The head-to-head races between Jan Ullrich and Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France are unforgettable. Although they both rode at similar speeds, one difference in riding style was extremely noticeable: While Ullrich was known for a powerful style with a slow cadence, Armstrong applied high cadence that made him seem more spritely. So which method is better? Slow and powerful like Ullrich or fast and sprightly like Armstrong? Here you can find out everything about the optimal cadence for cycling - whether outdoors or on the indoor cycle!
The cadence is important!
Cadence (= cadence or number of crank revolutions per minute) is a significant factor when cycling or indoor cycling and can make all the difference in competitions. Where Armstrong used his cadence, Ullrich needed Power - and lost. So does that mean whoever pedals faster also rides faster?
From a biomechanical perspective, if you look at the efficiency of the muscles at just a single revolution, a slow cadence of 60 revolutions per minute would be the most efficient. This could be the reason why beginners intuitively often ride with a low cadence below 70, as the muscles are not used to fast pedaling and therefore start with a low cadence first. However, since cycling involves not just a single revolution but a string of many, it seems more effective to pedal faster and more dynamically. For this, however, the interaction of nerves and muscles must be trained. However, high cadence is uncomfortable for a beginner, so he should start slowly.
The higher the cadence, the less power is needed. This not only protects the (knee) joints, but also allows the muscles to work more economically due to the frequent tensing and relaxing.
Pedaling technique is also important for efficient progress on the bike! Information on the different pedaling techniques in cycling can be found in our magazine article "Pedaling techniques in cycling: How to find the optimal technique"!
Fast or slow? - Which cadence is more suitable?
Recreational cyclists often use too high gears and thus too low cadence, making physical exertion harder than necessary. This shows that feeling is not always the most appropriate indicator when choosing the optimal cadence. According to studies, the optimal cadence in cycling is 100 to 110 revolutions per minute. Ultimately, everyone has to figure out for themselves how they pedal best, which depends on several factors, including the rider's riding style and constitution.
Here's what's in favor of a high cadence:
- High cadence results in improved blood flow to the leg. However, when force is applied (low cadence), the blood supply to the contracting muscle is impeded. The longer the force is applied, the more the blood supply is disturbed. If you now pedal at a high cadence, contraction and relaxation alternate more quickly - the phases of contraction are therefore shorter - and the muscles are better supplied with blood because the blood flow is only disrupted for a short time.
- If you pedal faster, you save power! From a physical point of view, power is the product of force times distance; therefore, with a high cadence, the same power can be produced and power can be saved, since each additional revolution of the pedals' crank means a greater distance covered by the foot.
- If the use of force is very high, the red muscle fibers are no longer sufficient to produce a certain amount of power. Therefore, white muscle fibers are increasingly used, which produce more lactate due to poorer blood circulation and thus tire more quickly.
How to optimize your cadence!
To learn how to ride with high cadence, you should first work on the motor basics. Especially beginners have problems with the extension and flexion of the leg muscles. leg muscles muscles in an optimal way. In addition, the trunk muscles must first be strengthened so that they remain stable at high pedaling frequencies. For this reason, rotational stability should be athletic training should be trained in particular.
An optimal way to practice riding at high cadence is to train on an indoor cycle. Due to the freely adjustable resistance, a high cadence can be selected. Possible exercises would be sequences with high cadence in interval form or intervals in which deliberately low cadences are ridden alternating with very high ones.
If you are looking for a professional device for indoor cycling training to improve your cadence on the bike, you will find a large selection of high quality Indoor Cycles of different brands!
Editorial fitnessmarkt.de (SIS)
Published on: 28 June 2017