Training for higher cadence

If you are feeling brave you could get\put together a fixie with a gear in
the sixties and do some of your training runs on that. With this sort of
gear ratio you get plenty of practice with cadences in the 90 to 110 range
on the flat and the skies the limit down hill!!! If you live in a hilly area
then you might want to go a little lower on the gearing for the up hill that
is. I find a fixie both forces and helps you to improve your pedalling
action at the same time as increasing your cadence

"H" wrote in message
m...
I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence? How do you solve the "bouncing" problem? Is it
something that I just have to suffer through until my motor skills get
it? Or is there something I can do to help this along?

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 23:34:36 +0100, "Graham Steer"
wrote:

If you are feeling brave you could get\put together a fixie with a gear in
the sixties and do some of your training runs on that. With this sort of
gear ratio you get plenty of practice with cadences in the 90 to 110 range
on the flat and the skies the limit down hill!!! If you live in a hilly area
then you might want to go a little lower on the gearing for the up hill that
is.

The OP has trouble with bouncing as well as trouble with high cadence.
If he uses a fixed gear, particularly in hilly terrain, he's going to
be doing a lot of bouncing. That is very bad.

JT

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 23:34:36 +0100, "Graham Steer"
wrote:

If you are feeling brave you could get\put together a fixie with a gear in
the sixties and do some of your training runs on that. With this sort of
gear ratio you get plenty of practice with cadences in the 90 to 110 range
on the flat and the skies the limit down hill!!! If you live in a hilly area
then you might want to go a little lower on the gearing for the up hill that
is.

The OP has trouble with bouncing as well as trouble with high cadence.
If he uses a fixed gear, particularly in hilly terrain, he's going to
be doing a lot of bouncing. That is very bad.

JT

On 2004-07-15 10:48:23 -0700, (H) said:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence? How do you solve the "bouncing" problem? Is it
something that I just have to suffer through until my motor skills get
it? Or is there something I can do to help this along?

Rollers are also a decent way to practice this... get/borrow a pair and
do 30 minutes at 100 rpm a couple times a week... it should help.

Leave the resistance low and you won't have anything else to
concentrate on... it should be fairly straightfoward to do 110 rpm on
rollers in the not-too-distant future.

But then again, there's no MANDATE that you actually spin at 95 rpm on
the road all day... just because Lance does it, doesn't mean you have
to.

On 2004-07-15 10:48:23 -0700, (H) said:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence? How do you solve the "bouncing" problem? Is it
something that I just have to suffer through until my motor skills get
it? Or is there something I can do to help this along?

Rollers are also a decent way to practice this... get/borrow a pair and
do 30 minutes at 100 rpm a couple times a week... it should help.

Leave the resistance low and you won't have anything else to
concentrate on... it should be fairly straightfoward to do 110 rpm on
rollers in the not-too-distant future.

But then again, there's no MANDATE that you actually spin at 95 rpm on
the road all day... just because Lance does it, doesn't mean you have
to.

On 15 Jul 2004 10:48:23 -0700, (H) wrote:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence? How do you solve the "bouncing" problem? Is it
something that I just have to suffer through until my motor skills get
it? Or is there something I can do to help this along?

There's your problem - you're using gears. Get yourself a fixed wheel
bike geared in the 60s and you'll soon learn to pedal.


Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

On 15 Jul 2004 10:48:23 -0700, (H) wrote:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence? How do you solve the "bouncing" problem? Is it
something that I just have to suffer through until my motor skills get
it? Or is there something I can do to help this along?

There's your problem - you're using gears. Get yourself a fixed wheel
bike geared in the 60s and you'll soon learn to pedal.


Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

Sheldon,

Is there an effective method for determining if your cranks are the proper length?
"Sheldon Brown" wrote in message ...
H wrote:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

That's not all that shocking, and is not an unusually slow cadence.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence?

Gradually. Just try to spin a _little_ faster than feels natural.

Make sure your saddle isn't too high, and that your cranks aren't too
long. Either of these conditions can make it hard to spin a rapid cadence.

Sheldon "A Little At A Time" Brown
+----------------------------------------+
| All theory, dear friend, is grey, |
| but the golden tree of actual life |
| springs ever green. --Goethe |
+----------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Sheldon,

Is there an effective method for determining if your cranks are the proper length?
"Sheldon Brown" wrote in message ...
H wrote:

I recently installed a computer that tells me my cadence. Before
installing it, I had thought my cadence was at a proper "aerobic"
level-- I thought it was around 90.

I was shocked to find that my cadence is actually in the 70's.

That's not all that shocking, and is not an unusually slow cadence.

So I've started trying to bring my cadence up. I find that in many
situations where I need to rest in a lower gear that I "bounce" in my
seat. For example, if I am on a road with traffic and I don't want to
go 18+mph and I have to switch to a lower gear, I end up bouncing hard
if I maintain the high cadence. In a higher gear, I find that I don't
have this problem.

I'm not sure if bouncing is the right word, but it feels like whatever
muscles are connected to my pelvis aren't working in sync with the
rest of my legs.

So, my question is.... what is the best way to train oneself to use a
higher cadence?

Gradually. Just try to spin a _little_ faster than feels natural.

Make sure your saddle isn't too high, and that your cranks aren't too
long. Either of these conditions can make it hard to spin a rapid cadence.

Sheldon "A Little At A Time" Brown
+----------------------------------------+
| All theory, dear friend, is grey, |
| but the golden tree of actual life |
| springs ever green. --Goethe |
+----------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Kent Dorfman wrote:

Sheldon,

Is there an effective method for determining if your cranks are the
proper length?

There's some controversy on this point. For my opinion, see:

http://sheldonbrown.com/cranks

Sheldon "165-170" Brown
+---------------------------------------------------------+
| Our country is the world - our countrymen are mankind |
| --William Lloyd Garrison |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com