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The great cadence debate

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    #32
    griffin100
    Registered Users Posts: 4,828 ✭✭✭griffin100


    These sorts of discussions are interesting to a pleb like me but they do always remind me of something I remember Sean Kelly saying during the TdF. Carlton Kirby was waffling on about gear ratios on a big climb and he asked Kelly what gear ratio he'd use on the climb. Kelly paused for a few seconds, and then said 'the one that gets you to the top quickest.' Whatever works for you I suppose.


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    #33
    pgibbo
    Registered Users Posts: 4,377 Mod ✭✭✭✭pgibbo


    As a straw poll would it be worth posting times, AP and average cadence for those that have previously completed an IM/IMs?


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    #34
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    pgibbo wrote: »
    As a straw poll would it be worth posting times, AP and average cadence for those that have previously completed an IM/IMs?

    hahaha get some from IM barcelona from last year - all the <5 hour bikes on < 180watts :)


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    #35
    gilleek2
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭gilleek2


    BTH wrote: »
    You seem to suggest that you were consciously trying to spin a high cadence. I dont consciously spin with a high cadence, that is just what comes naturally to me.

    I was relatively pleased with some of the sprint races I did last year. Ennis100/Spiddal95/Lanesboro97/Loughrea98. All high cadence bike legs. All using high cadence to hide a lack of real fitness. A lack of fitness that gets found out at the longer races like Kilkee in 2014 and 2015. Its been almost 4 years since I was very happy with a race (CK tri 2012, 97cad, I had the second fastest bike that day in a very strong NS field) and thats down to a complete lack of consistency in my training over that time and not the cadence my body naturally selects.

    I THINK theres value in listening to your body ie. riding at the cadence that feels right on the day. Just as Suttton said in the follow up to the aforementioned article that what works for the athlete is whats right. So if it gets you a PB or podium or whatever your goal is then it may well be the approach for you to adopt going forward.
    HOWEVER, perhaps you can influence the cadence your body naturally selects by training. It seems logical to me that if most of your training is done at 95-100rpm then your going to race at that cadence. Maybe doing some efforts at very low cadences (50-65) would build the necessary power to be able to push a big-ish gear in a race at c.80-85 and not come off the bike with legs that feel fried.


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    #36
    BTH
    Registered Users Posts: 3,075 Mod ✭✭✭✭BTH


    tunney wrote: »
    Tunney hasn't given his opinion on this. You have, except you (and others) have wrapped it up as fact.

    By "(and others)" I presume you mean Cameron Watt and perhaps Brett Sutton. They more than anyone else have on this thread have wrapped up their opinion as fact.

    gilleek2 wrote: »
    I THINK theres value in listening to your body ie. riding at the cadence that feels right on the day. Just as Suttton said in the follow up to the aforementioned article that what works for the athlete is whats right. So if it gets you a PB or podium or whatever your goal is then it may well be the approach for you to adopt going forward.
    HOWEVER, perhaps you can influence the cadence your body naturally selects by training. It seems logical to me that if most of your training is done at 95-100rpm then your going to race at that cadence. Maybe doing some efforts at very low cadences (50-65) would build the necessary power to be able to push a big-ish gear in a race at c.80-85 and not come off the bike with legs that feel fried.

    This is the issue. My training is not done at 95-100. When I turbo my average cadence is always 89-91. Long spins, average 87-91. Only a very easy turbo spin would see me averaging 93/94. I don't train to race at 100rpm. I dont know why I end up racing at 100rpm sometimes but thats just what feels right and I seem to be doing quite well.

    My legs dont tend to feel fried at the end of the bike leg.


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    #37
    gilleek2
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭gilleek2


    BTH wrote: »
    By "(and others)" I presume you mean Cameron Watt and perhaps Brett Sutton. They more than anyone else have on this thread have wrapped up their opinion as fact.




    This is the issue. My training is not done at 95-100. When I turbo my average cadence is always 89-91. Long spins, average 87-91. Only a very easy turbo spin would see me averaging 93/94. I don't train to race at 100rpm. I dont know why I end up racing at 100rpm sometimes but thats just what feels right and I seem to be doing quite well.

    My legs dont tend to feel fried at the end of the bike leg.

    Okay 89-91 is still a country mile from an overgeared session where you're churning the gears over very slow but in a 53-11. Personally i find them very good. Now, with that said i dont race at a cadence of 70 but its prob around low 80s.


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