60 min Endurance Ride with Cadence Drills
An hour of steady Zone 2 riding with six one-minute high-cadence drills at 100 to 110 rpm that help make the pedal stroke smoother.
- Duration
- 1 h
- Effort
- 40
- Level
- Beginner
- Focus zone
- Endurance
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
| # | Step | Length | Target | Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy spin, build gradually | 10 min | 45 → 65% FTP55 → 70% HRmax | |
| 6 ×Repeat these steps | ||||
| 2.1 | IntervalEndurance Steady Zone 2, smooth pedaling | 6 min | 62-70% FTP65-78% HRmax | 85-90 rpm |
| 2.2 | IntervalEndurance Spin faster, same power, hips quiet | 1 min | 62-70% FTP65-78% HRmax | 100-110 rpm |
| 3 | IntervalEndurance Steady Zone 2 | 3 min | 62-70% FTP65-78% HRmax | |
| 4 | Cool-downRecovery Easy spin, let the legs settle | 5 min | 60 → 45% FTP68 → 55% HRmax | |
About this workout
Riding at a higher cadence than you are used to, without adding power, teaches the legs to pedal in smooth circles instead of pushing down. This session adds that practice to a normal Zone 2 hour. Every seven minutes you spend one minute at 100 to 110 rpm while the power stays where it was, around 62 to 70% of FTP.
On a smart trainer in ERG mode, simply raise the cadence and the trainer lowers the resistance. Outdoors or in resistance mode, shift to a lighter gear first. Aim for a quiet upper body and no bouncing on the saddle. When you start to bounce, ease the cadence back a few rpm until the stroke is smooth again.
New riders often settle at 70 to 80 rpm, and drills like these make 85 to 95 rpm feel normal over time. As they get easier, extend the drills to 90 seconds or raise the target to 110 to 115 rpm.
Tips
- Shift to an easier gear just before each drill when you ride outdoors.
- Think of pulling the foot back across the bottom of the stroke, as if scraping mud off a shoe.
- Keep the heart rate in Zone 2, since a big jump means the drill is too fast for now.
Good forGeneral fitnessIndoor
Season phaseBase