Effect of Pedal Rate on Diurnal Variations in Cardiorespiratory Variables

Recently, it was observed that the freely chosen pedal rate of elite cyclists was significantly lower at 06:00 than at 18:00 h, and that ankle kinematics during cycling exhibits diurnal variation. The modification of the pedaling technique and pedal rate observed throughout the day could be brought about to limit the effect of diurnal variation on physiological variables. Imposing a pedal rate should limit the subject's possibility of adaptation and clarify the influence of time of day on physiological variables. The purpose of this study was to determine whether diurnal variation in cardiorespiratory variables depends on pedal rate. Ten male cyclists performed a submaximal 15 min exercise on a cycle ergometer (50% W_max). Five test sessions were performed at 06:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, and 22:00 h. The exercise bout was divided into three equivalent 5 min periods during which different pedal rates were imposed (70 rev · min^?1, 90 rev · min^?1 and 120 rev · min^?1). No significant diurnal variation was observed in heart rate and oxygen consumption, whatever the pedal rate. A significant diurnal variation was observed in minute ventilation (p=0.01). In addition, the amplitude of the diurnal variation in minute ventilation depended on pedal rate: the higher the pedal rate, the greater the amplitude of its diurnal variation (p=0.03). The increase of minute ventilation throughout the day is mainly due to variation in breath frequency (p=0.01)—the diurnal variation of tidal volume (all pedal rate conditions taken together) being non‐significant—but the effect of pedal rate×time of day interaction on minute ventilation specific to the higher pedal rate conditions (p=0.03) can only be explained by the increase of tidal volume throughout the day. Even though an influence of pedal rate on diurnal rhythms in overall physiological variables was not also evidenced, high pedal rate should have been imposed when diurnal variations of physiological variables in cycling were studied.