Cadence

[CanucksTraveller]

I have no idea what my average cadence is, not really sure I need to know either. I suspect it's probably highish because I don't like pushing big gears, but beyond that I'm not bothered... knowing a definitive number all of a sudden won't (and shouldn't) change how you ride, with a pace of just under 20mph you're probably pretty damn efficient as it is.

 

[S-Express]

Your aim is to burn fat for fuel during your road cycling. After you burn off stored glycogen, fat supplies the fuel.

That's not how the human body works. There is not really a point at which the body only burns fat, or only burns glycogen. You tend to burn more energy from fat as your aerobic fitness improves, but it's not a linear process. Either way, maximum overall energy expenditure (ie calories) in the time you have available is what counts, as opposed to 'fat burning' as such. And the fitter you get, the harder you will be able to ride in the time you have available.

 

[mjr]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/454690-road-cycling-lose-weight-cadence/

Wow. Lance Armstrong's foundation is still going. I bet that's a source of truthiness.

 

[nickyboy]

On the flat I tend to find my cadence settles at somewhere like 80. But on hills it is completely different.

I seem to be happiest on a proper hill when I synchronise my breathing and the pedal strokes, don't ask me why. It seems that my maximum respiration rate I can maintain for a significant period is about 60 per minute. So that's how my cadence works out too. The pros uphill cadence is significantly higher, presumably they aren't into synchronising the breathing and pedal stroke. When I try to breathe at 60 and pedal at 80 it feels uncomfortable and disjointed

 

[PK99]

On the flat I tend to find my cadence settles at somewhere like 80. But on hills it is completely different.

I seem to be happiest on a proper hill when I synchronise my breathing and the pedal strokes, don't ask me why. It seems that my maximum respiration rate I can maintain for a significant period is about 60 per minute. So that's how my cadence works out too. The pros uphill cadence is significantly higher, presumably they aren't into synchronising the breathing and pedal stroke. When I try to breathe at 60 and pedal at 80 it feels uncomfortable and disjointed

That's not breathing it's panting! at 60 per minute you cannot be diaphragm breathing.

Try keeping a constant steady breathing rate and go deeper as the effort increases

 

[S-Express]

The pros uphill cadence is significantly higher, presumably they aren't into synchronising the breathing and pedal stroke.

The pros - or indeed any other trained rider - will more than likely breathe as often as they need to, while pedalling at their optimum cadence according to their effort level and gear choice. The two aren't (and don't need to be) related, as such.

 

[Lozz360]

You can find out what your cadence is by counting the revs over a 30s period then double the number. Quite simple. You then get a "feel" of what your cadence is for a given effort. For instance, if I'm flat out I'm doing about 90rpm, which to me, seems unnatural. What feels natural and comfortable to me is probably only 70tpm.

 

[cd365]

That's not how the human body works. There is not really a point at which the body only burns fat, or only burns glycogen. You tend to burn more energy from fat as your aerobic fitness improves, but it's not a linear process. Either way, maximum overall energy expenditure (ie calories) in the time you have available is what counts, as opposed to 'fat burning' as such. And the fitter you get, the harder you will be able to ride in the time you have available.

My post was a quote from the livestrong page. I have no idea when the body burns each type of fuel but had assumed that the livestrong site would know a bit.

Wow. Lance Armstrong's foundation is still going. I bet that's a source of truthiness.

Lance has nothing to do with the foundation anymore

 

[Ajax Bay]

My post was a quote from the livestrong page [Road Cycling in Cadence to Lose Weight]. I have no idea

Well, hopefully you now have a better idea: @S-Express is bang on the money (and elaborates what I said in Post # 44 - thank you for liking it).