How to improve your cycling efficiency

Cadence refers to the amount of times you complete a full pedal revolution each minute, and is something you will naturally settle on with time spent in the saddle.

Studies have shown that it’s an individual preference and also that different types of riding suit different cadence zones – time trialling is generally a slightly lower cadence; bunch racing a bit higher.

Even if you mainly partake in one type of event – time trials, for example – and you think you don’t need to have the ability for a wide cadence range, there are benefits to be had by stretching your boundaries by improving your pedalling efficiency.

Luckily, working on your cadence range isn’t difficult and can be a great distraction when you’re having to spend time on the turbo through the winter or out on a long, wet ride.

The drill I’m going to describe here is best done on an indoor trainer or a very quiet stretch of road that is very consistent – no big ups or downs and as straight as possible.

If you’re doing this on the indoor trainer, have it set so it simulates riding on a flat section of road so you can build speed and cadence without significant resistance.

The drill

Warm-up

• At least 20mins building from an easy intensity up to your race intensity. You can use RPE, power or HR as a gauge for effort here. This is mainly making sure muscles are warm and ready for some explosive efforts.
• 6 x 15secs efforts building from race intensity up to max, each effort 
getting harder.
• Take 45secs recovery between each effort and use whatever gear/cadence you feel comfortable with. This is to prime your muscles for the upcoming efforts.

Main set

• Starting in the biggest gear you have, you’re going to roll into a 30sec maximum effort. On the road you can start at around 15-20km/hr, on the indoor trainer with a cadence around 50-60rpm. Stay in the saddle at all times. Don’t change gears throughout the effort and take 60secs easy recovery afterwards.
• Next, you’re going to make exactly the same effort but one gear back. Again, stay in the saddle and aim to keep your upper body stable, not rocking around.
• Keep repeating these reps, each time dropping back a gear. Once you get to the second to top gear at the back, drop into the little ring and start from the second to bottom gear, working your way to the top.

Initially, you’ll go from a cadence range that feels too low, to something comfortable, and then where you feel like you’re spinning out and losing control.

You’ll also find that you’re not making maximal efforts because you can’t spin the gear fast enough to lay down all the power you have.

Resist the urge to change gears and focus on pedalling as smoothly as you can, not bouncing on the saddle.

If you have a cadence meter, look for the point where you feel like you lose coordination and aim to increase this over time.

Depending on time, once you reach the final gear you can go back the other way and drop a gear after each rep.

By doing this drill regularly you’ll improve your pedalling coordination and with that your efficiency, even if you don’t change your normal cadence at all.

Top image credit: Russell Burton