Spinning to Improve Pedaling Technique

High-cadence Pedaling that Improves Efficiency and Speed

Sep 11, 2009

Road bike pedaling at high cadence allows you to maximize efficiency and improve speed. Since spinning taxes the aerobic system, muscles stay fresh for the final sprint.

All kinds of road cyclists, from road racers and criterium riders to triathletes and even track racers can become faster by increasing their pedaling cadence. Relying on a heavy gear to propel the bike down the road works for a little while, but it taxes the muscles unnecessarily. By the time the final sprint comes along (or the run, in the case of triathletes), the legs may be too fatigued to respond. Also, "gear mashing" does nothing to teach muscles to move smoothly through the pedal rotation, wasting unnecessary energy. Taking some time out of training sessions to practice high cadence spinning pays huge speed dividends and gives an athlete an edge in competition.

Spinning Sets

Some cyclists are not inclined to do regimented drills, but they can still incorporate high cadence work into their rides to increase efficiency. Find a flat stretch of road where you can ride uninterrupted for several minutes. Shift into a very easy gear and time how long it takes to get to the end of the road without shifting. The only way to adjust speed is by increasing cadence, and the only way to keep from looking like a lunatic is to perfect a smooth, circular pedal stroke.

Fixed Gear Bikes

Another way to build excellent leg strength and pedaling mechanics at the same time is to ride a fixed gear bike. Since a fixed gear has no freewheel, whenever the rear wheel is rolling, the pedals are moving too. Forget to pedal for a second on a fixed gear bike, and the bike reminds you by thrusting your legs on through the pedal stroke with or without the your permission. The feeling is jarring, but not dangerous. Also, since fixed gear bikes only have one gear, the same gear is used to get up a hill as to ride back down it.

It may take mashing a huge gear at 60 rpm to get to the top of the hill, which is hard enough work to give the legs practice pulling up on the "recovery" (rear) quadrant of the pedal stroke. Once the road plunges back down, the legs must spin at a frantic cadence to keep up with the rear wheel down the other side, providing unplanned high-cadence practice. Fixed gear bikes are cheap, too. A new one costs less than $1,000, or an old bike can be converted to a "fixie" by removing the derailleur and cables and buying a wheel with a fixed gear hub.

With enough high-cadence spinning practice, a smoother pedal stroke becomes automatic. Riders who routinely take time out to improve their pedal strokes are able to better adjust their speeds through cadence. They don't get dropped when the terrain requires a quick gear change, they can spin up hills without their legs loading up with lactic acid, and they can save their muscles fo when they have to drop the hammer and shake their competitors in a break or a final sprint to the finish line.

The copyright of the article Spinning to Improve Pedaling Technique in Bicycle Training is owned by Claire Lunardoni. Permission to republish Spinning to Improve Pedaling Technique in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.