Cadence Paradox in Cycling—Part 1: Maximal Lactate Steady State and Carbohydrate Utilization Dependent on Cycling Cadence

Purpose : To assess (1) whether and how a higher maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) at higher cycling cadence (RPM) comes along with higher absolute and/or fractional carbohydrate combustion (CHO MLSS ), respectively, and (2) whether there is an interrelation between potential RPM-dependent MLSS effects and the maximally achievable RPM (RPM MAX ). Methods : Twelve healthy males performed incremental load tests to determine peak power, peak oxygen uptake, and 30-minute MLSS tests at 50 and 100 per minute, respectively, to assess RPM-dependent MLSS, corresponding power output, CHO MLSS responses, and 6-second sprints to measure RPM MAX . Results : Peak power, peak carbon dioxide production, and power output at MLSS were lower ( P = .000, ω 2 = 0.922; P = .044, ω 2 > 0.275; and P = .016, ω 2 = 0.373) at 100 per minute than at 50 per minute. With 6.0 (1.5) versus 3.8 (1.2) mmol·L −1 , MLSS was higher ( P = .000, ω 2 = 0.771) at 100 per minute than at 50 per minute. No corresponding RPM-dependent differences were found in oxygen uptake at MLSS, carbon dioxide production at MLSS, respiratory exchange ratio at MLSS, CHO MLSS , or fraction of oxygen uptake used for CHO at MLSS, respectively. There was no correlation between the RPM-dependent difference in MLSS and RPM MAX . Conclusions : The present study extends the previous finding of a consistently higher MLSS at higher RPM by indicating (1) that at fully established MLSS conditions, respiration and CHO MLSS management do not differ significantly between 100 per minute and 50 per minute, and (2) that linear correlation models did not identify linear interdependencies between RPM-dependent MLSS conditions and RPM MAX .