Originally Posted by
Peiper1
Over the last few months I have been deliberately keeping my bike in a low gear for parts of my ride. I do this in order to increase my effort and improve my endurance, and have found that I am now able to ride longer and feel a little bit less tired afterwards. Needless to say, my average speed tends to suck whenever I try this! Does anyone else do this, and am I risking any injury (haven't noticed any additional stress or pain after my rides)?
If your average speed is going down you're putting out less power and that's why you feel fresher and able to ride longer. It likely has nothing to do with your gearing selection.
There are low cadence intervals which some use to build strength but if done properly won't leave you feeling less tired at the end of a ride.