Power production strategy during steady-state cycling is cadence dependent

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Crank power generation during cycling typically involves hip and knee joint extension/flexion below 120 revolutions per minute (rpm).
• The lower-limb coordination strategy for power production above 120 rpm, common in track cycling, remains largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of varying pedaling cadences (90, 120, 150, and 180 rpm) on lower-limb coordination and power production strategies during steady-state cycling.

Main Methods:

• Twenty trained collegiate cyclists completed 30-second steady-state cycling bouts at 50% of their maximal anaerobic power across four distinct cadences.
• Pedal forces and limb kinematics were captured using a pedal force measurement system and a motion capture system, respectively.

Main Results:

• Positive mechanical work from hip extension significantly decreased as pedaling cadence increased (P < 0.05).
• Positive mechanical work from knee joint flexion significantly increased with higher cadences (P < 0.05).
• At cadences of 150 rpm and above, the knee joint contributed over 70% to total mechanical work, while the hip joint contributed less than 40%.
• At 180 rpm, hip extension work shifted from positive to negative mechanical work.

Conclusions:

• The power production strategy during steady-state cycling fundamentally changes at 180 rpm, differing significantly from typical pedaling cadences.
• Specific training protocols focusing on excessive-high cadences (e.g., 180 rpm) are necessary to optimize performance in track cycling.