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CADENCE FUNDAMENTALS
What
Is Cadence?
Cadence is defined as the number of times the pedals revolve per minute, also known as
RPM f
revolutions per minute. The safest, most efficient
and most realistic cadences are 80–110 RPM
for a
flat road and 60
–80 RPM
for a hill. These ranges are based on studying the cadences of elite cyclists
as well as understanding how the muscles work together to turn the pedals in the most efficient
manner.
Cadence Range for Flat Roads:
80-110 RPM.
Pedaling faster than 110
RPM is both unrealistic and counterproductive. The resistance knob
on a
Spinning®
bike
is used to increase friction on the flywheel in order to simulate realistic external forces
would encounter on an outdoor bike, such as road surfaces, bike weight and wind resistance.
Pedaling
Faster Than 110 RPM Is Unrealistic because:
It’s like pedaling very fast in a very low gear—there’s a low power to resistance ratio.
It’s wasted energy.
If a person pedaled like this on street bike, he/she wouldn’t generate
much power or speed.
A
skilled cyclist who has worked on her pedal stroke for many years and has trained the
nervous system to react quickly is able to pedal efficiently at 100+ rpm for an extended
period. Because of his/her strength and ability to overcome the higher resistance at faster leg
speeds, it is said that he/she has a high power to resistance ratio.
Pedaling
Faster Than 110 RPM Is Counterproductive because:
No amount of high-cadence/low-resistance pedaling on a Spinning®
bike will succeed at
training the nervous system properly. The flywheel is doing most of the work.
One won’t achieve his/her performance and weight loss goals.
One won’t build leg strength.