Originally Posted by donrhummy

I would agree that it should be personalized but if you're looking to maximize your efficiency, it's not a "choice." You need to discover what your physical "makeup" is. For example, some people (like Lance armstrong) have phenomenal cardiovascular systems (and a huge/powerful heart) and thus can take a bigger strain on their cardiovascular system. That means a high cadence will be very successful and efficient for them. Others have phenomenal musculature but slightly less powerful cardiovascular systems (like Jan Ullrich). For them, a lower cadence will likely work more efficiently.