Efficiency in cycling: a review.

Abstract in brief

• The review highlights that in cycling, energy expenditure increases linearly with work rate, and this relationship is consistent across different performance levels, with about 91% of the variance in energy use explained by work rate.
• Gross efficiency, which measures how well energy is converted into useful work, is mostly influenced by work rate because higher work rates reduce the impact of baseline energy costs, explaining why elite athletes tend to be more efficient than beginners.
• The review also notes that it's difficult to determine the best cycling cadence for energy efficiency since many factors related to cadence can influence energy expenditure, preventing a definitive conclusion.]