Freely chosen pedal rate during free cycling on a roller and ergometer cycling

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regulation of work rate, computer controlled versus controlled by the subject, on the relationship between work rate, freely chosen pedal rate (FCC) and gross efficiency. Eighteen male cyclists participated in the study. One group, freely cycling (FC) on a competition bike mounted on an electromagnetic roller, could use gearing and cadence to achieve each work rate. The other group (EC) was cycling on an ergometer which enables a constant work rate, independent of cadence. Subjects performed an increasing work rate protocol from 100 W up to exhaustion. We found a strong interaction between group and work rate on cadence (P < 0.001). In the FC group, work rate affected cadence (P < 0.001), increasing from 72 rpm at 100 W to 106 rpm at 350 W. For the EC group, no work rate effect was present (average FCC 92 rpm). Gross efficiency increased with work rate for both groups. The efficiency-cadence relationship was strongly affected by the protocol. At a given work rate, very similar efficiency values were obtained at highly different cadences. The discrepancy in the FCC-work rate relationship between the EC group and the FC group may be related to the manner in which one can regulate work rate. FCC depends not only on work rate but is also affected considerably by the manner in which the work rate can be controlled by cadence. This finding may have important implications for the interpretation of the preferred pedaling rate, especially how this is related to optimizing metabolic cost.

Power–cadence relationship in endurance cycling

“…This experimental result is in agreement with the result of our simplified cycling model and with the results of other theoretical studies based on muscle force-velocity properties (Kohler and Boutellier 2005;MacIntosh et al 2000;Sargeant 1994). This increasing C opt can be compared with the increasing FCC found in other experimental studies, where increasing power outputs were achieved at least in part by increasing the gear ratio of the bicycle (Harnish et al 2007;Leirdal and Ettema 2009). These studies found an increase of FCC with increasing power output of 8-13 rpm per 100 W. Our results showed a linear increase of C opt of about 11 rpm per 100 W with increasing performance level by means of increasing bLa at LT fix .…”

“…To assess P max and C opt in an experimental approach, the P ext -cadence relationship must be fitted to a restricted number of measured power outputs at different cadences. Looking only at the range of cadences normally used by cyclists during cycling on level ground (70-110 rpm; (Leirdal and Ettema 2009;Lucia et al 2001;Sassi et al 2009), the simulated P ext -cadence relationship is very well fitted by a quadratic regression constrained to pass through the origin (maximal difference of 2.1 W; Fig. 3b).…”

“…To achieve a certain cycling velocity, a cyclist can either choose a high cadence and exert a low force on the pedals, or choose a low cadence and exert a high force on the pedals. Hence, cadence selection is a never-ending discussion in the theory and practice of cycling (Hansen et al 2002a(Hansen et al , b, 2006(Hansen et al , 2007Hansen and Smith 2009;Harnish et al 2007;Hausswirth et al 2009;Leirdal and Ettema 2009;Vercruyssen and Brisswalter 2009;Whitty et al 2009). Accordingly, the scientific community has examined the influence of cadence on several variables during cycling to identify an optimal cadence.…”

Low cadence interval training at moderate intensity does not improve cycling performance in highly trained veteran cyclists

“…Previous studies indicate that muscular strength and endurance (Ettema and Loras, 2009; Leirdal and Ettema, 2009) as well as pedaling technique (Zameziati et al, 2006; Korff et al, 2007; Leirdal and Ettema, 2011) are related to gross efficiency, and that strength training improves cycling performance (Sunde et al, 2010; Ronnestad et al, 2011). Moreover, strength training is shown to increase efficiency in the working muscle (Barrett-O'Keefe et al, 2012).…”

Influence of road incline and body position on power–cadence relationship in endurance cycling

“…Recently, Sassi et al (2009) and Leirdal and Ettema (2009) showed that cycling speed significantly affected FCC. In both studies it was surmised that CIL played a key role in modulating FCC.…”