Development Per Pedal Stroke Calculator

About this calculator

"Development" (also called gear development or metres of development) is the distance a bicycle travels for one full revolution of the pedals/cranks, calculated as (chainring teeth / cog teeth) × wheel circumference. It's mathematically the same information as gear-inch or gain-ratio systems, just expressed in metres — a higher development means more distance covered per pedal stroke, but also more resistance to turn the pedals, while a lower development spins more easily but covers less ground per revolution.

Track cyclists in particular rely on development calculations because track bikes are fixed-gear with a single chainring/cog combination chosen before the race — riders and coaches calculate development to pick the exact gear ratio suited to a given event (a sprinter wants a higher development for top speed, a pursuit rider balances development against the ability to accelerate out of corners). Touring and road cyclists also use development figures to compare gear ranges across different chainring/cassette setups before buying components.

This calculator takes your chainring, cog and wheel circumference and returns the distance travelled per pedal stroke.