Whether you use an indoor cycle during a structured class, on your own, you want to use an appropriate cycling speed. If you find yourself pedaling too fast and the wheel is out of control, you might be risking injury to your legs. If you are pedaling too slowly, your heart rate response might not be adequate for training purposes.
Speed
Cycling speed is referred to as a cadence, which is measured in revolutions per minute. One revolution is a complete 360-degree revolution of the wheel. If you pedal at a pace so the wheel turns 60 times in one minute, you are using a 60 RPM cadence. Most exercise cycles have attached monitors that show you the cycling cadence.
Flat Roads
The average pedaling speed when cycling on a flat road is between 80 and 110 rpm. A beginner will remain closer to 80 rpm and an advanced cyclist will be able to maintain 110 rpm for a longer duration. During indoor cycling, a flat road is one in which you will remain in the saddle and are concentrating on endurance riding. You might be tempted to pedal at a faster rate, but momentum begins to control the wheel instead of your legs controlling it. This momentum can cause the pedals to pull on your knees and ankles, which could lead to injuries.
Climbs
Your cadence will slow when you are cycling up a hill. For indoor cycling, you increase your resistance to mimic the feeling of cycling up a steep hill. Your muscles respond to the resistance with increased effort. A good hill cadence is between 60 to 80 rpm. If your resistance is so high that you cannot maintain 60 rpm, you might be placing too much stress on your knees. Another problem resulting from too much resistance is that you might begin to shift back and forth in the saddle, placing stress on your hips and back.
Outdoors
After you develop endurance and strength on an indoor cycle, you might want to venture outdoors. The University of California Berkeley's wellness letter suggests an outdoor cycling cadence of 60 to 80 rpm, with bike racers using 80 to 100 rpm. Adjust your cadence according to your terrain and err on the side of caution to slow down over rough roads or during traffic congestion.
