Originally Posted by stonecrd
I actually find that lower cadence/bigger gear is better for my recovery. When I am on the front I usually will ride at a cadence of 90-95. When I move off into the draft I will go to a bigger gear and drop my cadence down to 80-85. The bigger gear and lower cadence helps my recovery while drafting and also gives me more torque to cover gaps if they open.
You may have some mental ties to pedaling slow, making it feel more comfortable, but it actually preserves your legs the other way around. It's much easier to accelerate from higher RPM than lower -- just like in a car, so you build less fatigue with each surge. You should always downshift before corners in a pack, and downshift pretty much any time you touch your brakes.
It can be comfortable to feel that pressure on the pedals from low cadence, but it tires your legs faster.