# Bigger or not thighs



## Okeydokey (29 Jun 2017)

When I started this malarkey quite a few months ago, I was expecting my quads to grow.
But as I carry out longer and longer rides, and as I get stronger on the hills, the legs bands on my budget shorts are getting looser and looser which comes as a bit of a surprise.
Tbh! I don't care either way but I was hoping for some free of charge compression on the quads which doesn't look like it's going to happen.
So is it possible my legs get thinner and stronger at the same time?


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## Saluki (29 Jun 2017)

My legs are thinner than they were. Rock hard thighs and calf muscle with good definition though. I have found, however, that my skinny jeans are a smidge snug on the thigh due to the change of shape of my legs.

Thinner and stronger is a definite possibility


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## smutchin (29 Jun 2017)

You're losing fat. You will probably feel stronger because your power-to-weight ratio and cardiovascular fitness are improving, but you won't build muscle unless you do specific muscle-building exercise - eg weights.


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## Milkfloat (29 Jun 2017)

Sounds to me as if your lyrca is just stretching.


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## screenman (29 Jun 2017)

You are losing lard.


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## Cycleops (29 Jun 2017)

Don't stop until they look like this:






http://www.ilovebicycling.com/will-cycling-make-your-legs-bigger/


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## Drago (29 Jun 2017)

^ Nice bit of synthol.


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## S-Express (29 Jun 2017)

Okeydokey said:


> Tbh! I don't care either way but I was hoping for some free of charge compression on the quads which doesn't look like it's going to happen.
> So is it possible my legs get thinner and stronger at the same time?



You will only achieve muscle hypertrophy and increases in muscle strength by pushing/lifting weights at or near your maximal force exertion capabilities. Fortunately/unfortunately (delete as appropriate) cycling does not bring you anywhere close to that level of required force application.


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## si_c (29 Jun 2017)

My legs are just much leaner. I still have problems with jeans though as even with loose fit my legs are too big for my waist size so I have to go up a size.


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## Mugshot (29 Jun 2017)

Drago said:


> ^ Nice bit of synthol.


Talking of which, when do we get to to see the tour photos?


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## Drago (29 Jun 2017)

Waiting for Mrs D to email them to me, you cheeky young pup!


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## ayceejay (29 Jun 2017)

The difference between the legs shown in the photo and the ones you describe is often explained by the difference between a track sprinter and an endurance cyclist. Endurance athletes rarely carry a lot of muscle.


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## S-Express (29 Jun 2017)

Forstermann's 'famous' big legs are actually completely unneccesary, even for sprint disciplines.


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## gaijintendo (29 Jun 2017)

Cycleops said:


> Don't stop until they look like this:
> View attachment 359468
> 
> 
> http://www.ilovebicycling.com/will-cycling-make-your-legs-bigger/



Jings, I just read that article and I had no idea Hoy was so ripped. That disturbs me a little - I always worry when sprinters have amazing forearms and only lift supplement drinks.


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## vickster (29 Jun 2017)

What bodytype are you? Do you start off muscly?
Have you lost any weight since you bought the shorts?
How do you wash your Lycra?


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## S-Express (29 Jun 2017)

vickster said:


> How do you wash your Lycra?



Struggling with this one. Why is that relevant?


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## vickster (29 Jun 2017)

S-Express said:


> Struggling with this one. Why is that relevant?


It's probably stretched if washed too hot, fabric softener used etc. Cheap thin cycling shorts give up their strech sooner too


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## Okeydokey (30 Jun 2017)

I'm sure me head office is washing shorts according to manufacturers instructions. I've lost about a third of my body weight in the last year and half. I have been spending as much time as possible on the big ring of recent, before that it was mostly spinning, avg. 90 rpm. I hope the resistance may be able to help add some mass. I have just ordered the book, Fast after 50 https://www.amazon.com/Fast-After-50-Race-Strong/dp/1937715264 . I'm 53 so it may not be coming back anymore.


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## smutchin (30 Jun 2017)

Okeydokey said:


> I've lost about a third of my body weight in the last year and half.



There you go. The answer to your question, right there.



> I hope the resistance may be able to help add some mass.



Nope, as @S-Express said already. Hoy got his thighs from the gym, not from riding a bike.


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## Okeydokey (1 Jul 2017)

If you had seen the size of my waist, that would not be your immediate response @smutchin but I get your drift


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## ayceejay (1 Jul 2017)

These are the legs of the winner of the 2017 TdeF how do your compare


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## smutchin (1 Jul 2017)

Okeydokey said:


> If you had seen the size of my waist, that would not be your immediate response @smutchin but I get your drift



My comments are based on my own very similar experience when I lost a lot of weight a few years ago. You do notice the biggest difference around the waist (visceral fat) but I also lost a lot of spare (subcutaneous) fat from my arms, legs and neck. My favourite comfortable shorts ended up being very baggy around my thighs.


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## Okeydokey (2 Jul 2017)

It's counter intuitive in my mind, but your point is clearly evidenced, @ayceejay by comparison my legs are a lot more hairy! That's quite a picture, I had no idea, thanks for sharing... somethings cannot be un-looked


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## Fonze (18 Jul 2017)

My thighs are thicker at the top section and a lot more defined , as are my calves ..


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## cyberknight (18 Jul 2017)

Fonze said:


> My thighs are thicker at the top section and a lot more defined , as are my calves ..


Mine too, find it really hard to buy trousers and shorts that fit without going a size up which means the waist is baggy .


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## Slick (19 Jul 2017)

cyberknight said:


> Mine too, find it really hard to buy trousers and shorts that fit without going a size up which means the waist is baggy .


I feel I'm the same, but it could be my imagination. Given what others have said, I'm now wondering if it's just cutting in which gives the appearance of gain? Some jeans do feel uncomfortably tight in the leg now.


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## lazybloke (19 Jul 2017)

cyberknight said:


> Mine too, find it really hard to buy trousers and shorts that fit without going a size up which means the waist is baggy .



It was about 10 years ago that I had to give up on shops like Next and M&S, because their 30inch waist trousers were so tight on the bum and thighs that they were in danger of splitting.

Yet I've had a 30 inch waist all my adult life (nearly 3 decades) and my weight has been static all that time too. I'm convinced that the 'cut' of trousers is just tighter now than it used to be. Finding office trousers is ridiculous, some look like a 2nd skin.


In response to the OP, my thighs don't seem bigger now that I cycle regularly. My calf muscles are definitely bigger though.


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## gbb (19 Jul 2017)

ayceejay said:


> These are the legs of the winner of the 2017 TdeF how do your compare


Similarly, an short article on the BBC website...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-40653943

No surprise really. I guy at work years ago was a very good county runner, long slim legs and even his legs had bloodvessels that looked the size of pencils under his skin.


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## NorthernSky (24 Jul 2017)

my thighs just never get any bigger, i'm light and can go fast at times but a long day with hills kills me
would have liked a bit more muscle to help endurance but dont think much will change now


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## si_c (24 Jul 2017)

NorthernSky said:


> my thighs just never get any bigger, i'm light and can go fast at times but a long day with hills kills me
> would have liked a bit more muscle to help endurance but dont think much will change now


Endurance isn't really about muscle size, otherwise the likes of Chris Froome wouldn't get very far.


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