Star Trac Spinning Bike Computer - Manual (Page 27)

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Is it good to pedal faster than 110 RPM?
Those who have a high power to resistance ratio may occasionally attain these leg speeds. This means they have the ability to
overcome resistance through strength and speed. The rare, highly skilled Spinning® enthusiast (often cyclists) who have
mastered a smooth pedal stroke and who understand the dynamics of cadence can pedal faster than 110
RPM for 1-3 minutes.
A high performance sprint, used judiciously in ride profiles may require cadences over 110 RPM for 10-20 seconds.
Bouncing in the Saddle
When riding at cadences of 100-120 RPM with too little resistance, the rider will bounce in the saddle. What causes the
bouncing has to do with the pedal stroke. There are four phases to the pedal stroke. Many riders, however, usually have only
one phase—straight down. That means that they haven’t perfected sweeping the foot back at the bottom of the pedal stroke
and pushing the toe forward at the top. As a result, they push down furiously on the pedals and rely on the flywheel to carry
their foot the rest of the way. When their foot reaches the bottom of the crank arm, the leg can go no further, and the hip is
raised up off the saddle, creating that familiar bouncing. The short-term solution is to add more resistance, but one must also
work on pedal stroke technique and cadence drills.
Cadence Range for Hills: 60-80 RPM
Since 1998, Lance Armstrong has amazed the cycling world with his ability to pedal at 90 RPM up some of Europe’s toughest
climbs. But keep in mind that Lance can ride at 400 watts for several hours and stay aerobic (watts is a measure of power; 400
watts is a lot of power), whereas many skilled cyclists may be lucky to achieve 400 watts for a few minutes. In order to pedal at
90 RPM up a steep hill, one must either be superhuman or must choose a gear that is so low (granny gear), that the bike
barely moves. The granny gear is the small cog found on the front chain ring of mountain bikes and some road bikes—it allows
the rider to climb hills at a much higher cadence and lower resistance, but his/her power and speed are reduced.
It’s not dangerous to exceed 80 RPM on a hill, but for extended periods it will likely raise the rider’s intensity too high and won’t
achieve the strength benefits of climbing. It is all right to exceed 80 RPM for brief periods, such as in a standing climb for the
last 10-20 seconds. The rider intensity will increase dramatically, so make sure one has planned for this in his/her profile.
The lower limit of 60 RPM on a hill is for safety reasons. There won’t be many situations where a cyclist will pedal slower than
60 RPM. If one cannot turn the cranks at a faster cadence than 60 RPM the resistance is too high. A key indicator is the need
to contort the body by throwing his weight into pushing the pedal downward while pulling on the handlebars. This excessive