Cycling Cadence Speed CalculatorFree online fitness & health calculator — instant results, no sign-up
Calculate bicycle road speed from cadence and drivetrain geometry.
For general information only. This is not medical advice, diagnosis, dosing guidance or a treatment recommendation. Talk to a doctor or other qualified health professional about your health, pregnancy, or diet.
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About the Cycling Cadence Speed Calculator
The Cycling Cadence Speed Calculator estimates bicycle road speed from pedaling cadence, chainring and rear sprocket tooth counts, and wheel circumference. It shows how far your bicycle travels per minute in a selected gear and converts that distance to km/h. With the default inputs of 90 rpm, 50 chainring teeth, 17 rear sprocket teeth, and a 2.1 m wheel circumference, the calculated road speed is 33.35 km/h.
- Cadence (rpm)
- Cadence is the number of complete crank revolutions per minute, measured in rpm, with a default of 90.
- Chainring teeth
- Chainring teeth is the unitless tooth count of the selected front chainring, with a default of 50.
- Rear sprocket teeth
- Rear sprocket teeth is the unitless tooth count of the selected rear sprocket, with a default of 17.
- Wheel circumference (m)
- Wheel circumference is the distance traveled in one full wheel revolution, measured in meters, with a default of 2.1.
Formula and method
v = c × (Tf / Tr) × C × 60 / 1000; with the default inputs, v = 90 × (50 / 17) × 2.1 × 60 / 1000 = 33.35 km/h, rounded to two decimal places.
- vCalculated road speed in kilometers per hour (km/h).
- cPedaling cadence in crank revolutions per minute (rpm).
- TfNumber of teeth on the selected front chainring.
- TrNumber of teeth on the selected rear sprocket.
- CWheel circumference in meters per wheel revolution.
Divide the chainring tooth count by the rear sprocket tooth count to obtain wheel revolutions per crank revolution for a conventional derailleur drivetrain. Multiply that ratio by cadence to obtain wheel revolutions per minute, then multiply by wheel circumference to obtain meters per minute. Convert to km/h by multiplying by 60 and dividing by 1000, retaining precision until the final result is rounded.
Worked example
These are the calculator's starting values and the results it actually produces for them.
Inputs
- Cadence90 rpm
- Chainring teeth50
- Rear sprocket teeth17
- Wheel circumference2.1 m
Results
- Road speed33.35 km/h
How to use the Cycling Cadence Speed Calculator
- 1Enter your pedaling cadence in rpm; the default is 90.
- 2Enter the tooth count of your selected front chainring; the default is 50.
- 3Enter the tooth count of your selected rear sprocket; the default is 17.
- 4Enter your wheel circumference in meters; the default is 2.1.
- 5Read the calculated road speed in km/h; the default inputs produce 33.35 km/h.
Reading your result
The Road speed output row gives the theoretical ground speed in km/h for the entered cadence, selected gear, and wheel circumference. The default result of 33.35 km/h means the bicycle would travel 33.35 kilometers in one hour if those conditions remained constant. It is a cadence-to-speed conversion, not a prediction of the speed you can physically sustain.
Limitations
The calculation assumes an engaged conventional chain drivetrain, no tire slip, and a wheel circumference that represents actual rolling distance. Internal hub gears, gearbox ratios, or other additional gearing are not included. Tire pressure, rider load, and tire size can affect rolling circumference. Wind, hills, aerodynamic drag, and rolling resistance affect the effort needed to maintain the entered cadence, but this tool does not calculate that effort. During coasting, cadence does not determine road speed. Tooth counts must be positive integers, circumference must be positive, and cadence must be nonnegative.
Common questions
Why does a larger chainring or smaller rear sprocket increase calculated speed?+
Both changes increase the ratio of front teeth to rear teeth, so the wheel turns more times per crank revolution. At the same cadence and wheel circumference, this produces a higher road speed, though maintaining that cadence generally requires more effort.
How should I measure wheel circumference for this calculator?+
With the tire inflated to your riding pressure and the bicycle under a representative load, mark a starting point, roll the bicycle straight through one complete wheel revolution, and measure the distance traveled in meters. Use that distance rather than relying only on the nominal wheel size.
Does zero cadence mean my bicycle is stationary?+
Not necessarily. The calculator returns zero speed at zero cadence because it assumes pedaling drives the wheel. A bicycle with a freewheel can continue moving while you coast, so the formula does not describe coasting speed.
Can I use this calculator with an internally geared hub?+
The chainring-to-sprocket ratio alone is insufficient when the hub adds another gear ratio. The result is applicable only when the hub is in a direct-drive ratio; other hub gears require their additional ratio to be included separately.
Does the calculator save my information?+
Calculations run in your browser. While signed in, inputs and results are automatically recorded in account history; saving a result creates a separate saved record.
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Results are estimates for informational purposes and are not financial, medical or legal advice.