Cycling Cadence Research Articles

The Effect of Cadence on Cycling Efficiency and Local Tissue Oxygenation

The purpose of this study was to compare 3 cycling cadences in efficiency/economy, local tissue oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood lactate, and global and local rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Subjects were 14 trained cyclists/triathletes (mean age 30.1 ± 5.3 years; VO(2) peak 60.2 ± 5.0 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) who performed three 8-minute cadence trials (60, 80, and 100 rpm) at 75% of previously measured peak power. Oxygen consumption and respiratory exchange ratio were used to calculate efficiency and economy. Results indicated that both efficiency and economy were higher at the lower cadences. Tissue oxygen saturation was greater at 80 rpm than at 60 or 100 rpm at minute 4, but at minute 8, tissue oxygen saturation at 80 rpm (57 ± 9%) was higher than 100 rpm (54 ± 9%, p = 0.017) but not at 60 rpm (55 ± 11%, p = 0.255). Heart rate and lactate significantly increased from minute 4 and minute 8 (p < 0.05) of submaximal cycling. Local RPE at 80 rpm was lower than at 60 or 100 rpm (p < 0.05). It was concluded that (a) Trained cyclists and triathletes are more efficient and economical when cycling at 60 rpm than 80 or 100 rpm. (b); Local tissue oxygen saturation levels are higher at 80 rpm than 60 and 100 rpm; (c). Heart rate and blood lactate levels are higher with cadences of 80 and 100 than 60 rpm; and (d). Local and global RPE is lower when cycling at 80 rpm than at 60 rpm and 100 rpm. A practical application of these findings is that a cadence of 60 rpm may be advantageous for performance in moderately trained athletes in contrast to higher cadences currently popular among elite cyclists.

The cadence and water temperature effect on physiological responses during water cycling

The aim of the study was to compare the maximal physiological responses during three protocols: maximal test on land cycle ergometer, maximal test on water cycling in an indoor pool at 27 °C (WC27) and at 31 °C (WC31). Moreover, the submaximal physiological responses were compared according cycling cadences and water temperatures during the water protocols. Ten young men were included and performed the protocols in separate days. Blood lactate (BL) concentration, heart rate (HR), oxygen uptake (O2), ventilation (VE) and thermal comfort (TC) were collected during the exercise. The maximal HR and O2 showed no significant differences between the protocols: HRmax: 189±7 (Land), 188±14 (WC27), 185±9 bpm (WC31) and O2max: 4.2±0.4 (Land), 4.1±0.5 (WC27) and 4.3±0.5 l min−1 (WC31). However, the maximal BL demonstrated significant lower values during the water protocols compared to the land protocol (p=0.018). All the submaximal physiological responses showed significant differences between the cadences (60, 70, 80 and 90 rpm). The effect of water temperature was significant for TC response (p=0.001) showing higher values at 31 °C than 27 °C (TCW27: 7±1 and TCW31:9±1). In conclusion, higher physiological responses were showed by increasing the cadence by 10 rpm and the subjects were more comfortable when cycling in the lower water temperature.

Analysis of cadence/heart rate (RPM/HR) versus power output (PO) during incremental test in cyclists

Studies on cycling cadence have been mainly focussed on the optimisation of cycling efficiency [1-3]. In order to obtain new insight into physiological indicators of performance, the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between freely chosen cadence (FCC), heart rate (HR) and power output (PO) profiles in members of professional and non professional cycling teams during an incremental test (10W 30 sec). Heterogeneous group of 25 male cyclists performed a maximal incremental test on SRM powermeter (SRM Training Systems, Julich, Germany) and FCC/HR vs PO was measured. In all subjects the FCC/HR vs PO obtained showed a linear phase followed by a curvilinear phase starting at comparable FCC/HR value in all subjects (0,62 ± 0,06 SD; ES: 0,01, IC95%: 0,60 - 0,65, IC99%: 0.59 - 0.65). Whether the observed deflection point corresponds to anaerobic threshold deserves future investigation.

Biomechanical assessments of the effect of visual feedback on cycling for patients with stroke

Stroke patients exhibit abnormal pattern in leg cycling exercise. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of visual feedback on the control of cycling motion in stroke patients from kinesiological, kinematic and kinetic aspects. The cycling performance derived from cycling electromyography (EMG), cycling cadence, and torque of forty stroke subjects was evaluated under conditions with and without visual feedback of cycling cadence. Kinesiological indices, shape symmetry index (SSI) and area symmetry index (ASI) were extracted from EMG linear envelopes to evaluate the symmetry of muscle firing patterns during cycling. Roughness index (RI) was calculated from cycling cadence to represent cycling smoothness from kinematic aspects. Averaged cycling power (Pav), the product of cadence and torque, was used to represent force output. The rectus femoris EMG showed significantly greater ASI with visual feedback, however, the difference in SSI between the two conditions was not significant. For the biceps femoris, there was a significant decrease in SSI with visual feedback, while the ASI was not affected significantly by the task conditions. The cycling smoothness was better and the average power generated was larger when visual feedback was provided. This study found that the addition of visual feedback improved both neuromuscular control and overall performance. Such improvement is likely to be the result of better control of the rectus femoris muscle activation and coordination of both legs.

Cardiovascular drift and cerebral and muscle tissue oxygenation during prolonged cycling at different pedalling cadences

We hypothesized that a faster cycling cadence could exaggerate cardiovascular drift and affect muscle and cerebral blood volume and oxygenation. Twelve healthy males (mean age, 23.4 ± 3.8 years) performed cycle ergometry for 90 min on 2 separate occasions, with pedalling frequencies of 40 and 80 r·min(-1), at individual workloads corresponding to 60% of their peak oxygen consumption. The main measured variables were heart rate, ventilation, cardiac output, electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis, and regional muscle and cerebral blood volume and oxygenation. Cardiovascular drift developed at both cadences, but it was more pronounced at the faster than at the slower cadence, as indicated by the drop in cardiac output by 1.0 ± 0.2 L·min(-1), the decline in stroke volume by 9 ± 3 mL·beat(-1), and the increase in heart rate by 9 ± 1 beats·min(-1) at 80 r·min(-1). At the faster cadence, minute ventilation was higher by 5.0 ± 0.5 L·min(-1), and end-tidal CO(2) pressure was lower by 2.0 ± 0.1 torr. Although higher electromyographic activity in the vastus lateralis was recorded at 80 r·min(-1), muscle blood volume did not increase at this cadence, as it did at 40 r·min(-1). In addition, muscle oxygenation was no different between cadences. In contrast, cerebral regional blood volume and oxygenation at 80 r·min(-1) were not as high as at 40 r·min(-1) (p < 0.05). Faster cycling cadence exaggerates cardiovascular drift and seems to influence muscle and cerebral blood volume and cerebral oxygenation, without muscle oxygenation being radically affected.

Factors affecting the increased energy expenditure during passive cycling

Short-duration passive cycling, during which a motor drives the pedals, elevates metabolic energy expenditure. Our purpose was to investigate the feasibility of passive cycling as a physical inactivity countermeasure by quantifying how the number of legs involved, cycling cadence, and habituation influence energy expenditure. Eleven non-cyclists participated. We compared one- and two-leg passive cycling at cadences of 60 and 90 RPM. To investigate if there are habituation effects, we conducted multiple 5-min trials and a prolonged 30-min passive cycling trial. The increase in energy expenditure above rest during passive cycling was significantly greater for two legs compared to one leg (39 vs. 16% at 60 RPM and 96 vs. 45% at 90 RPM). The increase in energy expenditure above rest was greater for 90 versus 60 RPM two-leg passive cycling (96 vs. 39%; p < 0.001). Repeated trials showed no evidence of habituation and the increase in energy expenditure was maintained for the duration of the 30-min trial. In conclusion, energy expenditure during passive cycling is directly related to the number of legs involved and cycling cadence. Two-leg passive cycling at 90 RPM resulted in energy expenditures similar to the walking workstation, suggesting its potential as a physical inactivity countermeasure.

Evaluation of Functional Electrical Stimulation to Assist Cycling in Four Adolescents with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Introduction. Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) often have difficulty participating in exercise at intensities necessary to improve cardiovascular fitness. Functional electrical stimulation- (FES-) assisted cycling is proposed as a form of exercise for adolescents with CP. The aims of this paper were to adapt methods and assess the feasibility of applying FES cycling technology in adolescents with CP, determine methods of performing cycling tests in adolescents with CP, and evaluate the immediate effects of FES assistance on cycling performance. Materials/Methods. Four participants (12–14 years old; GMFCS levels III-IV) participated in a case-based pilot study of FES-assisted cycling in which bilateral quadriceps muscles were activated using surface electrodes. Cycling cadence, power output, and heart rate were collected. Results. FES-assisted cycling was well tolerated (n = 4) and cases are presented demonstrating increased cadence (2–43 rpm), power output (19–70%), and heart rates (4-5%) and decreased variability (8–13%) in cycling performance when FES was applied, compared to volitional cycling without FES assistance. Some participants (n = 2) required the use of an auxiliary hub motor for assistance. Conclusions. FES-assisted cycling is feasible for individuals with CP and may lead to immediate improvements in cycling performance. Future work will examine the potential for long-term fitness gains using this intervention.

Cycling cadence affects heart rate variability

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect different cycling cadences have on heart rate variability (HRV) when exercising at constant power outputs. Sixteen males had ECG and respiratory measurements recorded at rest and during 8, 10 min periods of cycling at four different cadences (40, 60, 80 and 100 revs min−1) and two power outputs (0 W (unloaded) and 100 W (loaded)). The cycling periods were performed following a Latin square design. Spectral analyses of R–R intervals by fast Fourier transforms were used to quantify absolute frequency domain HRV indices (ms2) during the final 5 min of each bout, which were then log transformed using the natural logarithm (Ln). HRV indices of high frequency (HF) power were reduced when cadence was increased (during unloaded cycling (0 W) log transformed HF power decreased from a mean [SD] of 6.3 [1.4] Ln ms2 at 40 revs min−1 to 3.9 [1.3] Ln ms2 at 100 revs min−1). During loaded cycling (at 100 W), the low to high frequency (LF:HF) ratio formed a ‘J’ shaped curve as cadence increased from 40 revs min−1 (1.4 [0.4]) to 100 revs min−1 (1.9 [0.7]), but dipped below the 40 revs min−1 values during the 60 revs min−1 1.1 (0.3) and 80 revs min−1 1.2 (0.6) cadence conditions. Cardiac frequency (fC) and ventilatory variables were strongly correlated with frequency domain HRV indices (r = −0.80 to −0.95). It is concluded that HRV indices are influenced by both cycling cadence and power output; this is mediated by the fC and ventilatory changes that occur as cadence or exercise intensity is increased. Consequently, if HRV is assessed during exercise, both power output/exercise intensity and cadence should be standardized.

Cadence, Stride Rate and Stride Length During Triathlon Competition

Triathlon research shows cycling alters the physiological response of subsequent running but, at present, biomechanical changes are unresolved. This study examined cycling cadence and running stride rate (SR) and length (SL) used by senior elite triathletes during competition. These variables were then compared to running and triathlon performance. Data from 51 elite male World Championships triathletes were analysed via video recordings and Video Expert II Coach. Triathletes revealed consistent cadences throughout the majority of the cycle (96.8 +2.7 rpm) and run (90.9 +2.4 rpm) disciplines. However, a cadence increase (99.6 +5.7 rpm) was recorded at the completion of the cycle prior to running. Running SR and SL was significantly lower at the end of the run indicating a level of fatigue (p&lt;0.01). Running SL was significantly and positively correlated with running and triathlon performance (p&lt;0.01) suggesting those that could maintain a longer SL had a faster run and better final finishing position.

Alternating stimulation of synergistic muscles during functional electrical stimulation cycling improves endurance in persons with spinal cord injury

Therapeutic effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are limited by high rates of muscular fatigue. FES-cycling performance limits and surface mechanomyography (MMG) of 12 persons with SCI were compared under two different stimulation protocols of the quadriceps muscles. One strategy used the standard “co-activation” protocol from the manufacturer of the FES cycle which involved intermittent simultaneous activation of the entire quadriceps muscle group for 400 ms. The other strategy was an “alternation” stimulation protocol which involved alternately stimulating the rectus femoris (RF) muscle for 100 ms and the vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles for 100 ms, with two sets with a 400 ms burst. Thus, during the alternation protocol, each of the muscle groups rested for two 100 ms “off” periods in each 400 ms burst. There was no difference in average cycling cadence (28 RPM) between the two protocols. The alternation stimulation protocol produced longer ride times and longer virtual distances traveled and used lower stimulation intensity levels with no differences in average MMG amplitudes compared to the co-activation protocol. These results demonstrate that FES-cycling performance can be enhanced by a synergistic muscle alternation stimulation strategy.

The Effect of Pedal Cadence on Cycling Economy and Perceived Exertion in Female Cyclists

Previous studies have reported mixed results regarding the effect of cycling pedal cadence on work economy in various subject groups. However, few studies have examined the influence of cycling cadence on work economy in female cyclists. PURPOSE: The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether pedal cadence during cycling significantly affected work economy in a group of highly-competitive female cyclists. METHODS: Five female cyclists (age = 31.4 ± 3.9 yrs, VO2max = 52.0 ± 4.0 mL·kg-1·min-1, 3.8 yrs competitive cycling, peak "aerobic" workload = 278 Watts) performed three trials (≥ 48 hrs apart) on a stationary bike at 0%, 25%, 50%, & 75% of their peak workload. Each workload was 5 minutes in duration. The workloads were held constant while pedal cadence (60, 80, 100 rev·min-1) was randomized over the three trials. Oxygen consumption (VO2, L·min-1), heart rate (HR, bpm) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE, borg scale) were recorded during each workload. Work economy (E) was simply determined as the oxygen cost of each workload. RESULTS: Overall, there were no statistically significant pedal cadence x workload effects (p=.36) on VO2, HR, and RPE but there were significant effects for pedal cadence on VO2 (p< 0.001) and HR (p<0.001), but not on RPE (p=0.07). Specifically, VO2 (1.51, 1.64, 1.81 L·min-1), HR (112, 117, 128 bpm), and RPE (10.2, 10.7, 10.9) were directly related to pedal cadence (60<80<100 rev·min-1) at each workload. Therefore, E was inversely related to pedal cadence (60>80>100 rev·min-1). CONCLUSIONS: Female cyclists experienced greater work economy (lower VO2), lower HR, and lower RPE at workloads up to 75% of peak workload when pedaling at slower cadences (60 vs. 80 vs. 100 rev·min-1).

Effect of Cycling Cadence and Exercise Intensity on Brachial Artery Antegrade and Retrograde Blood Velocities

Effect of Cycling Cadence and Exercise Intensity on Brachial Artery Antegrade and Retrograde Blood Velocities

Low-Intensity Cycling Affects the Muscle Activation Pattern of Consequent Countermovement Jumps

Players (eg, basketball, soccer, and football) often use a static bicycle during a game to maintain warming. However, the effectiveness of this procedure has not been addressed in the literature. Thus, it remains unknown whether low-intensity cycling movement can affect explosive movement performance. In this study, 10 male subjects performed countermovement jumps before and after a 15-minutes cycling bout at 35% of their maximal power output. Three sessions were tested for 3 different cadences of cycling: freely chosen cadence, 20% lower than freely chosen cadence (FCC-20%), and 20% higher than freely chosen cadence (FCC+20%). Jump height, kinematics, and electromyogram were recorded simultaneously during the countermovement jumps. The results showed a significant decreasing in the height of countermovement jump after cycling at freely chosen cadence and FCC-20% (p = 0.03 and p = 0.04, respectively), but not for FCC+20% cadences. The electromyographic parameters suggest that changes in the countermovement jump after cycling can be attributed to alteration of the pattern of activation and may be modulated by the preceding cycling cadence. Our study indicates that to avoid a possible negative effect of the cycling in the subsequent explosive movements, a cadence 20% higher than the preferred cadence must be used.

Influence of crank length and crank width on maximal hand cycling power and cadence

The effect of different crank lengths and crank widths on maximal hand cycling power, cadence and handle speed were determined. Crank lengths and crank widths were adapted to anthropometric data of the participants as the ratio to forward reach (FR) and shoulder breadth (SB), respectively. 25 able-bodied subjects performed maximal inertial load hand cycle ergometry using crank lengths of 19, 22.5 and 26% of FR and 72, 85 and 98% of SB. Maximum power ranged from 754 (246) W for the crank geometry short wide (crank length x crank width) to 873 (293) W for the combination long middle. Every crank length differed significantly (P < 0.05) from each other, whereas no significant effect of crank width to maximum power output was revealed. Optimal cadence decreased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing crank length from 124.8 (0.9) rpm for the short to 107.5 (1.6) rpm for the long cranks, whereas optimal handle speed increased significantly (P < 0.001) with increasing crank length from 1.81 (0.01) m/s for the short to 2.13 (0.03) m/s for the long cranks. Crank width did neither influence optimal cadence nor optimal handle speed significantly. From the results of this study, for maximum hand cycling power, a crank length to FR ratio of 26% for a crank width to SB ratio of 85% is recommended.

Identifying an Effective Paradigm for FES-Induced Cycle Ergometry in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare progressive resistance and submaximal cycling protocols to determine which of the two should be considered a more effective paradigm for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The essential definition of an “effective” cycling paradigm is one that delays the onset of fatigue as indicated by measurable or computable cycling parameters. These parameters include stimulation intensity, cycling time, cadence, joint power output, and heart rate. It was hypothesized that stimulation intensity and joint power output would be higher for progressive resistance cycling, whereas cycling time, cadence, and heart rate would be higher for submaximal cycling. Method: Six spinal cord—injured persons participated in this study. Kinematic data and pedal forces were recorded at regular intervals during both exercise paradigms. Results: Stimulation levels remained lower and cadence was maintained longer during submaximal riding, indicating less fatigue than during progressive...

The Effect of Cycling Cadence on the Cycle-Run Transition in Triathletes

The Effect of Cycling Cadence on the Cycle - Run Transition in Triathletes PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of deviating from triathletes' preferred cycling cadence (PC) on triathlon cycle-run transition and 10 km run performance. METHODS: Trained triathletes (N = 12) underwent three Olympic-distance cycle-run trials at race pace. The first (baseline) trial established PC, average power output (PO) and 10 km run time. In the second and third trials, administered in a counter-balanced fashion, cadence was increased (HC) or decreased (LC) cadence by 20% from PC during the last 13 km of the 40 km cycling bout; PO was constant across all bouts. Six physiological variables (heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO2), minute ventilation (VE), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and lactate) were measured at four time points during all trials: 27 - 28 km cycle (Time 1), 38 - 40 km cycle (Time 2), 1 - 8 min run (Time 3) and 8 - 10 km run (Time 4). Run time and physiological variables at Times 1 and 4 over the three trials were each analyzed by one-way ANOVA, whereas physiological variables at Times 2 and 3 (cycle-run transition) were analyzed by 3 x 2 (trial x time) ANOVA with repeated measures on both factors. RESULTS: The cycle-run transition, but not run time, was influenced by cadence manipulation. When comparing HC to LC, HC resulted in a smaller change in energy requirements when transitioning from cycling to running. The LC strategy was more energetically efficient than HC during cycling, but resulted in a greater change in energy requirements during the cycle-run transition. Overall, the HC strategy was more physiologically demanding than the LC trial. CONCLUSION: Triathletes may minimize energy usage during cycling by utilizing a lower than preferred cadence prior to running. In contrast, they may minimize the difference in energy usage between the cycling and running bouts, thus minimizing the cycle-run transition, by utilizing a higher than preferred cadence strategy prior to running.

The effects of cycling cadence on the phases of joint power, crank power, force and force effectiveness

We examined the influence of cadence in cycling technique by quantifying phase relationships for a number of important variables at the crank and lower extremity joints. Any difference in the effect of cadence on force, effectiveness, and power phases would indicate an essential change in coordination pattern. Cycle kinetics was recorded for 10 male competitive cyclists at five cadences (60–100 rpm) at submaximal load (260 W). Joint powers were calculated using inverse dynamics methods. All data were expressed as a function of crank position. The phase of the crank mechanical profiles (total force, crank and joint power, and effectiveness) was calculated using four methods: crank angle of maximum (MA) and minimum (MI), fitting a sine wave (SI) and by cross-correlation (XC). These methods, apart from the MA method, showed the same relative phase. The variables, however, showed different phases being expressed as time lag: force effectiveness: 0.131 (±0.034) s; total force: 0.149 (±0.021) s; power: 0.098 (±0.027) s. The phases in joint powers hip 0.071 (±0.008), knee 0.082 (±0.009), and hip 0.077 (±0.012) were only well described by XC, and were somewhat lower than the crank power phase. These differences indicate the potential effect of inertia of the lower limb in phase shifts from joints to crank. Furthermore, the differences between the various crank variables indicate a change of technique with cadence.

Lower extremity muscle activity during cycling in adolescents with and without cerebral palsy

Background In individuals with cerebral palsy, adaptation and plasticity in the neuromuscular system can lead to detrimental changes affecting gait. Cycling may be an effective method to improve mobility. The biomechanics of cycling in adolescents with cerebral palsy have been studied, but further analysis of the frequency and amplitude characteristics of the electromyographic signals can assist with interpretation of the cycling kinematics. Methods Data were analyzed from 10 adolescents with typical development (mean = 14.9, SD = 1.4 years) and 10 adolescents with cerebral palsy (mean = 15.6, SD = 1.8 years) as they cycled at two different cadences. Analyses of the lower extremity electromyographic signals involved frequency and amplitude analysis across the cycling revolution. Findings Examination of cycling cadence revealed that adolescents with cerebral palsy had altered electromyographic characteristics in comparison to adolescents with typical development across the entire crank revolution for all muscles. Analyses of individual muscles indicated both inappropriate muscle activation and weakness. Interpretation A more comprehensive analysis of electromyographic activity has the potential to provide insight into how a task is accomplished. In this study, the control of the several muscles, especially the rectus femoris, was significantly different in adolescents with cerebral palsy. This, combined with muscle weakness, may have contributed to the observed deviations in joint kinematics. Interventions that increase muscle strength with feedback to the nervous system about appropriate activation timing may be beneficial to allow individuals with cerebral palsy to cycle more efficiently.

Control approach for high sensitivity cardiopulmonary exercise testing during stimulated cycle ergometry in spinal cord injured subjects

Aim People with complete lower-limb paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI) can perform cycle ergometry by means of functional electrical stimulation. Here, we propose and evaluate new exercise testing methods for estimation of cardiopulmonary performance parameters during this form of exercise. Methods We utilised a customised ergometer incorporating feedback control of stimulated exercise workrate and cycling cadence. This allowed the imposition of arbitrary workrate profiles with high precision with the potential for improved sensitivity in exercise testing. New incremental exercise test (IET) and step exercise test (SET) protocols for determination of peak and steady-state performance parameters were assessed. Results The IET protocol allowed reliable determination of the ventilatory threshold, peak workrate and oxygen uptake-workrate relationship, but gave unrepresentative peak oxygen uptake values and highly variable measures of oxygen uptake kinetics. The SET protocol gave reliable estimation of steady-state oxygen uptake and metabolic efficiency of constant load exercise, but high variability in the estimation of oxygen uptake kinetics. Conclusion The feedback-controlled testbed and the new IET and SET protocols have the potential for estimation of cardiopulmonary performance parameters with improved sensitivity during stimulated cycle ergometry in subjects with SCI.

Morning‐to‐Evening Differences in Oxygen Uptake Kinetics in Short‐Duration Cycling Exercise

This study analyzed diurnal variations in oxygen (O2) uptake kinetics and efficiency during a moderate cycle ergometer exercise. Fourteen physically active diurnally active male subjects (age 23±5 yrs) not specifically trained at cycling first completed a test to determine their ventilatory threshold (Tvent) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max); one week later, they completed four bouts of testing in the morning and evening in a random order, each separated by at least 24 h. For each period of the day (07:00–08:30 h and 19:00–20:30 h), subjects performed two bouts. Each bout was composed of a 5 min cycling exercise at 45 W, followed after 5 min rest by a 10 min cycling exercise at 80% of the power output associated with Tvent. Gas exchanges were analyzed breath‐by‐breath and fitted using a mono‐exponential function. During moderate exercise, the time constant and amplitude of VO2 kinetics were significantly higher in the morning compared to the evening. The net efficiency increased from the morning to evening (17.3±4 vs. 20.5±2%; p<0.05), and the variability of cycling cadence was greater during the morning than evening (+34%; p<0.05). These findings suggest that VO2 responses are affected by the time of day and could be related to variability in muscle activity pattern.