[QUOTE]...I've never found cadence to matter one single bit. Unless you're turning like 40-50rpm, self-selected cadence is usually what works best. As cadence gets higher and higher, it becomes increasingly inefficient..../QUOTE]
I used to think that. But then I found with a little education I could learn from other people’s experience and improve myself.
I do see people mashing too large a gear, wearing themselves out quickly, and not knowing why. There is always more to learn. Self selecting works fine if you are happy where you are at, but that is not the case here.
I’m not sure what “As cadence gets higher and higher, it becomes increasingly inefficient” Means. Starting at 0RPM? Maybe true with electric bikes. ;-) Power is directly related to speed, so low RPM is not going to give you power. Efficiency depends a lot on the rider. Maybe that is what you meant by self selecting? I’ve seen riders efficiency peat at 120rpm, and some at 50rpm (highly trained and untrained respectively) Still, you can train yourself to be in the sweet zone.
In my experience, “efficiency” is balancing my muscle strength to my heart rate. Cadence is the link between the two. Of course, if I’m not pushing my heart or my muscles to exhaustion, cadence doesn’t matter. But that is not the case here.
If I’m exhausted the day after the ride, that tells me:
- I’m mashing too hard a gear and my legs are worn out
- I’m not in good cardio shape and/or I’m just pumping my heart too hard
- I’m not doing the proper things for recovery.
Hence my advice.