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In cycling
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from t ...
, cadence (or pedalling rate) is a measure of angular speed
Angular may refer to:
Anatomy
* Angular artery, the terminal part of the facial artery
* Angular bone, a large bone in the lower jaw of amphibians and reptiles
* Angular incisure, a small anatomical notch on the stomach
* Angular gyrus, a regio ...
calculated as the number of revolutions of the crank per minute; this is the rate at which a cyclist is pedalling/turning the pedals. Cadence is directly proportional to wheel speed, but is a distinct measurement and changes with gearing—which determines the ratio of crank rpm to wheel rpm.
Cyclists typically have a cadence at which they feel most comfortable, and on bicycle
A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered assisted, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
Bic ...
s with many gears it is possible to maintain a preferred cadence at a wide range of speeds. Recreational and utility cyclists typically cycle around 60–80 rpm
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
. According to cadence measurement of seven professional cyclists during three-week races they cycle about 90 rpm during flat and long (~190 km) group stages and individual time trials of ~50 km. During ~15 km uphill cycling on high mountain passes they cycle about 70 rpm.
Cyclists choose cadence to minimise muscular fatigue, and not metabolic demand, since oxygen consumption is lower at cadences 60-70 rpm.
While fast cadence is also referred to as "spinning", slow cadence is referred to as "mashing" or "grinding".
Any particular cyclist has only a narrow range of preferred cadences, often smaller than the general ranges listed above. This in turn influences the number and range of gears which are appropriate for any particular cycling conditions.
Certain cyclocomputer
A cyclocomputer, cycle computer, cycling computer or cyclometer is a device mounted on a bicycle that calculates and displays trip information, similar to the instruments in the dashboard of a car. The computer with display, or ''head unit'', ...
s are able to measure cadence, and relay the reading to the cyclist via ANT + or Bluetooth radio to a smartphone, GPS bike computer, or LCD display, typically mounted on the bicycle's handlebars. Simple bicycle computers measure cadence with a reed switch and a magnet once a revolution, while more advanced computers use a torque sensor, power meter, or a Pedal Assist Sensor.
See also
*Cycling power meter
A cycling power meter is a device on a bicycle that measures the power output of the rider.
Most cycling power meters use strain gauges to measure torque applied, and when combined with angular velocity, calculate power.
The technology was ad ...
* Bicycle gearing
*Tachometer
A tachometer (revolution-counter, tach, rev-counter, RPM gauge) is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute (RPM) on a calibrated analo ...
— a motor vehicle's tachometer is analogous to a bicycle's cadence; they are both measurements of the drive-train's rotational speed prior to the "transmission" (derailleur
Shimano 600 front derailleur (1980)
A derailleur is a variable-ratio bicycle gearing system consisting of a chain, multiple sprockets of different sizes, and a mechanism to move the chain from one sprocket to another.
Modern front and rear d ...
)
References
External links
* * * Cycling Road bicycle racing terminology Velocity {{cycling-stub