This All Seems Familiar Somehow

Back when I first started road biking, a good friend told me to get a bike computer with a cadence meter. If you don't know what cadence is, don't feel bad, I had to have it explained to me as well. In a nutshell, it is how fast you pedal. And if you already knew that, my apologies for back tracking. I got the cadence meter and was told, "Don't let your cadence drop below 80 RPM"

Now, my frame is what I like to describe as being of heroic proportions, and it was easier for me to pedal slower in a harder gear than to spin the pedals faster, so for later computers, I opted to save money by eliminating the cadence feature.

This fall, I got a trainer for the bike in order to try and get a jump on the spring season. Biker Bill was kind enough to let me keep the trainer set up at his house, and we committed to doing training rides twice a week. Bill shelled out for the entire Carmichael Training Series (Chris Carmichael was one of Lance's trainers. I know this because he casually mentions it several times each DVD). And low an behold, they are back to talking about cadence. I couldn't escape it.

So just before last nights trainer ride, Bill (graciously and without complaint) installed an inexpensive Cat Eye Cadence computer. It took about a half an hour, and I am quite sure it was the last thing he wanted to be doing. It made a difference in the ride. I can only say to all the big boys out there, learn to ride cadence. I can also say, "Thanks Bill!"