How to improve your cycling efficiency

Improving your cycling efficiency helps you pedal at a given power for less effort, either improving your bike split or saving energy for the run.

As in other endurance sports, cycling efficiency is the difference between the metabolic energy you expend and mechanical energy you produce.

The less energy you require (from fat and carbohydrates) to produce a given power the better.

Cadence is a key part of efficiency question. It refers to the amount of times you complete a full pedal revolution each minute.

Cadence multiplied by torque (the force you exert through the pedals in Newton meters) equals power in watts. So pedalling speed influences how fast you can ride.

Your ideal cadence comes down to individual preference, but different types of riding do suit different cadence zones.

Steady efforts like time trialling or triathlon bike legs are generally a slightly lower cadence. Choppier bunch racing’s pedalling speeds are a bit higher.

Why cadence matters

If you mainly participate in one type of event, you might think you don’t need a wide cadence range.

But there are benefits to be had by stretching your boundaries by improving your pedalling efficiency.

For example, a steep climb will require you to pedal slower while a false-flat descent will call for faster spinning.

If your muscles and cardiovascular system aren’t used to leaving a certain cadence zone, you’ll tire fast when forced to do so in a race.

Luckily, working on your cadence range isn’t difficult. It 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. You want it as straight as possible with no big ups or downs.

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.

Ben Bright’s cycling efficiency 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.

Cycling efficiency tips

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.

Now read how to improve your economy while running and swimming as well as cycling.