cadence question

[Mark Potter]

hi all!!

ive just install an flightdeck computer onto my road bike and one of the functions is cadence (no
cadence magnet is calculates what rpm you would need to be doing for the speed your are doing for
the gear ratio you are in!!) my question is what rpm should I be aiming for? is there a general rule
of thumb? thanks in advance Mark

PS anyone thinking about getting a flightdeck do it, they are real good im well impressed!!

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi]

Do what your legs tell you

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Thu, 8 May 2003 16:25:18 +0000 (UTC), "Mark Potter" <[email protected]> wrote:

>what rpm should I be aiming for? is there a general rule of thumb?

FWIW I usually try to make sure that I don't drop below about 5rpm less than straight-and-level
cadence when climbing. The absolute values are a matter of personal preference I reckon.

Guy
===
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[Andy]

isnt that borgs scale of percieved exertion? i cycled 25 miles against the wind after living on
toast for 3 days and virtually fell off the bike on arrival normally it would be no problem so dont
be a slave to a computer,there are plenty of old men still on there bikes pedalling along without a
care in the world with no thought of what they "should" be doing so moral is "do what you feel,feel
until the end" (pinched from enigma mcmx3ad111) lol andy Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Do what your legs tell you

 

[Msa]

Just zis Guy, you know? <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 8 May 2003 16:25:18 +0000 (UTC), "Mark Potter" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >what rpm should I be aiming for? is there a general rule of thumb?
>
> FWIW I usually try to make sure that I don't drop below about 5rpm less than straight-and-level
> cadence when climbing. The absolute values are a matter of personal preference I reckon.
>
> Guy
> ===
> ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
> dynamic DNS permitting)
> NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
> work. Apologies.

A ballpark figure to aim for is 90 RPM (ala Lance). Everyone is different, as is the terrain and
weather conditions.

--
Mark
____________________________
Practice does not make perfect... Perfect practice makes perfect

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[Daniel Wilcox]

andy wrote:
> isnt that borgs scale of percieved exertion? i cycled 25 miles against the wind after living on
> toast for 3 days and virtually fell off the bike on arrival normally it would be no problem so
> dont be a slave to a computer,there are plenty of old men still on there bikes pedalling along
> without a care in the world with no thought of what they "should" be doing so moral is "do what
> you feel,feel until the end" (pinched from enigma mcmx3ad111) lol andy

Alternatively borrow a proper track bike and find the steepest and longest hill you can and say
something like "Hi, I'm Johnny Knoxville..." just before you launch yourself down the hill. This
should give you a rough indication of what your absolute maximum cadence would be. Then a point
somewhere between 0 and this will be the optimum.

Good luck.

Daniel.

 

[Arthur Clune]

MSA <[email protected]> wrote:
: A ballpark figure to aim for is 90 RPM (ala Lance). Everyone is different, as is the terrain and
: weather conditions.

90 is a good RPM, but Lance seems to ride at ~100 these days.

Personally I ride between 90-110 most of the time. Drops to maybe 80-85 when climbing seated a tough
hill (I try not to do this) and maybe 70-80rpm when climbing out of the saddle.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

 

[Andy]

my cadence,,going to work 10pm =fast (overnight shift in cake factory) coming home ,,legs like lead
knees dont work,,still love it though,,since moving to hull from scarborough i find i dont need to
change gear anymore simon if you read this ta for the map and where is a good roadie bike shop in
hull (fyi in scarborough its the bycycle works on vicky road) nothing is too much trouble ,,please
dont accuse me of spam you lot its just credit where credits due btw i have spondolitis in my spine
so arms are weak but the legs are still good thank god ,,,,,,andy Arthur Clune <[email protected]>
wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> MSA <[email protected]> wrote:
> : A ballpark figure to aim for is 90 RPM (ala Lance). Everyone is
different,
> : as is the terrain and weather conditions.
>
> 90 is a good RPM, but Lance seems to ride at ~100 these days.
>
> Personally I ride between 90-110 most of the time. Drops to maybe 80-85 when climbing seated a
> tough hill (I try not to do this) and maybe 70-80rpm when climbing out of the saddle.
>
> Arthur
>
> --
> Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
> Lord Lester

 

[Guy Chapman]

"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> Personally I ride between 90-110 most of the time.

Same here - 90-95 is a relaxed cruising cadence, so I try not to drop much below 90 on a climb. The
problems come when you ride at, say, 85 on the flat but try to flog up hills at 60 in some silly
gear. So the first, best thing a cadence function can do for you is to remind you to spin on hills -
IMO, anyway.

 

[W K]

"Guy Chapman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > Personally I ride between 90-110 most of the time.
>
> Same here - 90-95 is a relaxed cruising cadence, so I try not to drop much below 90 on a climb.
> The problems come when you ride at, say, 85 on the flat but try to flog up hills at 60 in some
> silly gear. So the first, best thing a cadence function can do for you is to remind you to spin on
> hills - IMO, anyway.

Which'll remind you not to have a standard roadie double on hills greater than about 1 in 30

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Fri, 9 May 2003 16:34:13 +0000 (UTC), "W K" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Which'll remind you not to have a standard roadie double on hills greater than about 1 in 30

Heh! Too right. I'm on the summer gearing, now, mind - 12-25 x 9 at the back and 40/52/60 on the
front - nice and relaxed, cruised home today at 105rpm

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Arthur Clune]

On Fri, 9 May 2003 16:34:13 +0000 (UTC), "W K" <[email protected]>
: wrote:

:>Which'll remind you not to have a standard roadie double on hills greater than about 1 in 30

Or get fit

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

 

[W K]

"Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> : On Fri, 9 May 2003 16:34:13 +0000 (UTC), "W K" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> :>Which'll remind you not to have a standard roadie double on hills
greater
> :>than about 1 in 30
>
> Or get fit

HoHo.

The last person that said something like that to me in person actually completed the tour de France
as a competitor.

90rpm 1 in 10, standard double, is over 400W.

 

[Arthur Clune]

W K <[email protected]> wrote:

: HoHo.

: The last person that said something like that to me in person actually completed the tour de
: France as a competitor.

: 90rpm 1 in 10, standard double, is over 400W.

In most parts of the country hills aren't all that long though.

Actually I don't use a standard double (quite), I use 39/50 13x26 on my winter/training bike and am
going to replace that with 13x28.

For preference I'd fit a double 34/48 or 36/48 but that is an expensive option.

For loaded touring I'd get the lowest triple I could find, but I don't do that. For towing my
trailer home from Sainsburys, I have 22x28 as a low gear. I'm not macho about these things really

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

 

[Ambrose Nankive]

In news:[email protected], Arthur Clune <[email protected]> typed:
> For loaded touring I'd get the lowest triple I could find, but I don't do that. For towing my
> trailer home from Sainsburys, I have 22x28 as a low gear. I'm not macho about these things
> really
>
Whereas when I'm coming back from the hunt with a bull I caught and killed with my bare hands, I
just sling it over my shoulder and ride back up the 1 in 4 hill at 54x11, like real men do.

Actually, I almost never get a trailer load of food (local shops, mainly). The last time I used mine
was to get some 4 by 2 back from the timber merchants, and I was stupid to try that.

Ambrose