Science
The research the BLOCKS assistant answers from: 1,118 studies and 81 guides, each graded for how strong the evidence is and who it was measured on, with a link to the original paper.
26 entries in Cycling & cadence
C+Patellofemoral joint forces during ergometric cycling6 healthy men: peak patellofemoral compressive force was 905 N (1.3 times body weight) at 120 W, 60 rpm, middle saddle height and an anterior foot position; the forces rose with workload and with a…Ericson & Nisell 1987BLevel ground and uphill cycling efficiency in seated and standing positions8 well-trained cyclists, 6-min field trials at 75% of peak power: gross efficiency (22.4%) did not differ between level seated, uphill seated and uphill standing; heart rate was higher standing; 30-s…Millet 2002C+The effect of pedaling frequency on glycogen depletion rates in type I and type II quadriceps muscle fibers during submaximal cycling exercise8 men, 30 min at about 85% of aerobic capacity at 50 vs 100 rev/min: type II fibres lost more glycogen at 50 rev/min (49% vs 33%), type I fibres did not differ (46% vs 35%); one acute session, no…Ahlquist 1992BEffects of low- vs. high-cadence interval training on cycling performance18 road cyclists, 4 weeks, 8 sessions of explosive single-leg jumps alternating with high-intensity ergometer sprints at 60-70 or 110-120 rpm: the low-cadence group improved 60-s power, peak power…Paton 2009B165, 170 and 175 mm cranks gave identical economy and 6-second sprint power in 28 trained cyclists; perceived exertion was lower on 165 and 170 than on 175 mm, a single imperfectly blinded resultLi 2025B+Changing crank length by ±5 mm does not change gross efficiency or heart rate; a longer crank adds 1.8–3.4° of hip and knee flexion and range of motionFerrer-Roca 2017B+The metabolic cost of submaximal cycling is set by power output and pedal speed; crank length (145–195 mm) has no independent effectMcDaniel 2002B+Maximal cycling power changes by only about 4% across crank lengths from 120 to 220 mm; the standard 170 mm does not substantially compromise power, and optimal cadence falls as the crank gets longerMartin & Spirduso 2001BExercise Intensity and Pacing Pattern During a Cross-Country Olympic Mountain Bike RaceNæss 2021BPower Output and Pacing During International Cross-Country Mountain Bike CyclingGranier 2018BPreferred pedalling cadence in professional cyclingLucía 2001B+Effects of Bicycle Saddle Height on Knee Injury Risk and Cycling PerformanceBini 2011BEffect of cycling experience, aerobic power, and power output on preferred and most economical cycling cadencesMarsh 1997BA longitudinal analysis of start position and the outcome of World Cup cross-country mountain bike racingMacdermid 2012ASystematic review of 53 studies: contemporary Olympic cross-country MTB is an intermittent race at ~90% HRmax with about a quarter of the time above MAP in surges of ~3–10 s at 130–140% MAP, 15–20 per lap; Tier-5 men profile at VO₂max 82, MAP 6.6 W/kg and anaerobic peak 18 W/kg, and HIIT, SIT and strength training all raised race-relevant markersProtzen G 2026BA modern Olympic cross-country MTB race is run at 87% VO₂max with 37% of the time above VT2 and 25% above maximal aerobic power, delivered as bursts of 5–30 sAnd time-in-zone by heart rate or power does not track time-in-zone by oxygen uptakeHays A 2018C+A cyclocross race is ridden almost entirely in the high-lactate zone93.6% of race time above the heart rate of 4 mmol/L, mean HR 171 bpm against a race maximum of 178, post-race lactate 8.3 mmol/L — with no low-intensity time at allCarmichael RD 2017BThe relationship between freely chosen cadence and optimal cadence in cyclingEmanuele 2012BThe energetically optimal cadence decreases after prolonged cycling exerciseAnnaheim 2010BEffect of Gear Ratio and Cadence on Gross Efficiency and Pedal Force Effectiveness during Multistage Graded Cycling Test Using a Road Racing BicycleKamba 2022B+The effect of low- vs high-cadence interval training on the freely chosen cadence and performance in endurance-trained cyclistsWhitty 2016BUnderstanding optimal cadence dynamics: a systematic analysis of the power-velocity relationship in track cyclists with increasing exercise intensityDunst 2024B+Power production strategy during steady-state cycling is cadence dependentYamaguchi 2023BThe Effect of Cadence on the Mechanics and Energetics of Constant Power CyclingBrennan 2019BCadence, power, and muscle activation in cycle ergometryMacIntosh 2000B+Greater improvement in aerobic capacity after a polarized training program including cycling interval training at low cadence (50–70 RPM) than freely chosen cadence (above 80 RPM)Hebisz & Hebisz 2024