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Free training tool

Bike Cadence
Calculator.

Enter your speed, gear and wheel size to find your pedalling cadence in rpm, plus your gear ratio and how far the bike rolls per pedal stroke.

Your setup
Cadence
69
rpm
Grinding Low Fast spin
Gear ratio 3.33
Development / rev 7.02 m
Speed check 18.0 mph
29.0 km/h

Results update as you type. Try a bigger rear cog to see how a climbing gear keeps your cadence up at low speed.

The maths

How the calculator works

Cadence is just your speed divided by how far the bike travels for one turn of the pedals. That per-stroke distance comes from your gear ratio and your wheel size.

÷
Gear ratio = chainring teeth ÷ cog teeth. A 50T ring on a 15T cog is 3.33.
m
Development = wheel circumference × gear ratio. The metres the bike rolls per pedal revolution.
↻
Cadence = road speed ÷ development, converted to revolutions per minute. Faster speed or a smaller gear both raise the rpm.
v
Speed check = development × cadence. We show it back to you so you can confirm the numbers line up.

Most riders are most efficient spinning somewhere between 80 and 95 rpm. If the calculator shows a low cadence at your normal speed, you are in too big a gear; shift to a smaller ratio and your rpm rises without any extra effort.

Want a printable cadence and gear chart?
A one-page cadence-by-gear reference chart is coming soon to our shop.
FAQ

Bike cadence FAQ

For most riders a comfortable, efficient cadence sits between 80 and 95 rpm. Beginners often pedal slower, around 60 to 70 rpm, which puts more load on the muscles. Higher cadences of 90 to 100 rpm shift the effort toward your heart and lungs and spare your legs on long rides.

Cadence equals your speed divided by how far the bike travels per pedal stroke. That distance (called development) is your wheel circumference multiplied by your gear ratio. So cadence in rpm = road speed ÷ development. This calculator does it for you once you enter speed, gear and wheel.

Professional road racers typically ride at 90 to 100 rpm on the flat and often spin faster in a sprint or a fast group. Time triallists may hold 95 rpm or more. The high cadence lets them produce power with less muscular fatigue over hours of racing.

Neither is universally better; it is a trade-off. A lower cadence (grinding a big gear) uses more muscle force and can tire your legs. A higher cadence uses less force per stroke but raises your heart rate and breathing. Most riders are most efficient somewhere in the 80 to 95 rpm band and should train the range.

On a steep climb your speed drops, and unless you shift to an easier gear your cadence falls with it. That is why climbing gears (a big rear cog or a compact chainring) matter: they let you keep spinning at 70 to 90 rpm instead of grinding at 50. Enter a climbing gear here to see the difference.

Not to use this calculator: it estimates cadence from your speed and gearing. A real cadence sensor is still useful for live feedback and training, because it measures your actual pedalling rather than assuming a fixed gear. Use this tool to understand the numbers, then a sensor to train them.