Understanding the relationship between cadence and gear ratios is like mastering the "manual transmission" of cycling, allowing you to ride more efficiently, for longer, and with more enjoyment.

Let's uncover this mystery together and help you find your optimal rhythm.

What is Cadence?

Simply put, cadence is the frequency at which you pedal your bicycle.

You can think of it as how many complete circles your legs make per minute.

• Unit: Its international standard unit is RPM, which stands for Revolutions Per Minute.
• Example: If your bike computer shows a cadence of 90 RPM, this means that in the past minute, your pedals completed exactly 90 full rotations.

A Real-Life Analogy

Imagine fan speed settings:

• Low cadence (e.g., 60 RPM): Like a fan on "slow speed". The blades turn very slowly, you feel "each rotation has power," but the airflow isn't strong.
• High cadence (e.g., 90 RPM): Like a fan on "high speed". The blades spin very fast, feels very "light," and the overall airflow is very strong.

Why Is It Important?

Cadence is a key metric that measures your power output style when cycling. It determines whether you tend to use brute force to ride, or technique and cardiovascular system.

Learning to control and maintain appropriate cadence is the core skill for improving pedaling efficiency, extending endurance, and protecting your knees.

One sentence summary: Cadence is how fast your legs spin.

Core Relationship: A Simple "Golden Formula"

To understand all this, you only need to remember one simple relationship:

Speed = Cadence × Gear Ratio (strictly speaking, you also need to multiply by wheel circumference, but we can simplify for understanding)

• Cadence: Your pedaling speed, measured in "revolutions per minute" (RPM). This is your "engine RPM."
• Gear Ratio: Your chosen chainring and cassette combination. This is your "transmission gear."
• Speed: The bicycle's forward speed.

This formula tells us: Gear ratio is your tool for maintaining ideal cadence. When terrain changes (like climbing, increased resistance), you lower the gear ratio (shift to an easier gear) to allow your legs to maintain the same rotational speed (cadence), and vice versa.

A vivid analogy: Imagine driving a manual transmission car. When going uphill, you wouldn't floor the gas pedal until the engine nearly stalls (low cadence), but would downshift to first or second gear (low gear ratio), allowing the engine to easily return to its efficient RPM range (high cadence). Cycling follows exactly the same principle!

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Cadence "Choice": Cardiovascular vs. Muscle Power

So why should there be an "optimal cadence"? Because with different cadences, your body's energy systems are different.

• High cadence (90-100+ RPM):
  • Advantages: Less force per pedal stroke, more reliance on your cardiovascular system (aerobic system). This is like "quick small steps"—muscles are less prone to lactic acid buildup, fatigue comes slower, and joint pressure is also smaller.
  • Disadvantages: Higher demands on heart and lungs, heart rate will increase accordingly.
• Low cadence (60-70 RPM):
  • Advantages: More force per pedal stroke, more reliance on your muscle power (anaerobic system). This is like "big slow steps"—can output very high torque in short periods.
  • Disadvantages: Large pressure on muscles and joints, fast lactic acid buildup, easy fatigue and cramping, commonly called "powerful King Kong legs," but usually not sustainable.

For the vast majority of cycling enthusiasts, learning to ride with slightly higher cadence is key to improving endurance.

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How to Find Your "Optimal Rhythm"?

While there's no absolute number, for most amateur enthusiasts, an ideal range is:

• Flat road cruising: 85 - 95 RPM
• Climbing: 70 - 85 RPM (depending on gradient and fitness, not dropping below 70 is a good goal)
• Sprint/high-intensity intervals: 100 - 120+ RPM

Field Test: Finding Your Sweet Spot

Find a flat section or gentle gradient and spend 10-15 minutes doing this exercise:

1. Baseline test: Ride for 3 minutes using your most comfortable gear ratio and cadence, remember your speed and "body feel" (breathing, leg sensation).
2. Increase cadence: Shift down one gear (cassette gets one step larger), then increase cadence until speed matches before. Maintain for 3 minutes. Feel whether heart rate is slightly higher but legs feel more relaxed?
3. Decrease cadence: Shift up one gear (cassette gets one step smaller), then decrease cadence, similarly maintaining the previous speed. Feel whether breathing is calmer but leg muscle soreness is stronger?

Through this comparison, you can personally experience which cadence range allows you to maintain the same speed with less effort—that range is your optimal rhythm.

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Practical Exercises for Improving Cadence

To learn high-cadence riding, you need deliberate practice to optimize your neuromuscular coordination.

• High-cadence "Spin-ups" exercise:

  • On flat road, shift to a very light gear ratio.
  • Use 30-60 seconds to gradually increase your cadence from 90 RPM to your controllable limit (like 110-120 RPM), focusing on keeping upper body stable, butt must not bounce on the saddle.
  • Recover for 2-3 minutes. Repeat 5-8 times.
  • This exercise can teach your legs how to spin circles quickly and smoothly.

• Single-leg pedaling exercise:

  • On a trainer or safe gentle slope, unclip one foot from clipless pedals.
  • Use only the other leg to complete the full pedaling circle motion, for 30-60 seconds.
  • Feel how to apply force during the "pull-up" phase to eliminate pedaling dead spots.
  • This is the ace move for improving pedaling efficiency and laying foundation for high cadence.

In summary, perfect rhythm isn't unchanging. The real goal is: through skillful use of your "transmission" (gear ratios), keep your "engine" (legs) always in their most efficient, most comfortable "RPM range" (cadence) regardless of road conditions.

Wishing you find your optimal rhythm soon!