Well before I start talking about my journey and the importance of cadence, what’s important is to understand the meaning of it first.
Cadence is the number of revolutions per minute that a cyclist’s pedals are turning. It’s an important measure for cycling, because it determines the cycling speed and efficiency.
Cyclists try to remain at or below the optimal cadence of sixty revolutions per minute. The optimal cadence is sixty because it allows for less strain and fatigue on the muscles in the legs. Additionally, it reduces the chance of injury by allowing a balance between power from the quads and hamstrings – both which have different strengths when pedaling.
The purpose of this introduction is to provide some information about what cadence is and why it’s so important when cyclists are trying to reach their top speeds or stay safe on their bike.
The perfect cadence is different for each rider, but the best advice is to start the ride with a high cadence and gradually bring it down.
It’s important to maintain a high cadence during a cycling workout because it will keep your heart rate high, which in turn makes your body burn more calories.
When you’re trying to figure out what the perfect cadence is, remember that everyone’s body responds differently to exercise. While most people want to start at a higher cadence-around 85 rotations per minute- then gradually bring their speed down towards the end of their ride, there are some people who like to keep their pace at 100 RPMs and take it from there.
The simplest way to increase your cadence is to reduce your gear choice. A lower gear will give you a higher RPM and make it easier to maintain a higher cadence. Another option would be to ride with no resistance on your bicycle, or do so for part of your ride. This will allow you to reach higher RPMs and increase your cadence while training.
It is not about how much power you put into your pedaling or how quickly you turn the pedals, it is about the number of times that you make a whole revolution in one minute.
Cadence is not only important for cyclists. It also has an influence on runners. For example, when running uphill, runners can activate their calf muscles more easily with a higher cadence than with a lower cadence.
I started off with my cycling journey in the year 2016. When I started off it was more like a new sport but in no time I realised that it was something that I wanted to pursue further. In a few weeks after buying my first MTB, I ended up buying a Roadie and further joined a few active cycling groups to build my stamina and also learn more about the sport.
I distinctly remember a fellow professional rider telling me not to burn the energy while we start
the ride because most riders tend to start fast but tend to kill their pace in a few mins. What he told me instead was to maintain the pace of my all through my ride by first looking at the speed (cycle computer) and then eventually he asked me to focus on the cadence number. At first he told me that he will let me know the real meaning of Cadence after I achieve a consistent cadence number of 60 over the next 5 rides.
It was easier for me to simply google the meaning of Cadence but I took the challenge and achieved the same. Towards the end of the 5th ride, the meaning of cadence was clear to me. I realised that if I have to build endurance, cadence is the most important and critical thing for long distance rides.
Ever since then I have always focused on riding on cadence and never on speed or distance. It allowed me to finish my first SR (Super Randonneur) in 2017. I don’t cycle that often now but everytime I put my leg on the pedal, it’s the cadence which I go after.
I hope this blog helps you in building your cadence journey & should you need any help or guidance, then do reach out to me. Many thanks.
Anujj Mehta
Ideator, Light Bulb Consulting
