Try to sustain the same speed throughout your entire ride.
You’ll probably start feeling a little winded as you switch to a higher cadence, but that’s normal.
You’ll probably end up switching back and forth between your gears depending on the terrain and how you’re feeling. For example, you’ll probably slow down your cadence as you bike uphill and increase it when you go downhill.
For example, if you pedal 25 times, your cadence would be 50 RPM. It’s easiest to count when your pedal is at the top of the rotation and you raise your knee.
You can buy a cadence sensor online or from bike shops for around $40 USD. Some high-end bikes might have a cadence sensor built into them. Check your bike’s manual to find out if you already have one installed.
If you pedal any slower than 50 RPM, it can actually make you less efficient and make you feel more tired out.
Your cadence all depends on what feels best for you, but keeping a cadence higher than 90 RPM makes you rock your pelvis so you’re less efficient. [10] X Research source
Being on the largest gear helps increase your endurance so it’s easier to maintain a high cadence.
As you get comfortable with the intense sections of your ride, try going into a higher gear or decreasing the speed of your cadence even more.
Even though the smallest gear will give you a low-intensity workout, you might still get really fatigued. If you can’t maintain the cadence for the full 5 minutes, just go as long as you can.
Then, do each interval for 2 minutes followed by another rest period. Increase the intervals to 3 minutes. After you finish, go back down to 2 minutes per cadence, and end with 1-minute intervals again.
If you want to make this drill even harder, stay in the same gear to really feel it in your legs. If you do this, go back to your starting for 3 minutes between each rep.
