I keep my cadence around 90-100. I keep it high because I had some knee issues last year that resulted because I was mashing the pedals (AKA: pedaling at a low cadence), so now I spin (AKA: High cadence- 90 to 100).

Candence is really important, because it tells you when to shift. As a newbie, it wasn't until I figured out cadence, did I learn why/when to shift gears.

Basically, your goal is to keep your cadence steady by shifting up/down through your gears. This really taught me how to use my gears properly and not to waste energy.

Best of luck to you!