Power–cadence relationship in endurance cycling

Abstract

In maximal sprint cycling, the power-cadence relationship to assess the maximal power output (P max ) and the corresponding optimal cadence (C opt ) has been widely investigated in experimental studies. These studies have generally reported a quadratic power-cadence relationship passing through the origin. The aim of the present study was to evaluate an equivalent method to assess P max and C opt for endurance cycling. The two main hypotheses were: (1) in the range of cadences normally used by cyclists, the power-cadence relationship can be well fitted with a quadratic regression constrained to pass through the origin; (2) P max and C opt can be well estimated using this quadratic fit. We tested our hypothesis using a theoretical and an experimental approach. The power-cadence relationship simulated with the theoretical model was well fitted with a quadratic regression and the bias of the estimated P max and C opt was negligible (1.0 W and 0.6 rpm). In the experimental part, eight cyclists performed an incremental cycling test at 70, 80, 90, 100, and 110 rpm to yield powercadence relationships at fixed blood lactate concentrations of 3, 3.5, and 4 mmol L -1 . The determined power outputs were well fitted with quadratic regressions (R 2 = 0.94-0.96, residual standard deviation = 1.7%). The 95% confidence interval for assessing individual P max and C opt was ±4.4 W and ±2.9 rpm. These theoretical and experimental results suggest that P max , C opt , and the power-cadence relationship around C opt could be well estimated with the proposed method.

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

“…For each road incline condition, the power outputs at VT 2 were then plotted against the cadences used. A quadratic regression that was constrained to pass through the origin was then fitted to the plot to assess P VT 2 max and C VT 2 opt (Emanuele and Denoth 2011).…”

“…2). P max is defined as the apex of the P ext -cadence relationship at a specific performance level and C opt is defined as the specific value at which P max occurs (Dorel et al 2005(Dorel et al , 2010Emanuele and Denoth 2011;Hintzy et al 1999;Martin et al 1997). It is clear that the longer the given race distance, the lower the sustainable P max , respectively, the sustainable performance level will be (di Prampero 2003;Ferretti et al 2011).…”

“…Our main hypothesis (experiment I) was that road incline would Cadence [rpm] P max C opt P tot P ext P int Fig. 2 The power-cadence relationships simulated with the cycling model described in Emanuele and Denoth (2011). The total muscular power output (P tot ) is represented by the thin solid line.…”

“…The influence of cadence on P ext for endurance cycling was analyzed in a previous study (Emanuele and Denoth 2011), which reported a quadratic P ext -cadence relationship at different endurance performance levels. The two variables of interest from P ext -cadence relationships are the maximal power output at the specific performance level (P max ) and the corresponding optimal cadence (C opt ) (Fig.…”

“…The hypothesis for this experiment was that racing position would influence P VT 2 max , but not C VT 2 opt . These hypotheses were tested in an experimental approach based on the method to determine the P ext -cadence relationship introduced in a previous study (Emanuele and Denoth 2011).…”