Startseite Medizin The choice of freely preferred cadence by trained nonprofessional cyclists may not be characterized by mechanical efficiency
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The choice of freely preferred cadence by trained nonprofessional cyclists may not be characterized by mechanical efficiency

  • Yitzhak Weinstein EMAIL logo , Ron Mor-Unikowski , Shachar Nice , Shraga Hocherman und Omri Inbar
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 11. Mai 2017
Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology
Aus der Zeitschrift Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Band 28 Heft 4

Abstract

Background:

Most cycling studies involve professional cyclists. Because training may affect riding style, it is of interest to determine the physiological basis for the personal choice of cycling cadence in nonprofessional cyclists.

Methods:

Eleven nonprofessional (5.2±1.7-year-riding experience) male road cyclists, aged 35.0±11.0 years, underwent four separate laboratory test sessions. The first two sessions included habituation, anthropometry, V˙O2max, and lactate threshold (LaTH) measurements. Freely preferred cadence at LaTH was determined during the second session (mean±SD=94.7±2.9 rev·min−1). During the third and fourth sessions participants performed LaTH tests at 60 and 95 rev·min−1 in a randomized order, with power output (PO) increments of 25 W every 4 min, up to ~90% of V˙O2max.

Results:

V˙O2, expired ventilation (V˙E), blood lactate (La), and calculated net mechanical efficiency (MEnet) rose with increased PO. At 95 rev·min−1, V˙O2, V˙E, and La were significantly higher than at 60 rev·min−1 at all POs. MEnet at 95 rev·min−1 was lower than at 60 rev·min−1. Mean PO attained at LaTh did not differ significantly between 60 and 95 rev·min−1 (220.9±29.0 and 214.5±9.2 W, respectively). La values at LaTH were higher at 95 rev·min−1 than at 60 rev·min−1 (3.01±0.17 vs. 2.10±0.13 mM, p<0.05, respectively).

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate that mechanical and physiological efficiencies may not determine the choice of cycling cadence by nonprofessional cyclists. This choice may reflect the need to maintain endurance at the expense of riding at a lower than optimal riding efficiency.

Keywords: cadence; cycling; lactate; net mechanical efficiency (MEnet); oxygen consumption; pedaling; power output (PO)
Corresponding author: Dr. Yitzhak Weinstein, School of Physical Education, Ohalo Academic College, College Park, Israel; School of Nutrition, Tel-Hai Academic College, Qiryat Shemona, Israel; and Faculty of Medicine, Technion Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, Phone/Fax: +972 77 752 7577

Acknowledgments

Thanks are extended to Eitan Hershkovitz and to Guy Cohen for their technical help, and to Aviva Zeev for the statistical analyses. The authors also thank the participants for their valuable contribution to the study. We dedicate this paper in memory of Dvir Mor-Unikowsky, a devoted elite road and mountain cyclist who passed away during the preparation of this manuscript.

  1. Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.

  2. Research funding: This research was supported by the Department of Teacher Education, Ministry of Education, and the Ohalo Academic College of Education, College Park 19200, Katzrin, Israel.

  3. Employment or leadership: None declared.

  4. Honorarium: None declared.

  5. Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2016-12-21
Accepted: 2017-3-24
Published Online: 2017-5-11
Published in Print: 2017-7-26

©2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. The double face of light effects: circadian adjustment or disruption
  4. Review
  5. Artificial light-at-night – a novel lifestyle risk factor for metabolic disorder and cancer morbidity
  6. Behavior and Neuroprotection
  7. Anti-stress effects of a GSK-3β inhibitor, AR-A014418, in immobilization stress of variable duration in mice
  8. Cardiovascular Function
  9. Addition of omega-3 fatty acid and coenzyme Q10 to statin therapy in patients with combined dyslipidemia
  10. Oxidative Stress
  11. Protective effect of Moringa oleifera oil against HgCl2-induced hepato- and nephro-toxicity in rats
  12. Effects of peripherally and centrally applied ghrelin on the oxidative stress induced by renin angiotensin system in a rat model of renovascular hypertension
  13. Investigation of the role of α-lipoic acid on fatty acids profile, some minerals (zinc, copper, iron) and antioxidant activity against aluminum-induced oxidative stress in the liver of male rats
  14. Metabolism
  15. The choice of freely preferred cadence by trained nonprofessional cyclists may not be characterized by mechanical efficiency
  16. Immune Response
  17. Ascorbic acid does not modulate potassium currents in cultured human lymphocytes
  18. Phytotherapy
  19. Anti-inflammatory activity of Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit extract on rat paw edema
  20. Histopathological and biochemical assessments of Costus afer stem on alloxan-induced diabetic rats
  21. In vitro inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 and arginase activities from rat penile tissue by two Nigerian herbs (Hunteria umbellata and Anogeissus leiocarpus)
  22. Antioxidant and antiproliferative potentials of methanol extract of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich in PC-3 and LNCaP cells
https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2015-0161
Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel
cadence; cycling; lactate; net mechanical efficiency (MEnet); oxygen consumption; pedaling; power output (PO)

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Editorial
  3. The double face of light effects: circadian adjustment or disruption
  4. Review
  5. Artificial light-at-night – a novel lifestyle risk factor for metabolic disorder and cancer morbidity
  6. Behavior and Neuroprotection
  7. Anti-stress effects of a GSK-3β inhibitor, AR-A014418, in immobilization stress of variable duration in mice
  8. Cardiovascular Function
  9. Addition of omega-3 fatty acid and coenzyme Q10 to statin therapy in patients with combined dyslipidemia
  10. Oxidative Stress
  11. Protective effect of Moringa oleifera oil against HgCl2-induced hepato- and nephro-toxicity in rats
  12. Effects of peripherally and centrally applied ghrelin on the oxidative stress induced by renin angiotensin system in a rat model of renovascular hypertension
  13. Investigation of the role of α-lipoic acid on fatty acids profile, some minerals (zinc, copper, iron) and antioxidant activity against aluminum-induced oxidative stress in the liver of male rats
  14. Metabolism
  15. The choice of freely preferred cadence by trained nonprofessional cyclists may not be characterized by mechanical efficiency
  16. Immune Response
  17. Ascorbic acid does not modulate potassium currents in cultured human lymphocytes
  18. Phytotherapy
  19. Anti-inflammatory activity of Elaeagnus angustifolia fruit extract on rat paw edema
  20. Histopathological and biochemical assessments of Costus afer stem on alloxan-induced diabetic rats
  21. In vitro inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 and arginase activities from rat penile tissue by two Nigerian herbs (Hunteria umbellata and Anogeissus leiocarpus)
  22. Antioxidant and antiproliferative potentials of methanol extract of Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich in PC-3 and LNCaP cells
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