What is a good cadence on the bike?

There is no single number that applies to everyone. Professional riders usually pedal above 90 revolutions per minute, many recreational cyclists around 70 to 80. At HYTX we work towards 90 or more on flat sections and in longer efforts, but we build it up gradually, because a high cadence is a skill you have to train.

Why do you train for a cadence above 90?

Because at a higher cadence you need less force per pedal stroke for the same power. At 90 instead of 70 that is roughly a fifth less force per stroke. The idea is that this puts less strain on your muscles and delays muscle fatigue, so you have more left at the end of a long ride or race. That is also why pros often choose a high cadence themselves.

So is a low cadence more efficient?

In pure oxygen cost it often is, especially at an easy pace. Studies show that a lower cadence costs slightly less energy at moderate effort and gives a lower heart rate. But efficiency is not everything: at a low cadence you push harder with every stroke, and the harder you ride, the higher the cadence that works best. That is why we look at more than energy cost alone.

Why do many amateurs ride at 70 to 80?

A low cadence often feels calmer for the heart and lungs, and riders who are not used to spinning start bouncing on the saddle. Research also shows that less-trained cyclists struggle more with a high cadence at high intensity. That is exactly why we train it step by step rather than imposing it all at once.

How do I increase my cadence?

Gradually, by about 5 revolutions per minute at a time. Choose an easier gear, use a cadence sensor, and add short drills where you deliberately spin faster with a calm, smooth upper body. After a few weeks a higher cadence starts to feel natural.

Should I always ride above 90?

No. On steep climbs your cadence naturally drops, and sometimes we deliberately train at a low cadence as a strength stimulus. The goal is that you can hold a high cadence when it counts, not that you never go below 90 again.

11 October 20266 min readCyclingScience

Cycling cadence: why aim above 90?

What is the ideal cycling cadence? Why we work towards 90+ at HYTX, why many amateurs get stuck at 70-80, and what recent research says.

There is no perfect cadence for everyone, but at HYTX we work towards 90 revolutions per minute or more on the bike. The reason: at a higher cadence you deliver less force per pedal stroke for the same power. That way we aim to spare your muscles and delay muscle fatigue, so you still have something left at the end of a long ride or race. Many amateurs ride at 70 to 80. That feels calmer, but you push harder with every stroke.

What does recent research say about this? And why do we build that higher cadence up gradually instead of imposing it overnight? Read on below. You will find the sources at the bottom.

What is cadence?

Your cadence is the number of revolutions your pedals make per minute, expressed in rpm. At the same power you can choose: a big gear at a low cadence, or an easier gear at a higher cadence. Power is force times speed. Spin faster, and you need less force per stroke.

An example: if you ride 200 watts at 90 rpm instead of 70 rpm, you need to deliver about 22 percent less force per pedal stroke. Over a three-hour ride, that is thousands of pedal strokes that are each a fair bit lighter on your muscles.

Pros and amateurs: a clear difference

A 2021 systematic review sums it up: professional riders usually choose a cadence above 90 rpm, while recreational cyclists ride around 80 rpm or lower (Mater et al., 2021). You see that high cadence in recent race data too. Among pros in the five Monuments (2021 to 2023), cadence in efforts of 1 to 5 minutes was around 90 rpm, and around 100 rpm in short, hard efforts (Javaloyes et al., 2025).

Among the amateurs we coach, we often see a cadence between 70 and 80. That usually has a few causes: a habitually heavy gear, a restless pedal stroke at higher revs, and the feeling that pushing feels "stronger".

Why we work towards 90+

Less force per stroke, less strain on your muscles

The main idea behind a high cadence has long been known in science: cyclists choose a higher cadence to limit muscle fatigue, even though it costs a bit more energy (discussed in Mater et al., 2021 and Dunst et al., 2024). By spreading the force over more, but lighter, pedal strokes, your muscles have to work less hard per stroke.

This also links to your muscle fibres. The more force you need per stroke, the more you have to recruit your fast-twitch fibres (type II). Those fibres are strong, but they burn a lot of carbohydrate and tire more quickly. In a study discussed in the 2021 review, those fast fibres lost clearly more of their glycogen at a low cadence than at a high cadence (Mater et al., 2021). For a long ride or race you want to save those fibres for as long as possible, for the moments that count.

The harder you ride, the higher the best cadence

A 2024 study in track cyclists neatly showed that the "best" cadence is not fixed. It rises with intensity: from around 65 rpm at a very easy pace, to about 82 rpm around your threshold and 85 rpm at your maximal aerobic power. For a sprint it is even around 135 rpm (Dunst et al., 2024). The researchers explain this through the muscle fibres you recruit: the harder you go, the more fast fibres join in, and they work best at a higher pedalling speed.

In practice this means: if you ride at 70 rpm, you have little room when the pace needs to go up. A hill, a headwind, an acceleration in the group or the finale of your race all call for more power. If you are used to a high cadence, you can deliver that power without suddenly having to push much harder.

What the science also says: it costs some energy

We want to be honest: a high cadence is not "free". In pure energy cost, a lower cadence at a moderate pace is often slightly more economical.

In competitive riders who cycled for three hours at 80 or 100 rpm, 100 rpm cost about 4 to 6 percent more energy, with a slightly higher heart rate. Afterwards they had less peak power left (Stebbins et al., 2014).
In recreational cyclists riding around their threshold, a higher cadence led to a higher heart rate and lower efficiency (Formenti et al., 2019).
The 2021 review found that mainly less-trained cyclists struggle with a high cadence at high intensity. Trained riders could adjust their cadence within their usual range without extra fatigue (Mater et al., 2021).

That last point is the core for us. A high cadence is a skill. If you have not trained it and suddenly ride at 95 rpm, you waste energy and tire sooner. If you build it up step by step, you get a smooth, efficient pedal stroke and a wider range. That is why at HYTX we never impose a high cadence overnight: we train it.

How we train your cadence

Step by step. We raise your usual cadence by about 5 rpm at a time, and only move on once that feels natural.
The right gear. Shift to an easier gear sooner, especially when pulling away, on short rises and into the wind.
Spin drills. Short blocks where you deliberately pedal faster (for example 100 to 110 rpm), with a calm upper body and without bouncing on the saddle.
Deliberately low cadence as a strength stimulus. Sometimes we train at a low cadence and a big gear on purpose, as targeted strength work on the bike. That is a separate tool, not your normal riding style. More on that in our article on VLamax.
Strength in the gym. Stronger legs make every pedal stroke lighter. Read why we recommend strength training for endurance athletes.
Measure it. A cadence sensor or smart trainer gives you live feedback, so you know where you are.

On a steep climb your cadence drops naturally, and that is fine. The goal is not that you never go below 90 again, but that you can hold a high cadence when it counts.

Running is a very different sport, by the way, but rhythm matters there too. Read more in our article on the ideal running cadence.

Dialling in your cadence

Every rider is different. Your ideal cadence depends on your level, your fibre type, your goals and the kind of races you ride. In our cycling coaching and triathlon coaching we look at your cadence together with your power and heart rate, and build it up gradually. And with a lactate test we know exactly which zones you are training in.

Sources

Dunst AK, Hesse C, Ueberschär O. Understanding optimal cadence dynamics: a systematic analysis of the power-velocity relationship in track cyclists with increasing exercise intensity. Frontiers in Physiology. 2024;15:1343601.
Formenti F, Dockerill C, Kankanange L, et al. The effect of pedaling cadence on skeletal muscle oxygenation during cycling at moderate exercise intensity. International Journal of Sports Medicine. 2019;40(5):305-311.
Javaloyes A, Sánchez-Jiménez JL, Peña-González I, Moya-Ramón M, Mateo-March M. The role of cadence and torque in fatigue-related power output decline in cycling's Grand Monuments. Sports. 2025;13(11):406.
Mater A, Clos P, Lepers R. Effect of cycling cadence on neuromuscular function: a systematic review of acute and chronic alterations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(15):7912.
Stebbins CL, Moore JL, Casazza GA. Effects of cadence on aerobic capacity following a prolonged, varied intensity cycling trial. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2014;13(1):114-119.

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