By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Find out what cadence a given speed and gear require. If you know how fast you were going and which chainring and cog you were in, this reverse calculation tells you how fast you were turning the cranks. It also shows whether that cadence sits in the range most riders find comfortable.
Find the cadence that a speed and gear demand.
cadence (rpm) = speed (m/min) ÷ (gear ratio × wheel circumference)
The comfort check flags whether the cadence falls in the 80 to 100 rpm band that many riders settle into for steady work. It is a general guide, not a rule, since comfortable cadence varies with rider and terrain.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| speed | Your road speed in kilometres per hour. |
| chainring | Teeth on the front chainring in use. |
| cog | Teeth on the rear cassette cog in use. |
| circumference | Rolling distance of one wheel turn, in metres. |
At 30 km/h with a 50 tooth chainring, a 16 tooth cog, and a 2.105 m circumference, the cadence is 500 ÷ 6.578 = 76 rpm. At the same speed in a 50 by 14 gear you would turn about 66 rpm.
Cadence is simply how many times your cranks turn each minute, and the calculator derives it by rearranging the speed equation. If you know your road speed, your gear ratio, and your wheel circumference, cadence equals speed divided by the product of ratio and circumference, with the units aligned to metres per minute.
For instance, thirty kilometres per hour is five hundred metres per minute. In a ratio of 3.5 with a 2.1 metre circumference, the denominator is 7.35 metres per pedal revolution, so cadence is 500 divided by 7.35, which is about sixty-eight revolutions per minute.
Most riders settle somewhere between eighty and one hundred revolutions per minute on flatter ground, with sprints pushing higher and steep climbs often dropping lower. Turning a slightly higher cadence in an easier gear generally reduces the force per pedal stroke, which can spare the muscles and shift load toward the cardiovascular system.
Cadence is a personal rhythm rather than a fixed rule. Very low cadence in a hard gear grinds the joints and tires the legs, while very high cadence can feel unsteady if you lack coordination. The useful approach is to find the range where your breathing and legs stay comfortable at your target speed.
Continue with the Cycling Power Calculator, Cycling Power Zones Calculator, or the Cycling Time Calculator — or browse more cycling tools and all sports calculators.
Many riders cruise between 80 and 100 rpm, but the best cadence depends on the rider and the terrain. Climbers often spin faster and sprinters push a bigger gear more slowly.
Every result is computed locally in your browser from the formulas shown above. Nothing you type is uploaded, logged, or stored, and no account is required.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Content updated: September 2026