A cyclist's pedaling pace is called cadence, which refers to how many revolutions one leg makes in a minute. There's no right or wrong cadence, though. Just pedal at a speed that's comfortable for you. Most people find that sixty to seventy rpm is about right. And as they ride more, their leg muscles often gain flexibility, which can result in a faster cadence. In fact, experienced cyclists often maintain cadences of ninety to one-hundred rpm or more.

Note that you can't maintain as high a cadence going up hills. It's normal to slow your pedal rate as the climb steepens. That's okay. Your goal is to keep a steady cadence over the rest of the ride.

You can estimate your average cadence by timing and counting while riding, but don't get distracted and crash. A safer way to measure and monitor cadence is to install a cyclo-computer that offers a cadence counter. We can show you one of these and install it on your bike. You'll find that it's a great tool for learning to maintain a steady cadence.