Cadence helps Power

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Geeeeesh. Looks like I need to work on my cadence. â–¡ I tend to think of power as how hard you push the pedals â–¡... But it's also how fast you rotate them. #letsspinthosewheels . . . . . #poweronbike #cadence #biketrainer #beatyesterday #cyclinggirl #roadcycling #ilovemybike #cyclist #cycling #cyclinglife #instacycling #fromwhereiride #outsideisfree #ridetolive #cyclingwomen #ellesfontduvelo #iamspecialized_wmn #womenonbikes #miamiridelife #shetriumphs #triathlon #triathlete #swimbikerun #tri_community #SBR #triathletebike #triathlongirl #triathlontraining #kieseraustralia

A post shared by She TRIumphs (@shetriumphs) on May 7, 2019 at 4:19pm PDT

Like most cyclists and triathletes, I'm striving to improve my ride.  That means increasing my power, which seemed like a such a fuzzy thing until I saw this:

P = F x V
Power = Force on the pedal x angular velocity (cadence)

Yes, I'm a bit of a nerd.   But it really helps me understand what I'm feeling on the bike.  I can do, say 200 watts, by standing on my pedals and grinding it out at a low cadence OR I can sit down, and hit it by pedaling really fast.  My leg muscles will burn at low cadence; my heart rate will go through the roof if I spin like mad.  The real trick is finding the right balance between the two to get the maximum power for the race I'm doing.  

If you're interested in a quick, easy read on the subject (they're not all quick and easy), check out Andres Diaz's article at â€‹https://www.power2max.com/en/2018/06/cycling-power-cadence-small-guide-optimal-cadence/