Cadence in cycling is a fundamental concept, crucial for efficiency, endurance, and overall performance. Cadence, or the rate at which a cyclist pedals, is often overlooked by beginners, who may focus more on speed and distance. However, mastering cadence can dramatically improve both the physical experience of cycling and performance outcomes, regardless of skill level. This guide provides an in-depth look into cadence in cycling, explaining what it is, why it matters, and how to optimize it for different types of cycling.
What Is Cadence in Cycling?
Cadence in cycling refers to the number of pedal revolutions per minute (RPM). Unlike speed or power, which relate more directly to the outcome of a ride, cadence measures a cyclist’s pedaling tempo. Cyclists can maintain high or low cadence based on their personal style, type of cycling, and training goals. Higher cadence (80–100 RPM) is common in road cycling for endurance and speed, while lower cadence (60–80 RPM) is often seen in mountain biking or during climbs.
Quick Terminology Recap:
RPM (Revolutions Per Minute): A measurement for cadence; how many times a cyclist completes a full pedal stroke in a minute.
High Cadence: Typically above 85 RPM.
Low Cadence: Typically below 75 RPM.
Why Cadence Matters in Cycling
Cadence has a profound effect on a cyclist’s performance, impacting muscle fatigue, cardiovascular exertion, and overall cycling efficiency. The right cadence for a cyclist depends on factors such as personal comfort, training level, and cycling goals. Here’s why cadence is so significant:
Efficiency: Pedaling with an optimized cadence allows for more efficient energy use. A consistent cadence helps conserve energy and maintain speed for longer periods.
Muscle Fatigue: Lower cadence usually requires more muscle strength, leading to quicker fatigue. A high cadence, in contrast, shifts the effort toward the cardiovascular system, reducing strain on the muscles.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Conditioning: Higher cadence engages the aerobic system, building endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Lower cadence can build muscular strength, but requires anaerobic conditioning.
Reduced Injury Risk: Cycling with a high cadence reduces the risk of joint and muscle strain. By pedaling faster with less resistance, cyclists are less likely to overwork specific muscles or put excessive strain on the knees.
Climbing and Descending: An adaptable cadence can enhance climbing power and improve control on descents. Lower cadence is useful for hills, while higher cadence can be advantageous on flat roads or descents.
Determining Your Optimal Cadence
Finding an optimal cadence depends on several factors, including your physical condition, cycling goals, and the type of ride. While general guidelines suggest a cadence of around 80–100 RPM for road cycling, individual factors should also be considered.
Evaluate Fitness Level: If you’re a beginner, start with a comfortable cadence that doesn’t overly tax your cardiovascular system. For most people, this is around 70–80 RPM.
Define Cycling Goals: Are you aiming for endurance, speed, strength, or a combination? Endurance cyclists tend to favor high cadence, while sprinters or mountain bikers may benefit from lower cadence.
Experiment with Cadence: Try different cadences during your rides to see what feels best. Use a cadence sensor to monitor and experiment in real time.
(Source: spinning)
How to Measure and Track Cadence
Monitoring and analyzing cadence is critical for improving cycling performance, especially when refining specific cycling skills like endurance, sprinting, or hill climbing. Here’s a deeper dive into the most effective ways to track your cadence and leverage the data for optimal results.
Use a Cadence Sensor for Precision and Real-Time Feedback
A cadence sensor is a small device that attaches to your crank arm or pedal and measures your pedal revolutions per minute (RPM). Here’s how it can help:
Real-Time Feedback: Real-time feedback on a cycling computer or smartphone allows you to immediately adjust your cadence. For example, if you’re targeting 90 RPM but see you’re only hitting 75 RPM, you can make a quick adjustment to maintain your desired pace.
Consistency Tracking: Sensors also help you track cadence consistency. You’ll be able to monitor whether your cadence drops during hills, sprints, or long stretches, which can indicate areas for improvement.
Compatible Devices: Many cadence sensors are compatible with various bike computers, like Garmin or Wahoo, or smartphone apps, making it easy to integrate into your existing setup. Some sensors even come with advanced features, like combined power meters, that provide additional data for more detailed training insights.
Set Cadence Goals and Track Long-Term Trends
Setting goals for cadence is an excellent way to structure your training. Use your cadence data to set specific, measurable goals for different types of rides.
Personalize Cadence Zones: Aim to determine your own cadence “zones,” similar to heart rate zones, which can be based on your fitness goals. For instance, you may have a target cadence for endurance training (around 85–95 RPM) and a different zone for strength and power (60–75 RPM).
Analyze Over Time: Use your training logs to spot trends in your cadence. Are you consistently maintaining your goal cadence during flat segments but struggling on climbs? Reviewing long-term trends can help you identify areas for improvement and adapt your training.
Set Specific RPM Goals for Different Terrains: Tailor cadence goals based on terrain or ride type. For example, you might set a goal of holding an average cadence of 90 RPM on flats and 75 RPM on climbs. Tracking your ability to meet these goals can refine your performance across different scenarios.
Incorporate Cadence into Your Training Metrics
Cadence data becomes even more powerful when combined with other metrics like heart rate, power output, and speed. Here’s how you can use these metrics together for a more comprehensive picture of your training:
Learn how to Analyzing Ride Data for Better Cycling Performance
Cadence and Heart Rate: Monitoring cadence alongside heart rate can indicate whether you’re pedaling in an efficient zone. If your cadence is low but your heart rate is elevated, it may mean you’re exerting more muscular effort than necessary. Adjusting to a higher cadence might help conserve energy.
Cadence and Power: For cyclists with power meters, tracking power and cadence together can improve both strength and endurance. For example, during high-power intervals, maintaining a steady cadence will help develop both muscle and cardiovascular capacity.
Speed and Cadence Relationship: Comparing speed with cadence data over time can help identify the most efficient cadence for maintaining certain speeds. This can be particularly helpful for time trials or competitive cycling, where maximizing speed while minimizing effort is crucial.
(Source: Road cc)
Use Smartphone Apps for Cadence Monitoring and Analysis
If you don’t have a dedicated cycling computer, a smartphone app can be a convenient alternative for cadence tracking. Apps like Strava, TrainingPeaks, and Wahoo Fitness allow you to sync cadence sensors with your smartphone for real-time data tracking and post-ride analysis.
Set Up Cadence Alerts: Some apps allow you to set cadence alerts. For example, if you fall below 80 RPM or exceed 100 RPM, you’ll receive a gentle reminder to get back to your target range. This is especially helpful during training drills where maintaining a specific cadence is crucial.
Analyze Post-Ride Cadence Patterns: Review cadence data after your ride to spot patterns in when and where your cadence varies. This can help you identify weaknesses or areas for targeted training, such as maintaining high cadence on hilly sections or refining cadence consistency on long, steady stretches.
Comparing Rides: Many apps allow you to overlay data from different rides, so you can compare cadence consistency and see improvements over time. This can be especially useful for tracking progress if you’re working on increasing your cadence or developing the endurance to maintain a consistent cadence for longer periods.
Integrate Cadence Drills and Review Improvements Over Time
Cadence drills are an effective way to work on both high- and low-cadence skills, and tracking your progress through drills can reveal significant improvements over time.
Track Cadence Drill Performance: During cadence intervals (e.g., maintaining 100+ RPM for 1 minute), monitor your average cadence to ensure you’re hitting the desired RPM. Over time, you should notice an increase in comfort and ability at higher cadences.
Log Progress with Drill Frequency: As you add more cadence drills to your weekly routine, record each drill’s average cadence, total time, and your perceived exertion level. Tracking these data points can reveal whether your endurance, strength, or cadence consistency is improving with each session.
Assess Improvement in Real Rides: After completing several weeks of cadence training, evaluate your cadence in real-world scenarios, such as group rides or hill climbs. You may find that maintaining higher cadence is easier or that you’re able to sustain a consistent cadence even during challenging sections.
Evaluate Recovery Rides with Cadence Data
Cadence tracking isn’t only useful for intense training; it’s also valuable for recovery rides. Recovery rides often focus on maintaining a comfortable cadence without pushing too hard.
Set a Low-Intensity Cadence Range: For recovery rides, aim for a comfortable, higher cadence of around 90 RPM. This encourages blood flow to the muscles without taxing them and can aid in faster recovery.
Measure Consistency: Try to maintain a steady cadence during recovery rides to assess your endurance. If your cadence drops on recovery rides, it could indicate fatigue, suggesting a need for more rest or lighter training.
Monitor Cadence Fatigue: Use cadence tracking as a way to observe whether fatigue affects your cadence toward the end of long rides. Tracking your cadence when tired can help you adjust training loads and ensure sufficient rest between sessions.
Cadence Training: Techniques and Drills
Cadence training can help you become a more adaptable and efficient cyclist. There are several drills designed to improve both high and low cadence capabilities.
High Cadence Drill
Warm-Up: Spend at least 10 minutes in a comfortable gear at a moderate cadence (75–85 RPM).
Set Intervals: Shift to a lower resistance and increase cadence to around 100–110 RPM. Aim to hold this pace for 1 minute.
Repeat: Do 5–10 intervals with 2–3 minutes of recovery at your normal cadence between each interval.
Cool Down: Finish with 5–10 minutes of relaxed cycling to ease your muscles.
Goal: Build cardiovascular strength and improve the ability to maintain high cadence for longer periods.
Low Cadence Power Drill
Warm-Up: Begin with 10 minutes of moderate pedaling at 70–80 RPM.
Low Cadence Intervals: Increase the gear and slow your cadence to 50–60 RPM for 1-minute intervals.
Recovery Period: After each interval, return to a lighter gear and pedal at 80 RPM for 2–3 minutes.
Repetitions: Perform 5–10 sets to build muscular strength.
Goal: Develop muscular endurance and anaerobic power for climbing or sprinting.
Cadence for Different Types of Cycling
Each cycling discipline benefits from a slightly different cadence approach.
Road Cycling: Road cyclists often maintain a cadence of 80–100 RPM for endurance and flat terrain efficiency.
Mountain Biking: Lower cadences (60–80 RPM) are common due to the need for power on rough, uneven terrain.
Time Trials: Cyclists in time trials may use a higher cadence (90–105 RPM) to maintain speed while managing muscle fatigue.
Track Cycling: Track cyclists often operate at higher cadences (100–120 RPM) due to the short, high-intensity nature of track races.
Common Cadence Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Avoiding common mistakes can help you find your optimal cadence more efficiently and safely.
Ignoring Cadence Altogether: Many beginners overlook cadence and ride at an inefficient rhythm. Use a cadence sensor to monitor and optimize your cadence.
Over-Reliance on High Cadence: While high cadence is beneficial, relying solely on it can limit leg strength development. Mix in low cadence workouts to build balanced strength.
Overusing Low Cadence on Flats: Low cadence requires more muscle strength, which can be inefficient on flat terrain and increase risk of injury. Use low cadence for hill training or power drills instead.
Neglecting Recovery: Cadence training places significant demand on both cardiovascular and muscular systems. Recovery days with light cadence help prevent burnout and injury.
How to Improve Your Cadence Over Time
Consistent cadence practice and training can significantly enhance performance. Here’s how to make it a part of your routine:
Set Goals: Aim to increase your cadence by 5–10 RPM over a month. Gradually challenge yourself to pedal at higher cadences.
Monitor Progress: Track cadence improvements and adjust your goals as you reach new levels.
Integrate Drills Weekly: Make cadence drills a part of your weekly schedule to balance high- and low-cadence abilities.
Conclusion
Mastering cadence is essential for cyclists aiming to optimize performance, efficiency, and comfort. By understanding the mechanics of high and low cadence, training with drills, and measuring progress, cyclists can build strength, endurance, and control. Whether for road cycling, mountain biking, or competitive racing, cadence mastery is a skill that enhances every ride.
