- Cadence is how fast you turn the pedals, in revolutions per minute (rpm).
- For the same power, a higher cadence means less force on each pedal stroke.
- There is no perfect number. Find a range that feels smooth, and practise a few others.
What cadence is
Cadence is how many times your pedals go round each minute. At 90 rpm that is one and a half turns every second.
Power, force and cadence
Power is force times speed. On a bike, the same watts can come from a hard push at a slow cadence or a lighter push at a fast one.
A low cadence tends to load your legs. A high cadence tends to load your breathing and heart instead. Most riders land somewhere between the two.
Finding your rhythm
There is no single right cadence. It differs between riders, and it often shifts between an easy ride and a hard interval.
Pick the cadence at which a block feels smooth and you could keep going. If you are bouncing in the saddle, slow down. If your legs burn long before your lungs do, try a lighter gear and spin a little faster.
Indoors, in ERG mode the trainer holds the target watts as your cadence changes, so your gear changes how the effort feels, not the power. Hammy has a safety release: if your cadence stays below 55 rpm for about 5 seconds on a target above 85% of your FTP, or falls below 20 rpm for 3 seconds, it releases ERG and the trainer eases to a light resistance. Pedal above 60 W and ERG comes back on its own.
Ride the same block in a harder or an easier gear, and see which one you can sustain. In ERG, a harder gear pulls your cadence down. Keep it above 55 rpm on hard targets, or Hammy will release ERG.
Practise a range
You will ride better at the cadence you practise. A few short spin-ups in a warm-up teach you to stay smooth at a high cadence. Some riders also add short, seated, low-cadence efforts. Keep these controlled, and stop if anything hurts.
If your trainer reports cadence, Hammy shows it live and saves it with the ride. If it does not, the cadence tile shows “No sensor” instead of guessing a number.
Show sources (4)Hide sources
- Coast JR, Cox RH, Welch HG (1986). Optimal pedalling rate in prolonged bouts of cycle ergometry. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 18(2), 225–230. doi:10.1249/00005768-198604000-00013
- Foss Ø, Hallén J (2004). The most economical cadence increases with increasing workload. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 92(4–5), 443–451. doi:10.1007/s00421-004-1175-5
- Lucía Mulas A, Hoyos J, López Chicharro JL (2001). Preferred pedalling cadence in professional cycling. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 33(8), 1361–1366. doi:10.1097/00005768-200108000-00018
- Marsh AP, Martin PE (1997). Effect of cycling experience, aerobic power, and power output on preferred and most economical cycling cadences. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 29(9), 1225–1232. doi:10.1097/00005768-199709000-00016
