Bicycle Tip #2

Now that its full fledged summertime and we're all bustin out our bikes I figure its a good time to talk about some bicycle knowledge.

Cadence

is the measurable rhythm, beat, or rate at which you are spinning your pedals. Good cadence not only refers to a minimum average of rotations per minute (rpm) but also to consistency in your rotations.

To achieve a good cadence, aim for at LEAST 60 FULL revolutions of your pedals per minute. This means that each pedal must come all the way around (thus making a 360 degree revolution) once ever second (minimum).

In terms of consistency, you should aim to maintain an unchanged cadence whether you are going uphill, or downhill, whether you are slowing down in traffic, or you are accelerating on the open road!! This can only be accomplished by changing gears to match your speed, and by making sure that your seat height is high enough to efficiently reap the full rewards of your powerful legs.

Why talk about cadence? Because we humans are more like a battery than a motor; while a motor can keep accelerating, our energy reserves are limited and would max our under this kind of continued demand. Cadence works perfectly with our battery type, assuring long term supply of power. And what happens when the batter runs out? Refuel it by breathing, hydrating and eating.