# Increased my avg cadence and my avg HR is too low now.



## Mr Bentwrench (Feb 18, 2003)

Recreational rider for years but now recently with Type II Diabetes. Zone used to be 123-140 with say 55 of 105min in the zone with a top of hill max of 138-141. Cadence used to be 70-80 on an 8-10mi loop.

This year I'm restructuring my training rides now to at least 3x week to every other day on a 12-14mi loop. Easily ran cadence up to 80-95 and dropped my zone range back to 115-140.

Issue is as my cadence went to 80 or better, it's hard to keep my HR over even the 115 half the ride. I click down a gear to create more exertion, drop cadence from say 86 to 81, bump up my HR... and my knees can begin to ache a bit.

Q: Is there a reverse correlationn between higher cadence and lower HR?
Q: Should I focus on the HR side of the computer or the cadence side more? 
Q: Rule is: If your knees start to hurt, STOP?
Q: As I get healthier, should I expect my avg HR to gradually go down?

Last night I did 1:08 on the bike with a lousy 28min in the very conservative zone but turned a 79avg cadence and was 1/2mph avg faster? I needed 50+ min in zone. 

Edit: 55yo male. 120/80 BP, 70 pulse. Doctor suggested just a 1.5-2x pulse for a 105-140 zone for 50min 3x week for adequate diabetes exercise. Fine, but I want to be a better cyclist.


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## sixgears (Apr 1, 2009)

I'm also Type II but I'm training for something specific. I find that when I do high cadence my HR drops, not significantly but also out of zone. What I do is try to keep the cadence going on a lower gear to keep it up. You should be able to find a happy medium whether you spin on the big ring or have to switch over to the smaller one. 

If your knee starts to hurt stand up and stretch it out. If it's a regular occurrence maybe some adjustments need to be made. Saddle height? Cleat position? Feet positioning? I used to have some knee pain and foot numbing issues. I changed to orthotic inserts inside the shoes - no more pain or numbness.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

As you are trying to increase your cadence, don't drop to such a low (easy) gear. That will keep your HR up. It sounds like you are in the habit of grinding at low rpms when you want to go fast. That is just a habit. Most racers spin the pedals faster (and use a harder gear) when they want to go faster. 

HR actually goes up with increased cadence at the same power output. That's because we're not 100% efficient at spinning the pedals. There is always some wasted motion with even the most fluid cyclist. That extra muscle activity requires more oxygen and thus raises the heart rate.

Your doctor's suggested HR range sounds pretty low. And it's not normal in exercise physiology to specify a range based on resting heart rate. The doctor's range may be more of a safety to keep you from exercising too hard, having a problem (i.e. heart attack) and suing him. If you want to be a better cyclist, try looking to training books or a coach for training advice. You'll need to increase your time on the bike.

As you get fitter, your resting HR and your HR at a given power output will go down. You should find that it's easier to maintain high HRs for longer. (note: HR numbers are highly variable between individuals, and comparing to your buddy may be amusing but it is useless for training).

Knee problems often are caused by fit problems. Seat too low, seat too high, cleats putting the foot at the wrong position. Or your fit can be fine for you and you can still have knee problems from overuse. Usually increasing the amount of miles or the amount of climbing too quickly.


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