So, I'd been wanting to work on keeping a steady cadence, but didn't necessarily feel like buying a cyclometer with the cadence function. Plus it seemed like keeping an eye on the meter would be a bit of a hassle.

So, I just popped my metronome in my pocket, set it at 80bpm, and had it clicking away during my ride! It was very helpful. It was a nice auditory signal that I could really latch onto. Once I was feeling the rhythm it was easy to keep the steady cadence. I'd go out of sync for a few beats now and then when the slope changed, and that would be my signal to switch gears so I could get back in sync with the metronome. I feel like it increased my awareness of the terrain and kept me from slowing down for every little uphill...

So, my tip for whatever it's worth is to buy a cheap metronome and throw it in your pocket if you are wondering whether you are keeping a steady cadence and what that cadence is!