Effects of small cadence variations on joint mechanics in highly trained track cyclists

A track bicycle’s gear ratio (and consequently, cadence) can influence muscle force production, shortening speed, and activation rate, ultimately affecting joint-specific power transfer to the crank, energy cost and fatigue. However, the impact of small, practical cadence adjustments on joint mechanics during fatiguing, race-specific intensities in the aerodynamic position remains unknown. Understanding how joint power is distributed during pursuit-specific workloads may reveal strategies cyclists use to sustain high power under fatigue. This study examined the effects of small cadence variations (preferred, ±5 rpm) on joint mechanics (power, angular velocity, and moment) using statistical parametric mapping to identify where within the pedal stroke differences occurred, and to explore the interaction between joint torque and angular velocity in generating joint power. Thirteen highly trained track cyclists completed three 2-min constant work rate trials at individual pursuit race intensity. Higher cadences (+5 rpm) increased hip and knee joint moments concentrated around the crank cycle’s transition phases (i.e. top and bottom dead center) where higher angular velocities demanded greater neuromuscular control. Ankle moment differences were larger than hypothesized, decreasing during the downstroke and increased during upstroke, suggesting a key role in managing faster proximal-segment angular velocities through stabilization and transmitting forces to the crank. These findings highlight the value of time-series analysis for revealing cadence-specific biomechanical adaptations that are typically overlooked by discrete metrics, highlighting the importance of individualized cadence selection in pursuit cycling.