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How Can I Find My Optimal Cycling Cadence?

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by (120 points)
Haja enfoque dmi que po künstmosen ba:s jisie vo sjikhset resand blatim.

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by (300 points)
In order to achieve the most efficient cycling cadence, one must try different cadences and take note of how the body reacts. The goal here would be to begin with short interval sets with a faster cadence of around hundred-110 RPM and a slower cadence of seventy to eighty RPM. This trains both the fast and slow pedals action for maximum efficiency in leg movements. One can also start from as low as fifty to sixty revolutions per minute and increase the cadence per minute and record the response of the body. Look for the rate of speed, heart beat rate and rate of perceived exertion and the active cadence that helps you to use least effort in pedaling. The correct cycling cadence will be influenced by the rider’s individual factors, such as the type of muscle, the level of fitness and, of course, the type of hills.
by (100 points)
Every cadence study seems to show self selected is better than any prescribed cadence.
by (100 points)
I remember when I got into cycling 15 years ago and my LBS suggested that my cadence should be between 90-110. I couldn’t do it and I thought something was wrong with me. I gave up and just pedaled at what felt right for me, my cadence is at 70 Rpm on average. I have completed many centuries and have done hundreds of 30 mile rides and let a 40 year old Clydesdale give you his 2 cents, if it doesn’t hurt and it works for you, do it. Another example, is when I used chamois butter on one time and I got horrible saddle sores. I know many people swear by certain things in life, sometimes the majority, but if it’s not right for you, that’s okay. Trial and error is a part of life.
by (100 points)
There is some good information here and it’s great you’re seeing progress. I think that over time you may come to ride without thinking of cadence too much. There is never an ideal cadence across the board. Give yourself the freedom to select whatever cadence feels right in the moment. Freely changing cadence will keep you comfortable on long rides and take the need to focus on one thing away. Cadence is quite literally the last metric I give any attention to during or after a ride. It’s just not really an indicator of anything other than what it measures- it’s like knowing your average RPM on a car trip… not helpful but sure you can measure it. Yes too high or too low is problematic but there is really no ideal number at any given time or as an average. It may be better at times to be lower, or higher, but that’s different from saying that it should be 80, or 90, or anything specific at any given point. Your bike fit will go a long way too… it looks like your saddle may be a little too low and you may be putting too much demand on your quads while not putting enough on your hamstrings. Your pedal stroke should be smooth and you seem to be a little on the choppy side, a frequent result of saddles being too low. Stay riding and good luck out there!
by (100 points)
I'm 64 years old, 5'11" and 176 lbs, about 10 pounds above my optimal weight.  I like to ride fast, not because I'm in competition, but because it's fun.  For me, turning a consistent cadence in the mid 80s while keeping my heart rate around 156 results in the best sustainable speed.  I can easily ride for 90 minutes or so averaging 16mph or 30 minutes at 17.5mph.  I'd like to achieve 2 hours at 18mph or 1 hour at 20mph.  That's a goal for Spring 2025, before I reach my 65th birthday.
by (100 points)
The best cadence is one that is the most efficient. Striking a balance between ease and output. No point spinning furiously and going nowhere, or spinning slowly and struggling to move. As someone with larger than average leg muscles I tend to have a slightly lower cadence utilising harder gears. It works for me, but it won’t work for everyone.
by (100 points)
If you aren’t pedalling in circles, you’re making it hard work!
by (100 points)
The best cadence for you is that which feels comfortable.  Not those recommended by trainers and cycling geeks.. and i cycle at own pace and rest as i feel like.  
by (100 points)
Millions of years ago, when I raced and time trialled around Tyne & Wear (with Sunderland Clarion CC) I learned there were two groups. Mashers and Twiddlers, low and high cadence riders. I never found the naked grunt to mash effectively but couldn’t spin like the twiddlers without bouncing on the saddle. Middle ground revs was where I rode. It was effective, I did well in races & time trials and began to notice none of the riders around me, in the top 10% of the event, did extreme mashing or twiddling. If you train your best, you find your style l
by (100 points)
I am a heavy 54 year year old guy.  I have been riding since 2020 with one year off due to injury.  I am a slow rider.  I would like to be faster so I can ride with friends and not hold everyone up.  I have recently started playing around with my cadence.  I don't have a sensor yet, so I am just sort of going by feel right now.  I have found if I reduce the cadence a bit to where I am not going all out on the down hills, I have more energy and my speed increases on the inclines.  It results in an overall increase in average speed over the duration of my ride. So, basically, I am in search of the sweet spot you are talking about and it seems to me that it is an effective approach.
by (100 points)
I’m 66 12 stone 7 lbs 5’11” …I average 60-65 cadence here in hilly West Cumbria Lake District England which I’m happy with. I can get up those lumps eventually . I agree with what’s been said be happy at what you’re comfortable with.
by (100 points)
Interesting content thanks for sharing.  I'm far too lazy to ride 90 RPM. I don't have an rpm counter on my bicycle, but I know what gears I typically use at a certain speed.
(on roads that are paved an more or less flat). So my RPM is somewhere between 60 and 70. When going uphill (6-12%) my RPM is somewhere between 35 and 52.
That's hard working, with 100 kg of body weight. At the start of the cycling season I use lower gears, because the muscle strength in my legs disappear for a great part
during the about 4 month winter break.
by (100 points)
Great content. I haven’t ridden in 6 years and before that I was riding for about 2 years. I averaged 80rpm @26kph(16mph) and only improved by 2mph. I don’t know how they manage 40-60mph and so I gave up. Plus I’m too heavy now for my 80kg recommended rider weight lol. I remember a news report with fern and Fred following a guy going towards Pompey and had to maintain 55mph! Anyway I think I’m 50/50 fast/slow and used to enjoy 4 hours on the bike of a weekend 140km and doing a Xmas 1000kms over 3 weeks. Those were the days @80rpm 25kph I could ride all day…
by (100 points)
At what cadence you pedal is a personal prefance. If you want to get faster, you need to know how much watts you are putting out.
That (for the most part) has nothing to do with cadance. For example, i can ride at 250w and 85 rpm, or i can ride at 250w at 100 rpm. The power i output is the same... and i can do that for hours.
Get a powermeter, target train in your powerzones, and improve your poweroutput AT any cadance, and you will get faster naturaly.
by (100 points)
I find my comfortable cadence keeps changing every week or depending on mood. Sometimes going 90rpm feels comfortable then other days 80rpm feels comfortable. I have a powermeter so I know i'm keeping track of zone 2 power.
by (100 points)
83rpm is what my body likes. 6’2 175mm cranks 78kg. 90 feels too high now. when i was lighter it felt better but now i like that 10% slower. way stronger now! not purely bc of the cadence change obv, but as time goes on your body changes which means ur prefered cadence is best.

my rule of thumb is power is priority. if i produce the most power at 110rpm, ill do that. if its 40rpm ill do that too. goal is speed, not an arbitrary rate of leg movement ha
by (100 points)
I'm a novice cyclist. My first few rides were at like 60-70 rpm average. I now average 80-85 which feels good. I think going over 100 is crazy. I don't play too much attention to it though.
by (100 points)
As long as I’m in a comfortable gear and my HR low I’m happy with my cadence which is roughly 75-80
by (100 points)
Perfect cadence is around 90, 80 or 100 is close to it and doesnt matter. I would pay much more attention to your general level of fitness rather than cadence if you want to get faster.
by (100 points)
I average about 80 rpm outdoors but 90 indoors ‍♂️
by (100 points)
Firstly optimum cadence depends on actual power and duration needed. E.g. in my case sprinting is done around 130+,  5min @75, 2hrs @93. The reason is the higher the force needed to produce the  power the faster muscles get tired. Artificially slowing down lowers endurance. Secondly 90rpm is biomechanically  still slow movement and no fast twich muscles are needed due to cadence. FT's are also activated when force exceeds a threshold limit i e. low cadence and/or because ST fibers are exhausted. Lastly you can learn to pedal faster which puts less force on your muscles and improves endurance. Higher cadence than natural is inefficient because of suboptimal muscle contraction coordination. But this can be learned and improved. Lots of semi truth or even wrong explanations in this vid.
by (100 points)
Should also look at crank arm length. Most likely it is too long.
by (100 points)
Sounds to me like you were trying to ride at a cadence that doesn’t suit you too well Leonard.

I personally think way too much emphasis is placed on cadence, for me it changes many times in a ride, depending on the terrain and how I’m feeling.
by (100 points)
Pedal stroke is a big one as well .?
by (100 points)
Hi L! Good content, but what about cranck arms. I heard some have shorter and ride faster with higher cadense.
by (100 points)
I'm 6ft 2in and 230 lbs. I exceed the weight limit on many bike wheels. The only method I found to increase my cadence was to stick with a single speed bike. I've had one as my daily ride for 25 years and it's made me get stronger on climbs and spin on descents especially in group rides.

I have geared bikes, but I default to the single speed unless I'm in the mountains or heading out for a really long ride. Try it, it might work.
by (100 points)
Just watching the intro I can see you are bouncing in the saddle. You’re in the wrong gear!
by (100 points)
Im no bike fitter but i think your saddle is a bit low =P your knee is 90 degrees in upstroke almost in line with your belly ... just saying tho its not dangerous or anything but the lower the saddle the more effort you need to do in your pedal stroke and your leg acts like a pump so you increase your heart rate feeling fatigue earlier than you should ... i used to pedal even lower than that and i felt really comfy but it seems i was wrong =P
put some shorts and try to pedal if your skin touch it self on pedaling it means you too low (◠‿◠)
or change the crack lenght to a smaller size ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  i don't know
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