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I say just go out and ride and get a feel for the bike and how you think you should ride the bike and what you are most comfortable doing, spinning, in between, or mashing a larger gear. It really doesn't matter at this point.
I am a spinner. Been doing that for a very long time. On our ride, I am spinning at about 95-100 rpm for the first 15 or so miles until the pace really picks up then I drop a couple of gear and cruise or hang on for dear life is more like it. I sometime spin through 75% of the ride just happily sitting in most of the time. Sitting in means drafting another person not really doing as much work in a group.
You may find spinning takes no effort on strength coming out of your legs. Most people, usually newer riders to the sport often wonder by applying no strength on the pedal strokes, how can one built and be a stronger rider. They really dislike it, hate it is more like it. You will be surprise how difficult it is to keep those pedal spinning at 90rpm for just 3-5 minutes constantly. With a computer, it may make it easier. After about 3 -4 weeks of just spinning like mad, you will be shock how much strength you developed and how fast one can be by turning easy pedals. Keep in mine that your body must not be bouncing on the saddle. If you are, then you are spinning too much or doing it incorrectly. It not for everyone.
About two months ago, I took a guy out on the road. He claims to be a spinning class guru and had been doing it for several years. Big difference riding a stationary bike and one on the road. Yes, the wind will kick your ass. I have been to those spinning class twice many moons ago. I ended up doing my own thing for an hour, spinning at 90-100 none stop while the instructor yells our different drills with super loud head splitting music. She would have the class tighten the knob to add more resistant and have us up out of the saddle and pour on the power for X amount of time to built strength or cardio. I had my friend set his gears to the same as mine as he road behind me. After 15-20 min of none stop at 95rpm doing about 17 mph. I can hear him breath and he was hurting and started shifting to a larger gear just to keep up. I usually ride a 53x21at 95-100 to warm up for 15 min before I started to bang on the larger ones. He just wasn't used to the consistent pace. On a bike, you build on staying consistent for a certain period of time.
As for the 53x21 gear, its the size of the front chain ring, 53 and the 21 tooth, on the cassette out back. On solo ride, I am usually between 19, 18, 17 and sometimes 16 out back keeping the 53 up front unless I am climbing. I am talking flat to rolling hill here.
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