What Is Cycling Cadence?
Cycling cadence is the number of pedal revolutions per minute (RPM) — how fast your legs are turning. At any given power output, you can achieve that wattage with a high cadence and light gear, or a low cadence and heavy gear. The combination of cadence and gear determines your speed. The choice between high and low cadence at a given power output determines your physiological cost.
Cadence is one of the most discussed variables in cycling because it is immediately adjustable with no equipment change required. It is also highly individual — what works for one rider may not work for another. Understanding the trade-offs helps you find the cadence range that suits your physiology and event demands.
What the Research Says About Optimal Cadence
The research on optimal cadence is surprisingly nuanced. Laboratory studies show that freely chosen cadences — where cyclists select whatever feels most comfortable — typically settle around 90–100 RPM for trained cyclists. This is notably higher than the mechanically most efficient cadence (in terms of oxygen cost per watt), which laboratory studies place around 60–70 RPM.
Why do trained cyclists choose higher cadences than the mechanically optimal? Because cycling is not purely about oxygen efficiency. At higher cadences with lower gear resistance, the muscular force requirements per pedal stroke are lower — which means less localised muscle fatigue, better preservation of fast-twitch fibres, and sustained power output over longer durations. The cardiovascular cost is slightly higher, but the neuromuscular cost is meaningfully lower.
The practical implication: trained cyclists should generally favour higher cadences not because it is more efficient per unit of oxygen, but because it reduces muscular fatigue over a long event.
High Cadence vs Low Cadence: The Trade-Offs
High Cadence (90–110 RPM)
Advantages:
- Lower muscular force per stroke — reduces localised leg fatigue over long efforts
- Better preservation of muscular capacity for late-race or post-bike running (triathlon)
- More aerobically sustainable for trained cardiovascular systems
- Associated with elite performance at all endurance cycling distances
Disadvantages:
- Higher cardiovascular demand at a given power output compared to lower cadences
- Requires cardiovascular fitness to support efficiently — less comfortable for less-trained riders
- Can feel chaotic or inefficient for cyclists not accustomed to spinning
Low Cadence (60–75 RPM)
Advantages:
- Lower cardiovascular demand at a given power
- More mechanically efficient (lower oxygen cost per watt in laboratory conditions)
- Better neuromuscular stimulus — useful in specific strength training protocols
Disadvantages:
- Higher muscular force per stroke — causes faster localised fatigue in hard efforts
- Increased risk of knee stress over time with very low cadences and high resistance
- Associated with faster glycogen depletion in sustained efforts above threshold
How to Find Your Optimal Cadence
Your optimal cadence is individual and depends on your fitness, physiology, and event type. Here is a structured approach to finding it:
Step 1: Establish Your Comfortable Range
During an easy Zone 2 ride, free-pedal on flat terrain at different cadences for 5 minutes each: 70, 80, 90, 100 RPM. Note your heart rate and perceived exertion at each. Most trained cyclists will find 80–100 RPM comfortable; newer cyclists often feel more natural at 70–80 RPM.
Step 2: Test at Threshold
During a threshold interval, compare power output and sustainability at different cadences. Some cyclists produce their best threshold power at 85–90 RPM; others at 95–100 RPM. Use your Garmin power data to compare normalised power across cadence experiments on the same course.
Step 3: Note What Happens to Your Running (Triathlon)
If you are a triathlete, the optimal cadence on the bike is partly determined by how well your legs transition to running. High cadences (90–100 RPM) during the bike leg are associated with better run performance off the bike because they preserve muscular capacity that grinding (low cadence, high force) depletes.
Garmin and Cadence Monitoring
Most Garmin cycling computers and GPS watches track cadence via an ANT+ cadence sensor (pedal or crank-mounted) or estimated from GPS and accelerometer data on compatible devices. The Garmin Edge series allows you to set cadence alerts — if you drop below or exceed your target RPM range, the device notifies you.
Reviewing your cadence data in Garmin Connect after rides is useful for:
- Identifying cadence drops during climbs (a common sign of fatigue or insufficient gearing)
- Tracking cadence trends across a training block (as fitness improves, comfortable cadence at a given power typically rises)
- Comparing cadence between indoor and outdoor rides
Cadence Training: How to Improve
If your natural cadence is below 80 RPM and you want to train it higher, the process requires patience. Cadence is a neuromuscular pattern — changing it takes weeks of consistent practice, not days.
- High cadence drills: Spend 10–15 minutes of an easy ride doing 1-minute efforts at 100–110 RPM in a light gear. Focus on smooth, circular pedal strokes with no bounce in the saddle.
- Cadence alerts: Set a cadence alert on your Garmin to beep when you drop below your target (e.g., 88 RPM). Use this during easy rides for 4–6 weeks.
- Patience: An increase from 75 RPM to 90 RPM as your comfortable cruising cadence takes 8–12 weeks of consistent practice. Forcing it in one week produces sloppy technique, not real adaptation.
The Bottom Line
Most trained endurance cyclists perform best in the 85–100 RPM range, with elite riders typically clustering around 90–100 RPM. If your cadence is consistently below 80 RPM on easy terrain, it is worth training it upward through structured drills over several weeks. Use Garmin cadence alerts to enforce your target range during training, and review your cadence data in Garmin Connect to track improvement over months.
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