What RPM is (and is not)
Revolutions per minute counts complete pedal strokes, not the flywheel’s spin and not watts. Two riders at 80 RPM can be on completely different efforts if one has a heavier dial.
Apex does not read a cadence sensor. On-screen zones such as easy spin, steady, drive and blast are targets for how fast you turn the cranks relative to the session, paired with dial-turn cues. They are not a promise of a laboratory RPM number.
Count cadence without a sensor
Watch one foot. Count how many times it reaches the bottom of the stroke in 15 seconds, then multiply by four. That is your RPM. A cheap bike computer or phone cadence app is optional.
Recheck when the cue changes. Guessing high and bouncing in the saddle is usually too much cadence at too little dial.
How Apex zones map to feel
- Rest / easy spin: recovery, nose breathing, light dial
- Cruise / steady: conversational, the pace you could hold
- Push / drive: work blocks, short sentences
- Sprint / blast: short efforts only; pair with enough dial that you are not spinning out
If cadence rises and the effort spikes, ease a quarter turn. If cadence falls and you are grinding, either lift RPM or ease the knob — grinding a heavy dial at 50 RPM is a different session from the one on screen.
Dial and RPM together
Trainer plans that fix both watts and RPM need a rewrite on a knob bike. Keep the clock and the cadence target; swap power for feel. The trainer-to-dial guide covers that swap. For the knob itself, see how to use a resistance knob.
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