How to Increase Your Cycling Cadence

To increase your cadence, you need to retrain your nervous system to fire your muscles faster through dedicated "overspeed" drills. It isn't a matter of building more lung power or bigger muscles; it's about teaching your brain and legs to coordinate at a higher tempo without wasting energy.

Most self-taught cyclists naturally settle around 70–80 RPM (revolutions per minute). While that feels powerful, it puts a massive strain on your muscles. Moving toward 85–95 RPM shifts that load to your cardiovascular system, which recovers much faster than your leg muscles do.

Start with Small Steps

Don't try to jump from 70 RPM to 100 RPM overnight. You’ll just end up bouncing in the saddle and getting frustrated.

If your natural cadence is 75 RPM, aim to spend your next ride at 80 RPM. It will feel "twitchy" at first, but your body will adapt to the rhythm within a few weeks.

Three Drills to Try This Week

You can add these into any endurance ride. They don't require a lot of recovery, so you can do them frequently.

• The Spin-Up: Find a flat road or use your trainer. Shift into an easy gear. Gradually increase your cadence over 30 seconds until you start to bounce in the saddle, then back off slightly. Hold that "max smooth" speed for 1 minute.
• High-Cadence Intervals: During a 60-minute ride, do 5 sets of 5 minutes where you consciously hold 5–10 RPM higher than your "normal" pace. Rest for 5 minutes between sets.
• The "Downhill Spin": When you hit a slight downhill, don't stop pedaling. Keep a light tension on the chain and try to keep your legs moving at 100+ RPM. It’s the easiest way to practice high speed without the resistance.

Why This Matters for YOUR Training

Think of your legs like gears in a car. Grinding a heavy gear at low RPM is like redlining the engine in first gear—it creates a lot of heat and wear.

Increasing your cadence allows you to produce the same power (Watts) with less force on the pedals. If you can hold 200W at 90 RPM instead of 70 RPM, your legs will feel significantly fresher when you hit the final climb of the day or the sprint for the town sign.

Pro Tip: Check Your Form

If you feel yourself bouncing like a rubber ball when you speed up, focus on your core. Tighten your midsection slightly and "unweight" your feet at the bottom of the stroke. Imagine you are scraping mud off the bottom of your shoe rather than just stomping down.

Summary

• Don't rush it: Aim for a 5 RPM increase at a time.
• Focus on smoothness: If you bounce, you're going too fast for your current skill level.
• Practice often: Cadence is a skill, not a fitness metric. Do "spin-ups" twice a week.
• Save your legs: Higher cadence shifts the work from your muscles to your heart.