cadence on my roadie (170mm cranks). My TT bike I’m 95 or so (175mm).
I’ve done a 5 hr .77IF century at a pedaling avg of 104 and 30 min crits with 1.0+ IFs at 103 and my last longish outdoor ride was .85 IF at 99rpm so I don’t worry about it being too high. Seems to just be what I do…
90-95 is my natural cadence in the big chain ring, and 85-90 in the small. I find SS easier in the BCR with cadence between 95-100, but try to avoid that as I feel it doesn’t help muscle endurance as much
When I first started out, I would always TT at 88 rpm (22 pedal strokes in 15 seconds). I could never understand the veterans who pedaled even slower. Now I are one, and find myself grinding like they did.