bpm and rpm?

[greentea]

I am just wondering how that works. For a climb, do you use a song that is 120bpm to get 60 rpm by rolling the pedals around once every 2 beats?

And then what bpm do you use for 110rpm?

Obviously new to this concept.
wendy

[Jonnyspin]

depends if you want the cycists to follow the beat or judge their own cadence - they tend naturally to follow the beat on the whole. This also depends on the 'flavour' of indoor cycling teaching.

Other than that, yes, you can use a 120 bpm for a 60 rpm hill, or a 60bpm. And you can use a 110 bpm for a 110 rpm. Or you can use a faster beat, but get the riders to adjust the resistance up and ride 'behind' the beat, just using it for motivation.

[spinnerpom]

I don't pay any attention to BPMs, I just go by feel.

And you might find that something that's 220 RPMS can be ridden at either 110 rpms or 65 rpms, it's all in how you hear the beat.

[BFSpin]

I don't pay any attention to BPMs, I just go by feel.

And you might find that something that's 220 RPMS can be ridden at either 110 rpms or 65 rpms, it's all in how you hear the beat.

Absolutely, Sara! I coach classes in 2 locations; most of the riders at both are more group activity/indoor exercise oriented. They are much more driven by music feel and emotion. The bpm matters far less to them than the mood and overal tempo of the music.

However, last weekend I led a 2-hour ride for a group of die-hard roadies who were stuck indoors due to the return of cold, nasty weather here in the East. They consistently ASKED for cadence checks, and for the bpm of each piece of music so that they could pace with it.

My point? Choose your music appropriately to support cadence safety guidelines (throw a song in there at 150 bpm and you just might find someone trying to stay with it at 150 rpm), and be prepared to allow the mood of the music to set the tone of the ride. Some people are beat-driven, and some are not; you'll do well to cover both ends of the spectrum.

Good luck, and have fun with it! Playing with music is one of the perks of this gig...

Beth

[AC]

Just as an FYI, the Reaction/Schwinn program puts BPM's into the planning process of the class. There are some CD's you buy now that also list the BPM in the song list with the time.

[jala3]

Coming from a group exercise background of 12 years it was so refreshing to not be a slave to the beat. I've been teaching cycle now for 1yr and I find myself using tempo to assist in my teaching. I am using bpm's more in my music selection, it helps me to "see" if the riders are where I'm asking them to be, thus spending less time on cadence checks.

[Cheeze]

I agree with Sara. I don't pay attention to the beat. When I put music to my profile I'm looking more for motivation; intensity or emotion and not beat. To me - if I lock my students in to a certain beat or cadence the ride becomes a "follow the leader" event and not an individual training effort in a group setting.

Just a few shreds of Cheeze

[murphs]

I try to use songs that CAN be ridden to the beat.

For example, on a climb, I'll use a song with a bpm between 60 and 80. For those who want to ride to the beat, they can. If they want to go faster or slower, fine. No pressure from me either way. As long as they're in the 60-80 range, it's cool.

[Satori]

Hey BF....
How many dances can you do to one song ?? Let go of the beats, feel the emotion in the music, let it drive your legs, let it move your body....Real freedom is in the body's rhythm...

Satori

(':twisted:') No more Wasabi for you....

[catfish]

depends which beat or rhythem you are listening to. Of course there is that strong underlaying back beat which is easy to hear. Is there pounding away. If you listen deeper though there is many other beats in music. Besides the bass drum or kick, listen and see how mnay other beats you can latch on to.

As an experment some time put on some different music an ask riders to latch on to somehting they hear in the music and ride to it. What ever it inspires them to do. You may see different people riding different positions and cadances than you hear. I find i can ride just about any profile to most Can you hear the "ride" cymbol of the Crash? What is the horn player doing with the background or fills? what else is going on in a particular piece? ahh its all good either riding tothe strong back beat or finding something else to ride to
C F

[fitfan]

I played a song in one of my classes that was a jumping song and I let the students jump at their own pace. I told them to feel the music and when they felt the need to get up out of the saddle to do so, however, I stressed NO POPCORN JUMPS and showed them what a popcorn jump was. It was great to see the different times in the song that people jump. It shows how everyone interprets a song a certain way. They loved it and I continue to do that on occasion in class.

[BFSpin]

Hey BF....
How many dances can you do to one song ?? Let go of the beats, feel the emotion in the music, let it drive your legs, let it move your body....Real freedom is in the body's rhythm...

Satori

(':twisted:') No more Wasabi for you....

Hey, Sat!

...As many dances as there are moods in the music :) Letting go of the beat is tough...I was a drummer once upon a time...but the mood of the music is absolutely what drives me.

The roadies were most concerned about their cadences as they would apply to an outdoor ride, and asked for the bpms consistently as soon as they realized that Mixmeister had printed them on my CD cover.

Ok, ok no more Wasabi for me... how about you? :P

Beth