Cycling Cadence: What is a good cadence for cycling?

First things first: cycling cadence is the measurement of how fast you rotate your cranks as you pedal, and it’s measured in revolutions per minute or rpm. On a typical road bike, you can use your gears to maintain a consistent cadence, even over varied terrain.

We’ll explore exactly how you can best use your gears to maintain your ideal cadence a little later on.

Generally, beginner cyclists will tend to pedal at a slower cadence, around 60 to 85 rpm, and more experienced cyclists will average a higher rpm, around 75 to 95 rpm, though everyone’s preferred cadence will vary.

A study in 2016 led by the University of Salford and published in the European Journal of Sport Science found that, “Power output reduces by approximately 6% for cadences 20 rpm above or below optimum.” So figuring out your own optimum can really save a lot of wasted effort.

Some cyclists might prefer to ‘grind’ their gears at a lower rpm, while others are more comfortable spinning at a higher rpm. Though neither of these approaches are wrong, per se, there are certain cadences that will make your road cycling most efficient.

In road cycling, a cadence of between 80 to 100 rpm is accepted as being the best range for performance. However, in practice, the ideal road cycling cadence will vary depending on what type of workout you’re doing and what your goals are in the sport.

For road racers, where power and speed are your highest priority, a higher cadence of around 90 to 100 rpm will be best for the majority of your race. Very high cadences of 110 to 120 rpm should be reserved for short periods of intense effort, such as during attacks, breakaways and sprints.

For endurance cyclists, who are more focused on maintaining a consistent effort over longer periods of time, a lower cadence of around 70 to 90 rpm will be efficient and will help you conserve energy. This is particularly important in ultra-endurance situations, where you’ll want to keep a close eye on your cadence to avoid burning yourself out too early. 

What factors can affect your cadence while you’re out on the road? The biggest factor is, of course, your own strength.

Stronger riders, particularly those who have a background in a strength-based sport, may be inclined to maintain a lower cadence while pushing a higher torque. On the other hand, lighter riders may be more comfortable spinning at a higher cadence.

Beyond your own cycling ability and strength, there are a few other things that come into play when we look at road cycling cadence. The first is the terrain you’ll be riding on.

Areas with plenty of flat, straight roads will make it easier to hold a specific cadence for long periods of time , while hilly areas or roads with lots of corners will make it harder to maintain a consistent cadence.

We’ve spoken a lot about cadence so far, but how can you measure your rpm while you’re out on the roads? The simplest way is to get a cadence sensor, which attaches to your non-drive side crank arm and will relay your current rpm directly to your cycling computer.

A power meter – although primarily intended to measure your power output – will also normally give you your cadence. Many higher end road bikes, including the Van Rysel RCR, come with a power meter already installed.

Being able to maintain a smooth and consistent cadence will improve your cycling efficiency and can also make you a faster cyclist.

This is important not only to racers, who want to be able to maintain a consistent speed in order to keep their spot at the front of the race, but also to endurance cyclists. While endurance riders are less focused on maintaining a high average speed, being able to hold the same cadence over long stretches of road will help to conserve energy so that they can keep going for hours in the saddle.

Another reason why cadence is important is that pedalling at the right speed can help to prevent injuries. While uncommon, holding a low cadence with a high torque for long periods, especially while climbing, puts strain on your joints and can sometimes lead to knee pain in particular.

Learning to maintain a higher cadence even when tackling tough climbs will help to avoid this. Many experienced cyclists go by the maxim ‘spin to win’, meaning that it’s usually better to be in an easier gear where your legs can spin at a high cadence than to labour along in a low cadence.

After all of our talk of maintaining cadence, how do you go about achieving that? The main thing that will help you to maintain a consistent cadence is practice.

If possible, put your cadence stat on the main screen of your cycling computer so that it’s always visible, and keep an eye on it while you ride. Aim to stay within your desired range for your whole ride. This will become easier with time, as you’ll get a sense of what your desired rpm feels like.

Beyond practice, using your gears to your advantage will also help you maintain your cadence, especially over varied terrain.

Many new road cyclists are a little wary of using their gears, but there’s nothing to worry about! Your gears are there to help you and they can be instrumental in maintaining your desired cadence.

Shifting into a lower gear when the road turns upwards, or simply when you start to get tired, will help you to keep the same cadence while having to use less power. Conversely, shifting into a higher gear for gradual descents will increase the resistance so that you can keep the same cadence despite the increase in speed.

Don’t be afraid to experiment a little with your shifting to find the gears that you are most comfortable in.