Physiology of Pedaling Cadence

an interesting article I found in regards to Cadence :

Using a slightly lower gear with a faster cadence can be more efficient than riding a higher gear with a slower cadence. The difference in efficiency is due to the unique physiological demands of each style. A high cadence pedaling style involves frequent, low muscular force productions while a low cadence pedaling style is comprised of less frequent, but more forceful muscular contractions. Since the slower cadence requires more muscular force per each pedal stroke, a greater percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers are recruited. Fast twitch muscles are not as efficient in their use of glycogen, so your body’s energy resources are drained more quickly when they are used. This can lead to increased fatigue late into your rides. During a stage race or when training frequency is high this becomes very important since stresses are compounded from one day to the next. On the other hand, the relatively low muscular force used with a high cadence relies more heavily on the slow twitch fibers, which are more aerobically efficient in using the body’s energy stores to produce work.

Typically, a cyclist will be most efficient with a cadence of 80 to 90 revolutions per minute (RPM). Cadences lower than 80 RPM require greater muscular forces, while cadences over 100 RPM place a higher demand on the aerobic system. Incorporating low and high cadence workouts into your routine will have you best prepared for your goals, though a majority of your riding should be done with an average cadence of 80 to 90 RPM.

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THE POSITIVO ESPRESSO JERSEY DESIGN CONTEST ~ Entry No.1 ~

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Lance’s new job

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Manly spending

“ One of the great joys of being a man, along with not needing to multitask and not having your legs ogled in bars, is that you have the ability to gain disproportionate pleasure from all sorts of gadgets and equipment. It doesn’t really matter what sort of kit it is – tennis racket, wetsuit, toaster – as long as it does something clever.

In normal circumstances, it is hard to get excited about insoles but these ones had a remote control. Any clothing with a remote control is exciting.

..the hours wore on and the least well-equipped members of the group started to whimper, I remained almost disturbingly immune to the deteriorating conditions. The lesson from my Peak District adventure was clear. Flashy kit is not a waste of money. I can’t tell you that it’s the difference between life and death. But it’s close. It wasn’t me, after all, that stopped in a muddy, windswept field on the brink of tears, no longer able to feel anything important, and say: “You lot carry on. I’m just going to stay here. I can’t pedal any more. Just leave. I’ll be all right.”“

OR without the spending..

“ The cheapest tip is to put newspaper under your jersey, a trick used by early Tour de France competitors, though it can quickly get soggy Put a layer of aluminium foil under your insoles for extra insulation Cycle against the wind on the way out and with it on the way back.

timesonline

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Otarumi TT & Attack of Suzugane Tour

David, Marek and me met at David`s house at 8 AM and left for Sekidobashi, where we met Tom. We went first to Otarumi Toge and than decided how to proceed. Tom was pushing us very hard against the headwind. For some reasons there were many firemen matsuri along the road, with one big one just before Hachioji.
When we were resting at the 7-Eleven at Takao we saw a group of mixed Japanese riders; we greeted the girls and tried to ignore the guys as good as we could. They went ahead but made a rest halfway where we overtook them. But they had some strong riders, including one of the girls and they overtook at least me again and perhaps also Marek…(Tom’s comment…don’t worry; it happened to me too 3 years ago and I was devastated. This young tiny lady with ponytail going up and down overtook me and no matter how hard I tried I could not stay in her wheel. It was the biggest affront to my pride I ever suffered in my life and from that day I swore to myself I would never ever let it happen again!)
Nevertheless I set a new personal best for the way up despite the traffic jam and a crazy bus driver who was trying to kill Marek and me backwards.
After the descent to Sagamiko Station we decided to split: Tom and Marek rode on in direction Otsuki and David and me went back over Otarumi Toge. I decided to push it again and was very much faster than my previous first try.
Now we had a good tailwind and constantly rode in the 35 – 40 km/h bracket home. After a break at the Y-Park 7-Eleven we continued our way home and were pushed by a newcomer who wanted to keep up with us but, because he didn`t know the pecularities of the Tamagawa track, almost crashed into one of the chainlinks on the closed portion of the road.
Shortly before Futagotamagawa David and me accelerated and he had no power left to stay with us.
My first trip of the year 2008, I am feeling well with the newly positioned saddle by Nagai-San. Let’s see, if the weather is good tomorrow and I am feeling ok, perhaps I will go for another ride.
Don’t know now what happened to Tom and Marek but I am sure we will read on either of their blogs later.
Tom: As we were making headway along a Koshukaido with very little traffic (for a change!), it occured to me that I had taken Marek to the Tawa & Tsuru touges (originally planned destination of today) last Summer so I proposed the Suzugane/Hinazuru touges instead. Marek always open to challenge as he is, liked the idea and off we were going at a real strong pace taking turns. A deja-vu was waiting for me…at almost exactly the same spot where Michael suffered his puncture last month, I heard Marek behind me using plenty of four-letter words. „It’s your back tire, right?“ My intuition was right but I had already noticed during our approach to Takao that Marek’s tire was pretty much deflated…a typical case of スローパンク. We took turns pumping up the new inner tube after Marek removed a metal splinter that had penetrated the tire some time ago. Ate a few sandwiches at the 7/11 near Saruhashi and then we took the left turn towards Tsuru City for the attack of Suzugane…this whole area is pretty much virgin land for cyclists I guess…never encountered another cyclist on this Rd 159! Near the summit, a middle-aged couple who had just hiked to Suzugane’s peak took our picture. Hinazuru touge was cleared in no time and we soon found ourselves zooming our way down Rd 35 direction Akiyamamura – almost one straight descent ending at the wide Katsuragawa river. I had no power left to try a reverse Otarumi TT and it wouldn’t have made sense as we encountered a traffic jam on our way up…car accident. Parted with Marek nearby Y’s shop on the Tamagawa. Marek has made a lot of progress since last Spring…super cadence! Keep it up and you’ll be Positivo Espresso’s champ Marek! What!? I just checked my stopwatch 17:57….I did break the record after all!! When asked by Michael, I had the previous time of the reverse Otarumi TT in my mind and with disappointment in my voice, I replied „just made it under 18 minutes…“ I feel exalted right now….got to update the record!
Marek : What a ride … thanks Tom for dragging me all the way (and for waiting) .. Apologies if I slowed you down. Please find my side of the story in my newly updated blog.

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One more T-Shirt & One More Great Jersey !


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sunday – anyone ?

tomorrow looks like rain – but sunday should be fine (though cold). anyone interested in going for a ride ?

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New Blog Title Logo

Since the winter vacations I am tinkering with the idea to make some simple Positivo Espresso T-shirts. I did this a while ago for the Yamanote Challenge. Just print some logos on a special printing paper and with an iron you can easily transfer it to T-shirts. Provided you do only one or two, it is a fairly good method, otherwise you need to go to the fitness studio to enlarge your upper arm muscles plus you better made sure not to burn the table on which you are ironing.

I already bought a nice t-shirt a MUJI yesterday. Hope I will make it home early to give it a try tonight. If you like to do one yourself, please let me know.

Also I decided to change the title blog logo with my t-shirt design. For some reasons, it doesn’t fit as nicely in the the green frame as the old title did. Perhaps I will play around a little bit.

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Jerome and I had a nice, relaxed winter training ride today. He started slow — the aftereffects of a trip to Tomin no mori earlier in the week and a long run yesterday. As usual, by the end, he was pulling me home down the Tamagawa.
We went over Otarumi west of Takao (no attempt for the record today), took C.V.’s once-secret route around the South side of Sagami-ko, then Rte 76 over to Doshimichi and home from there. We tried a detour on Rte 513 (the North side of Tsukui-ko), which was beautiful with the sun reflecting on the lake to our south, and very little traffic on that road as it climbs up and then plunges down to a bridge over the lake … and back to Rte 413.

Here is a map of the ride:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:%2F%2Ftrail.motionbased.com%2Ftrail%2Fkml%2Fepisode.kml%3FepisodePkValues%3D4720609&ie=UTF8&ll=35.6063,139.385812&spn=0.122302,0.505052&om=1&output=embed&s=AARTsJpBxZtnoTFoN8EH7W-91NHjMwZUyg
View Larger Map

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Ride Sunday Jan 6

Jerome and I are planning to ride on Sunday, leaving my house at 7:30AM.
Weather looks good! Dry roads and well above freezing. Let us know if you are interested.
David L.

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