no need for high cadence

[Roberticus]

Nefarious,
I think you are right ! I'm using an iPad and still having problems using the new site. For example if I click the smiley icon my screen locks and I have to return to 'menu'.
So if anyone gets a 'like' or whatever,it will be entirely accidental! (Would put a smiley face here but I'm not risking it !)
Rob

 

[anotherkiwi]

True, if you've already got arthritic joints. I'm not sure about causation. Stairs exacerbate arthritic pain but walking upstairs didn't necessarily cause them in the first place.
K

I have "rugby knees" and I only played (seriously) till I was about 13. Getting kicked repeatedly in the knees for 8 years during formative years was enough. Think of tennis elbow or work induced carpal tunnel pain for example.

It won't affect casual leisure cyclists and if you start cycling at over 60 the damage is probably already done but people who put in serious km and have done for many years will prefer spinning to grinding. I used to be a grinder back in my youth - because I only had a single speed bike. When I got on my first derailleur bike in my 20's I continued grinding. But... I saw the light! And after some experimenting it seems my natural cadence is over 90 rpm - some on here have even insinuated I went to the Lance Armstrong school of EPO...

 

[MikeS]

I need a new knee sometime soon, but my specialist said that I could delay matters by taking up cycling. In fact he said that cycling was the best exercise you could do for knee problems. I don't think he was meaning my specific problem (arthritis) and I'm sure he said it was because it built up the muscles around the knee. I would have thought that can only be done by having a fair bit of resistance (ie lowish cadence?)
Mike

 

[flecc]

"The risk at low cadences is more a matter of joint damage, particularly the knees which cyclists often damage." etc
Hi Flecc
Just interested to know if there's any published evidence for this especially the later arthritis.
BW
Keith

There's a shortage of conclusive evidence for causation, but an abundance of associated evidence, including much online.

What is certain is that arthritis, which is wear damage, is normal and very common in older age. It doesn't suddenly appear, it very gradually develops with joint wear and when any discomfort is first felt the condition is already well established. Excessive use or loading at any stage during that development considerably worsens the condition by accelerating the wear.

Anterior knee indications are particularly prevalent among sport cyclists and the severity of their subsequent late arthritis well known, indicating it's due to excessive loading. My one time keen cyclist brother is one such case, the arthritis in his right knee forcing him to give up all cycling. The damage was so great that the joint would at times totally lock into one position. He's lived with anti-inflammatories and pain killers for years now. He freely admits that his preference was often for slow cadence slogging on climbs during long Audax rides and the like.

For me as for many, the evidence has easily been sufficient to always in high load situations like climbing use the higher cadences which reduce the pressure on each pedal stroke.
.

 

[flecc]

I need a new knee sometime soon, but my specialist said that I could delay matters by taking up cycling. In fact he said that cycling was the best exercise you could do for knee problems. I don't think he was meaning my specific problem (arthritis) and I'm sure he said it was because it built up the muscles around the knee. I would have thought that can only be done by having a fair bit of resistance (ie lowish cadence?)
Mike

I doubt it is muscle building that is the benefit and resistance through loading is undesirable. However, cycling is a great benefit to ease the pain of arthritis. The spinning keeps the joint free and helps to disperse the wear particles that cause the abrasive wear and pain, while not having to carry the weight of the body.
.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Yesterday I went for my second trike ride of the week - 60 km in the week. No motor so as soon as cadence starts going down I change down a gear, it keeps my knees and lungs happy not to mention heart rate.

Yesterday evening I jumped on the pedelec to go to GF's place and... back EMF! I spin too fast for the GSM!!! I really need to get myself a cadence monitor to get some real numbers to sort this problem out. I don't mind spinning slower to keep the motor happy but it doesn't feel very natural to me. This is only on hills, on the flat I am above cutoff speed.

Oh and side note: I have gained 1 Wh/km on my regular route since Sunday

 

[anotherkiwi]

Today I was passed by a woman (late 30's to early 40's) going like the clappers on an old beat up b'twin. I wasn't racing but I wasn't exactly hanging about, the wind was in my back let's say 27-30 km/h. So I started counting and I estimated her cadence at between 110 and 120. And she just kept going! I followed her for a bit over 2 km. I wasn't embarrassed but I bet a group of roadies would have been...

 

[Nefarious]

Today I was passed by a woman (late 30's to early 40's) going like the clappers on an old beat up b'twin. I wasn't racing but I wasn't exactly hanging about, the wind was in my back let's say 27-30 km/h. So I started counting and I estimated her cadence at between 110 and 120. And she just kept going! I followed her for a bit over 2 km. I wasn't embarrassed but I bet a group of roadies would have been...

that is uncomfortably high! I finally got around to switching my Shimano readout to cadence and the sweet-spot for me is around 90. Anything over 100 and I really need to change up, whereas below 80 quickly starts to hurt my dodgy knees!

 

[anotherkiwi]

that is uncomfortably high! I finally got around to switching my Shimano readout to cadence and the sweet-spot for me is around 90. Anything over 100 and I really need to change up, whereas below 80 quickly starts to hurt my dodgy knees!

I wonder if she was late for a meeting?

It kind of puts things in perspective when you see someone with a cadence like that and you think you are fast at 90-100 rpm. And jeez I wish I was young and had healthy lungs! Looks like we have similar cadence.