Quote Originally Posted by indysteel View Post

On my bike, I tend to ride long and steady, although I plan on working some intervals into my training this year. I generally stay in a range of gears that allow me to comfortably spin at 90-100 rpm. My heartrate is usually about 75% of max, although that can jump up in a headwind.

My cadence on a hill really just depends on the hill. If it's short and steep, I may just get out of the saddle and power up it. If its longer, I try to find a gear where I can spin about 70-80 rpm. I read once that you should aim for a cadence during a climb that is 85% of your "normal," flatland cadence. That's just a guide though. With each hill, you ideally find the gear that allows you to utilize both your muscle strength and aerobic capacity, without burning out either one of them. That's different for each rider.
After years of using a HRM to monitor my workouts, I know myself well enough now that I don't bother with it unless I'm focusing specifically on a cardio goal. I prefer to focus on cadence these days and I found this post to be interesting and helpful. Thanks!!