I have a knee that's been described by my ortho as a knee of an 85 yr old. The medial compartment is gone. The knee cap likes to grind and pop. With that being said, I am cycling 2, sometimes 3 times a week but would like to be able to go longer or more frequently. Lately, I've been spinning more on the bike (85-95 rpm) but I've noticed my knee is alot stiffer off the bike--to the point that I want to wear an elastic support bandage post workout. It seems that the times I have the achiest knee is when I do steep hills or ride into a stout wind--and spinning while doing so. Is it possible that by spinning I'm actually making it worse? I know it's a silly question and forgive me for asking but I wonder if I'm better off doing a lower cadence? I really wish I could do more on the bike but my knee is a party pooper. It's so frustrating to know that I have the stamina to go further but I'm limited by the moodiness of my knee.

Sorry about the long rant. I guess I just needed to vent.