Cadence and cycling: All you need to know

 As a cyclist, you may already know that improving your cadence and cycling performance go hand in hand. If you’re entirely new to the concept of cycling cadence, we’ll take you through what cadence is, how to work it out, why it’s important, and how to improve your cadence in cycling.

Table of contents

• What is cadence in cycling?
• What is the average cadence for cycling?
• What is the optimal cycling cadence?
• How to calculate cadence in cycling
• How important is cycling cadence?
• How to improve your cadence in cycling

What is cadence in cycling?

In cycling, cadence is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM), referring to the number of full rotations your pedals make in 60 seconds. This measurement helps you to track the tempo of your pedalling, separately from your speed or power. Understanding and tracking your RPM can help you make adjustments to your cycling technique to improve your performance, depending on the type of cycling you take part in, which we’ll go into more detail on later.

What is the average cadence for cycling?

The average cadence for a cyclist is usually around 70 RPM. This can drop to as low as 60 RPM for someone new to cycling and can rise to more than 100 RPM for a professional cyclist.

That being said, the average cycling cadence can vary widely depending on several factors, such as:

• Your experience level
• The terrain you’re riding on
• Your health and fitness

What is the optimal cycling cadence?

The optimal cycling cadence will vary from person to person, due to the factors we've mentioned above and your own personal preference. To make an informed decision about the best cycling cadence for you, you need to consider your goals, the terrain you're riding on, and what's sustainable at your fitness level to achieve the best results.

For example, if you're training for a sprint, you may want to practice sustaining a higher cadence to achieve the best time. On the other hand, a long-distance road cyclist training for a triathlon may want to practice at a lower cadence that they'll be able to maintain for the entire race.

How to calculate cadence in cycling

The simplest way to calculate your cycling cadence is to count the number of complete circles you make with your pedals in 15 seconds and multiply the number by four. There are also several cycling cadence calculators online that can help you get a more accurate picture of your cadence and speed.

However, if you want to track your cadence with better accuracy over a longer period of time, you may want to invest in a power meter or a cadence sensor, which you can pair with a bike computer or mobile app to get more detailed stats.

How important is cadence in cycling?

Understanding and optimising your cadence is highly important if you want to improve your performance as a cyclist. Your cadence has a direct effect on the efficiency of your cycling, as well as your endurance and speed.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you have to always have a high cadence to perform at your best, as there are benefits to both a low and high cadence, and it's often considered to be best practice to utilise both in your training.

Benefits of high cadence cycling

• Lower your risk of muscle strain: When using a high cadence, you’re putting less stress on your muscles and instead relying on your cardiovascular system.
• Improve your muscle efficiency: Due to the fact that you’re pedalling at a high speed, this can help improve your coordination as you ride and enhance your pedal stroke.
• Enhance your cardiovascular endurance: As we’ve mentioned, the focus for high cadence cycling is on your cardiovascular system, so this pedalling technique will improve your cardiovascular performance and VO2 max.
• Recover faster after workouts: Using less force on your muscles means your body can recover quicker after a high cadence workout, as your circulation and blood flow are also increased.

Benefits of low cadence cycling

• Improve your leg strength: Having to apply more force in a higher gear means you’re engaging more muscles as you pedal, building up their strength and improving muscle tone.
• Practice for sprints or inclines: Even if you aren't planning on doing sprints, long-distance cyclists will still come across moments in a race where they may need to increase their gears and use a low cadence to tackle an incline or the last stretch of a race.
• Spot inefficiencies in your pedal stroke: As you're taking more time to complete each pedal stroke, it's easier for you to spot any inefficiencies in your technique that are stopping you from having a smooth pedal stroke.

Combining both low and high cadence cycling in your training can help ensure that your rides have variation to keep your mind engaged and become a more well-rounded cyclist.

How to improve your cadence in cycling

As you’ve probably guessed, the best way to improve your cadence is through practice, for which there are several methods you can try to find out what works best for you, or use a combination of different drills to keep your training varied.

Gradually increase your cadence

Gradually increasing your cadence may be the best place to start if you’re relatively new to cycling. Practice increasing your cadence by small amounts and test that you’re able to sustain a cadence at that speed before increasing your pedalling.

Single-leg drills

Practising single-leg drills on a stationary trainer can help you identify any dead spots in your pedal stroke, so you can improve your pedalling efficiency at the same time, particularly if you find the strength and efficiency of your legs is uneven. Practice maintaining a comfortable cadence on one leg and then switch, increasing the cadence over time as your performance improves.

High-cadence drills

High-cadence drills are a type of interval training where you switch between sustaining a high cadence and a comfortable cadence to help improve the performance of your legs and nervous system. You should then also find it easier to switch between the two when required in a race.

Cadence and cycling FAQs

What should your cadence be when cycling?

The ideal cadence for a cyclist depends on the purpose of their riding, the type of riding their doing, and their fitness level. However, as a general rule of thumb, you can use the following:

• Recreational riding: 80 RPM
• Endurance or long-distance riding: 80-100 RPM
• Sprints or timed racing: 100+ RPM

What is the 75 rule in cycling?

If you've heard of the 75% rule, this is a guide for cyclists in training, referring to spending 75% of your training time at a low intensity or at less than 75% of your maximum heart rate.

Specialist cycling insurance through Cycleplan

Whether you’re only using your bike for commuting or you’re a keen cyclist training for a race, every form of cycling can come with risks. This is why you may want to consider getting specialist cycling insurance.

Specialist cycling insurance through Cycleplan can help provide financial protection against theft, loss, and accidental damage to your bike and your equipment. Learn more about specialist cycling insurance through Cycleplan or get a quick online quote today.