Originally Posted by
GeorgeBMac
I am different... I almost always find that a break refreshes me and I am stronger afterwards -- especially after the first 4-5 miles... I usually start off up hill and often find myself feeling tired, with my heart rate up and muscles burning after 3-5 miles of constant pedaling. A short break does a world of good and I start back up far stronger than I was before I started my ride.
Actually you may not be different, you may just be experiencing something similar to what the OP describes. If you start out hard or, as you say, have to get into climbing before you are properly warmed up, your muscles will demand more fuel than your not-yet dilated vessels can provide, and you'll suffer fatigue. In those circumstances a short period of recovery is bound to help, and you're sure to feel stronger when you restart, if only because you are now warmed up and can cope better with the effort required. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a period of gentle spinning in recovery mode didn't serve you even better than taking a break.
I've always wondered about you fella's who don't take breaks. I always thought it was just a macho thing. Thanks for correcting my misperception!
No, it's not a macho thing. Letting your legs be still allows waste products to accumulate, as B.Carfree has described. Even when coasting down a long descent it is better to keep turning the pedals, it avoids that "ouch" period when you again have to apply force at the bottom.
A related phenomenon is the feeling of dead legs after a rest day. Almost all the pros in stage races ride for several hours on the rest day to avoid having a bad day thereafter, and I have often experienced something similar on long tours. The day after a rest day always feels harder. I'm afraid I have no clue about the physiology of that one, though.