Originally Posted by
Sy Reene
I don't know. In the context of an app calculating calorie burn, without a HR or power meter, if I find going uphill at a given speed easier to do with eg. a higher cadence, than using a higher gear and lower cadence, doesn't this mean my HR is perhaps lower, and calories burned lower?
No. Generally the most efficient cadence is low, somewhere between 60 and 80 RPM. Being efficient just means your body burns fewer calories for the same energy output.
Energy consumption isn't what causes fatigue in the legs, however, so it's often easier on the body and muscles to ride with a higher cadence even if it burns a little more fuel. For most riders higher power outputs require higher cadence to prevent fatigue.