Just calculated my gearing...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cycling+cadence

Most if not all links will tell you that higher cadence is better, mainly because it is less tiring.

Not quite true. Ulrich still had a high cadence compared to normal people, maybe 90 RPM? Armstrong is the other extreme, about 120 RPM which is too much for most people. Armstrong's high cadence is well documented, and many have attributed it to his success in climbing and the Tour in general.

Obviously there's not a specific number for everyone, but It puts some weight into the argument that one of the biggest grinders of recent years still had a cadence above most of us. Ulrich has been hailed as one of the most naturally gifted cyclists of all time. Who is to say that he wouldn't have been better if he had trained for a higher cadence technique since the beginning of his career (you can't just switch).

It's a bit of his PR though, isn't it, all this Lance=high cadence stuff. Part of the brand.

He time-trialled at about 100-110rpm, which is the norm for hundreds of TTers across the UK, and a lot of pros, especially those that do some track duties.

Glen Taylor just did a 57.57 medium gear (72") TT on Saturday, on a sporting course (undulating). Average cadence 121rpm. If you'd been there to see his legs go round, you'd realise there's no way Armstrong ever averaged that cadence, in any discipline.