Cadence

Cadence is the rate at which your legs cycle through full strokes — pedal revolutions per minute (rpm) for cyclists, steps per minute (spm) for runners.

How it is measured

• Cycling: Most modern power meters and bike computers report cadence directly.
• Running: Watches measure cadence via wrist accelerometer or a foot pod.

Typical ranges:

• Cycling endurance: 85–95 rpm.
• Cycling climbing: 70–80 rpm (when grade forces it).
• Running easy: 170–180 spm.
• Running fast: 180–195 spm.

Why it matters

Cadence affects the mix between aerobic and muscular load. Lower cadence at the same power = more force per pedal stroke = more muscular fatigue. Higher cadence at the same power = more cardiovascular cost, less muscle damage.

Common misconceptions

• There is no universal "optimal" cadence. Tour pros race at everything from 80 to 105 rpm in long efforts.
• Running cadence is not magically optimized at 180 spm — that number was a misreading of a single observation.
• Forcing a high cadence on the bike when grades demand low cadence wastes oxygen.

Related concepts

FTP, Zone 2.