Originally Posted by
Gweedo1
Fast slow...whatever, but how about cadence and gear selection.
What burns more calories..spinning in a low gear at 100 rpms, or grinding in high gear at 60 rpms...same speed.
(a) Trained cyclists and triathletes are more efficient and economical when cycling at 60 rpm than 80 or 100 rpm. (b); Local tissue oxygen saturation levels are higher at 80 rpm than 60 and 100 rpm; (c). Heart rate and blood lactate levels are higher with cadences of 80 and 100 than 60 rpm; and (d). Local and global RPE is lower when cycling at 80 rpm than at 60 rpm and 100 rpm. A practical application of these findings is that a cadence of 60 rpm may be advantageous for performance in moderately trained athletes in contrast to higher cadences currently popular among elite cyclists.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22648142