Developing Cadence

Cadence in cycling is the number of revolutions of the crank per minutes. A high number of revolutions per minutes is known as “high cadence” and high gears that are spun slowly is known as “low cadence”. Cyclists typically have a preferred cadence at which they feel most comfortable, and on bicycles with many gears it is possible to stick to a favorite cadence at a wide range of speeds.

Recreational and utility cyclists typically cycle around 60-80 rpm. Although this minimizes the cyclist’s oxygen consumption, it is inefficient in terms of glycogen consumption. Racing cyclists typically cycle around 80-120 rpm, and use their gears to maintain this cadence.

The main goal of many beginner or early season training is to develop a smooth, fast pedalling motion. Using fixed gear, track bikes or rollers for early season training is a great way for developing a smooth cadence. Warming up with high cadences of 100 rpm or more will get the blood flowing to the muscles and improve overall smoothness and technique.

Newer cyclocomputers are able to measure cadence, and relay the reading to the cyclist via a display, typically mounted on the bicycles handlebars. Remember using proper cadence will help you avoid exhaustion on those big climbs!