Sure, if you're doing that for a particular reason such as you mention, great. Beginner cyclists also tend to pedal with a much slower cadence. But it is defi

Sure, if you're doing that for a particular reason such as you mention, great. Beginner cyclists also tend to pedal with a much slower cadence. But it is definitely not the fast way around the track or down the road. For almost everyone, the 80-90 or 75-95 RPM cadence is most efficient. Slower will exhaust the muscles sooner, and faster (except for sprints) will squander energy on ineffective motion (as in force that doesn't get to the wheel). Also, unless you are doing such low-RPM/Hi-torque levels that you literally fail in 6-20 strokes, you are doing closer to a bodybuilders' bulk-up routine. Going to failure in few sets builds peak strength. Doing more sets doesn't build peak strength, but does build more bulk; the levels of low-rpm pressure and "reps" of pedal strokes done in cycling for tens of minutes are definitely in the high-rep/low weight gym regimes. To really augment your strength, better off doing weight workouts with leg press, knee extension, knee contraction/curls, and squats. It definitely helps cycling performance.