How fast do you spin when you have an option?

[RPS]

It seems that most of the time I spin fast is when I don’t have an option to shift up; when I’m out of high-end gearing.

Although I can spin faster, I spend the vast majority of time riding in the 85 +/- 10 RPM range. I find that cadence to be most aerobically efficient for me. When riding at a higher intensity, I may go to 100 RPM or so, but much faster doesn’t really help me much.

The times I’ve gone considerably higher during normal rides (other than to see if I could do it or for training purposes) were in my highest gear and only because I couldn’t shift up, otherwise I would have. The fastest I can recall during a normal ride was 130 RPM (45 MPH in a 53/11 with small tires). Mostly I stay well below that, rarely exceeding 120.

So my questions are:

1) What’s a high cadence for you during normal riding when you have the option to shift up?
2) What’s a high cadence for you in your tallest gear when you have no other option?

It’s not about one cadence being better than another; I’d just like to know what range different riders experience.

[Mshue]

I normally spin comfortably in the 95-105 range. I don't typically shift until the terrain suggests that I will be as low as 90 or as high as 110 for awhile.

[terrytnt]

I generally maintain 90-105 cadence throughout the entire ride. I find that I usually will shift at about 100 cadence sometimes a little less. Terrain is the main reason for shifting particular during short and long climbs. My goal is to always maintain at least 90 cadence (which I'm not always successful doing during long ascending climbs).

[Tom Kellogg]

Interesting question ... I come at this from a somewhat different place than many, but for what it's worth. Yes, I race. No longer on the track, but I think it is important that I raced on the T-Town Velo for almost twenty years. I have always had a pretty smooth pedal style as a result.

- No wind, flat, casual pace - 85-90 rpm
- 3-5% grade, casual pace - 70-85 rpm
- 6% grade and up, 60-65 rpm
- Flat, moderate pace (18-22 mph) 90-100 rpm
- Flat, race pace (Derby return speed - 28-36 mph) 110-120 rpm.

A few years ago, I started taking notice of my leg speed on the Derby and found that after the turnaround (the fast part) I naturally slipped into a cadence of 110-118 or so. Below 110 and my legs simply couldn't keep it up. Much above 120 and my legs were OK, but my lungs couldn't take it. So for me, near my LT, 115 seems to by my sweet spot. So there you go.

[vaxn8r]

I'm more of a diesel. 87-100 suits me fine for almost anything. I lose a bunch of power at anything over about 105-110 so I don't like that. If I dip much into the mid 80's though I can tell I'm struggling and trying to overpower it too much. No one can do that for too long or too many times on any given day, assuming race pace type setting of course.

[regularguy412]

I'm pretty close to what Tom K said in the post above. I would add that, when I get to the back after a hard pull on the front of a paceline, I'll usually gear up at least one and sometimes two gears and turn slower at the same pace. This seems to help with my recovery before I get back to take my turn again at the front. My cadence changes pretty drastically, depending on the wind, terrain, pace and other factors.

I tend to turn slower on climbs,generally. Turning too fast when climbing equals potential blow up. I usually gear up near the top of a climb.

When I started racing, we only had 6 cogs in back and 42/52 was the 'standard' for chainrings. The jumps between gears were quite large, compared to today's offerings. I think this situation sort of set the stage for my cadence preference today. I sort of got used to mashing the gear.

Mike in AR

[Orin]

Interesting question ... I come at this from a somewhat different place than many, but for what it's worth. Yes, I race. No longer on the track, but I think it is important that I raced on the T-Town Velo for almost twenty years. I have always had a pretty smooth pedal style as a result.

- No wind, flat, casual pace - 85-90 rpm
- 3-5% grade, casual pace - 70-85 rpm
- 6% grade and up, 60-65 rpm
- Flat, moderate pace (18-22 mph) 90-100 rpm
- Flat, race pace (Derby return speed - 28-36 mph) 110-120 rpm.

A few years ago, I started taking notice of my leg speed on the Derby and found that after the turnaround (the fast part) I naturally slipped into a cadence of 110-118 or so. Below 110 and my legs simply couldn't keep it up. Much above 120 and my legs were OK, but my lungs couldn't take it. So for me, near my LT, 115 seems to by my sweet spot. So there you go.

Sounds similar to what I do with cadence being somewhat related to power requirements on the flat, but lower on the hills.

I find cadences around 120 difficult unless putting significant power down - I get real bouncy on the saddle. Things improve at higher rpms and a few weeks back, I span up a (accidentally) low gear over 160 without much difficulty, not that it means anything.

Orin.

[Hardlyrob]

I'm in a similar place to Tom. My legs are happiest at something like 100-110rpm (18-22MPH). I try to maintain thath throughout the ride. when I'm climbing and out of the saddle, it drops to 60-70rpm (10-14MPH). Much above 120-130, and my lungs can't keep up.

Mashing gears has never worked for me - I watch Jan ride and cringe. Many times I'll shift down into my normal cadence and accelerate in the smaller gear because my legs are more efficeint at the higher rpms.

HTH

Rob

[RPS]

So are most of us rarely exceeding 120 RPM on our top gear as we spin out?

For those without cadence, rounding off that’s about:

42 MPH in a 53/12
43 MPH in a 50/11
45 MPH in a 52/11
46 MPH in a 53/11

[Bud_E]

I've always had a tendency to push high gears - probably 80-90 average cadence. Now that I'm approaching my dotage and reading the benefits of higher cadence, I got a Flightdeck which reinforces me to use lower gearing. I'd say my average speed is lower than it used to be but my legs aren't as thrashed as they used to be after a long ride and I have less tendency to cramp. I try to keep the cadence up around 95-100. But don't go by me - I'm an old fat bald guy who hasn't raced in a few years.

[vaxn8r]

I've tried to ride like LA but it don't work for me. I relate much more to Jan. Not comparing anything other than cadence styles.

I agree that on any given day, I can put a ton of power out in lower gears but if I do that too much my legs are dead for several days. I've learned to work on my cadence in that regard. OTOH, some folks who grew up in the 9-10 speed and compact crank era, I think, never learned to climb seated or in the big ring and are always fishing for a gear when sometimes they just need to settle in and get over that next riser.

[petitelilpettit]

I usually ride in the 90-120rpm range for my cadence. If I'm moving along in a paceline, I may go up to 130rpm before I shift. I do a lot of fixed gear riding, so I can spin pretty smoothly. My fastest cadence I hit was around 190rpm on a downhill while intentionally spinning. I only spiked there, but the highest I've held for some time was in the 140rpm range.

However, I think the age factor has something to do with it (I just turned 20).
Also, I think that my long, lanky legs are another factor.

Pettit

[regularguy412]

So are most of us rarely exceeding 120 RPM on our top gear as we spin out?

For those without cadence, rounding off that’s about:

42 MPH in a 53/12
43 MPH in a 50/11
45 MPH in a 52/11
46 MPH in a 53/11

I've motorpaced semi-trucks @ 55 mph on the flats in the 53/12. I dunno what kind of cadence that is, but it's pretty quick. I sure can't turn that gear that fast on my own.

I agree with Vaxn8r: Some with whom I ride nowadays, have only ridden with 9 or 10 speeds in the back. They are often 'hunting' for a gear, especially when climbing and they ultimately give up , shift up, STAND UP and mash the gear. I think it would really behoove them to turn the 39 in whatever low gear they can spin smoothly, until their legs 'learn' to make circles -- putting out power more evenly throughout the entire stroke.


Mike in AR

[swoop]

you're talking about the concept of Optimal Cadence. Do a google search and you'll find a ton of info. Its relativey easy to find yours out with a HR monitor and a wattage monitor with cadence.

there is a fairly typical range of cadence ... but everyone has a magic number at which they can sustain threshold wattage within a sustainable heartrate.


sprint drills are in the 160s... power intervals in the 50's... or even lower.

[Kevin]

90-100

Kevin

[TAW]

Because of the long winter, I spent more time on the rollers, trying out a variety of cadences. It seems to me that what Swoop said is true, everyone has a range at which they feel comfortable and can maintain speed. I tend to grind more, which is more comfortable for me than spinning above 110 and I can maintain the lower cadences (80-90) under a load for a longer period of time. My legs are probably stronger than my heart.

I've tried working on my heart rate, and actually do quite a bit of running along with cycling, but I still "poop out" if I try to spin too long out of my comfort range.

[ergott]

90 give or take 10 is typical for me. I've broken 160 in better form. I don't sprint in the 53X11. I will typically spin out a 53X14 or 15 on flat terrain. I will get in the high 30s this way and have broken 40 in the past. The 53X11 is for drafting, downhill, or mashing. My sprints are high cadence efforts.

[RPS]

you're talking about the concept of Optimal Cadence..Wasn’t my intent. I’m mostly interested in what other riders actually spin when there are choices, not whether it’s efficient or not.

sprint drills are in the 160s... power intervals in the 50's... or even lower.swoop, that's good info, thanks. I've only reached those kinds of speed on a stationary bike with very short cranks, and only for a few seconds. While riding/training even 140 is pushing it, and way beyond my power peak so I don't go there often.