Ask a coach: 'Does a high cadence burn more calories?'

What difference does 'spinning out' make to those looking to lose a little bit of weight as part of their workouts?

Male cyclist pedalling at a high cadence on a smart bike
(Image credit: Future)

Every cyclist wants to maximise the gains from any given training session, and sometimes one of the goals can be to lose weight through cycling. But does a higher cycling cadence really burn more calories than spinning your legs more slowly? Cycling coach James Spragg explores the case for and against adapting your cadence for weight loss. 

Image shows James Spragg.
James Spragg

Sports scientist and coach James Spragg is one of the experts who will be answering your questions in Cycling Weekly's ASK A CYCLING COACH series which comes out every Wednesday. Working both in research and applied settings, he currently runs Intercept Performance Consultancy

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