I am currently going through SSBHV2, and this is my first experience with structured training. I have noticed that my natural cadence falls around 80-83. I can sustain 90 for quite a while, but 95-100 is very taxing. On the other hand, i find low cadences (60-70) easier to maintain, with a much lower heart rate and RPE.
My question is: Should i train at the higher cadences to try to develop efficiency at those cadences, or at lower cadences where i feel naturally stronger?
Not sure if this makes a difference, but i am on the tall side (6’2") with long legs (34 inseam) and i use 175 cranks.
Some existing discussions worth reading:
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I think it depends on the kinds of races you are training for.
Lower cadences have been shown to be more efficient - meaning, place a lower oxygen demand on your body for a given power output. The reason for this is it takes effort to spin your legs. Think of trying to spin at 150 rpm with no resistance. That would be tiring, even though the power output is zero.
But lower cadences also tend to use muscles that tire sooner. Higher cadences are generally recommended to use muscles that do not tire quickly.
So if you’re doing crit races, i don’t see much need to change to riding with a higher cadence above your natural cadence.
If you are doing marathon events or stage races, I think training to ride at higher cadences makes more sense.
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I would say the opposite. Lots of accelerations in crits, where high cadence is a near must. Long steady grind is more suitable in longer and less intense races.
Being able to ride strong with a variety of cadences is a good skill to have in its own right.
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Just my experience, I found it to be very easy to train this with Erg. I was more of an 80-85 rpm guy before I started structured training. It took about a month to get 90 to be comfortable and another 2 months or so was over 95. Now can average 100 without thinking about it.
I’m in my 9th week of training now, always using ERG mode. I actually found it easier to spin quickly in SSBHV1, possibly because i increased my FTP by 15 watts at the beginning of SSBHV2. I now find I need to use lower cadences to get through some of the longer intervals.
It will get easier to maintain the higher cadence.
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You should train so that you have a wide range of cadences that you can ride at. The cadences suggested in the workouts are only that suggestions. Your natural cadence is where your body is most efficient. A balance between your aerobic system and your musculature system say. As both systemts become more developed with structured training you should be able to train your legs to spin at a higher cadence without putting strain on either system. it just takes time and practice to be able to spin the peddles at higher cadences. Make small jumps in cadence like 3-5 rpm over time.
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My view is the higher the power the higher the cadence should be (within certain limits of course). At z2/lower z3 I spin at my natural 75/85 rpm rising to 95/100 as I get into Vo2max territory.
How about both? I’m also doing SSBHV. If I have 5 intervals, I’ll do something like 95-85-75-85-95, 4 intervals 95-85-75-95, etc. And throw in some standing drills. Seems useful to have a range and I’ve also found mixing it up helps pass the time.
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That sounds like a good plan. The trouble i’m having is that during some ss intervals my heart rate is going too high if I try to maintain a cadence of 95 (180+hr/195max). I then need to utilize a lower cadence just to make it through the interval.
Yes, any acceleration is going to require higher cadence. My interpretation of the OPs question was if he should train his natural cadence to be higher.
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180 bpm does seem pretty high for sweet spot. As @bholmlate mentioned, maybe just bump 3-5 rpms on some intervals until you get used to that level, repeat…
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It’s 92% of max - that’s not unreasonable for SS-going-on-threshold Intervals - at the end of the last interval.
You responded to me, but I never said “too high” 
This I completely agree with:
I’m just curious what other people think. I would rather get really efficient at 95-100 than split my time trying to be serviceable at 3 different ranges. I’m not saying I don’t or anyone doesn’t ever end up in a situation where a different cadence is advantageous, but its an argument about optimization of the whole or the parts. I think frequently on this forum there are a lot of suggestions that are good, but given limited time, biology, and literal tradeoffs where you can’t be both this and that, it’s impossible for someone to truly excel at anything if they try to do everything. I’m just curious in this case if it’s truly possible and an advantage to be trained in low, medium and high cadence ranges.
I only recently started doing 75 for just that! First year on TR I was mostly at 95 and only went down to 85 rpm on the trainer. Then in Sept I climbed Ventoux and Alpe d’Huez. I noticed I was spinning in the 70s, so figured I should train there a bit.
Ok. Thanks for all the replies. I don’t think there was a clear consensus here on how to train. I think I will continue to try to do some work at 95 or above, and utilize those lower cadences when i’m struggling. Since lower cadences are already strong for me, I would benefit from training to those higher cadences where I am not as strong. Sound right?
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yes, I’m a believer in spin to win. Not necessarily a believer that everyone has a “natural” cadence. that may be true to some extent, but I think it’s used more as an excuse for people who haven’t really tried training to a higher cadence. So I would say, the higher the better. go for it.
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It does (sound right). There’s a lot of emphasis in the in-workout comments about using cadences that are useful in real riding, but also about expanding the range.
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