PT Personal Trainers

THE SPEED OF CYCLING, KNOW EVERYTHING

In cycling, speed is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). Bicycle speed, however, is measured in miles per hour (MPH) and is based on horsepower.

Many indoor cycling bikes have rpm gauge. On a road or mountain bike, unless you have equipment with a cadence option, you will have to calculate by counting the complete movements in 15 seconds and multiplying by 4.

If the goal is resistance, higher RPM is not always better. To achieve this goal, you should train with low intensity in 80% of the total time. This means that you will need to maintain an RPM that is between 60 and 78% of your maximum heart rate. (To calculate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.)

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If you prefer fat loss or improve VO2max, ideally you should prioritize HIIT workouts by increasing your RPM by 5 to 10 at each interval. Or, maintain between 85 and 100 RPM and increase endurance after each rest period.

Speed ​​is only an indicator, the resistance to body position directly affect your workout, take this into consideration.

BY CLÁUDIO MOCHO / SÉNIOR PERSONAL TRAINER

1.          Tomabechi N, Takizawa K, Shibata K, Mizuno M. Effects of 3-Week Work-Matched High-Intensity Intermittent Cycling Training with Different Cadences on VO2max in University Athletes. Sports [Internet]. 2018;6(4):107. Available from: http://www.mdpi.com/2075-4663/6/4/107