Originally Posted by John Forester
This is not an appropriate observation. The importance of cadence is that with too low a cadence the cyclist tires quickly for the effort expended, and therefore is unable to enjoy longer rides, which may well unduly limit his use of bicycle transportation. This is explained in the chapter in Effective Cycling on the Physiology of Hard Riding.
Originally Posted by chipcom
Define "too low" of cadence, with something that can be objectively measured.
More important is "who determines the physical condition of the cyclist?
When I start cycling I was pushing 400lbs, now I'm well under 300lbs and cycle 25 miles daily. I retained all (or almost all) of the muscle and endurance in my lower body that helped me cary around the extra 100 pounds. I have cycled as far as 60 miles at a time for transportational purposes and my cadence rarely (if ever) gets above 75rpm, yet I have only experienced muscle fatigue when commuting into a 40+ mph headwind. And I'm not the only one like this. If anyone remembers PoweredByTRD he was able to cycle regularly 30 miles at a time on a mountain bike in the hills of Tennessee when he lost some of his almost 500lbs of weight.