# How much will extra body weight effect performance?



## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

Hi.

I seem to have gained around half a stone in the past month, maybe less than a month, it's really odd as I have not changed my diet and my cycling was pretty much the same up untill the end of last week where I was pretty active. Would this half a stone actually impact on hill climbing and on the flat that much? It's abit baffling as to why and where this weight could be put on as I look the same.


Thanks
Will.


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## MacB (20 Aug 2009)

it would have an impact but not as much as weight directly on bike, ie a pannier or something. I'm sure someone can come along and offer some specifics but my guess would be that active bodyweight probably has an impact around 25% of dead weight.


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## Will1985 (20 Aug 2009)

The season is winding down if you're competing. Chill out about it and worry about next season.

Anyway, think of it as resistance training.


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## Young Un (20 Aug 2009)

Will1985 said:


> The season is winding down if you're competing. Chill out about it and worry about next season.
> 
> Anyway, think of it as resistance training.




Yup, I see extra weight as extra training, if I can beat people who are little whippets, then just think what I could do if I lost a stone. 

I've just started (last month) trying to cut down on my weight ready for cyclo-cross (cyclo-cross plus TT's means my season never winds down)


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

It's more about that I don't want this extra weight if it's bad weight like fat, if it's muscle then I'm happy with it, but I have a fatty stomach and chest and no matter how much riding I'd do it never seems to burn it off.

I mean last week I was climbing as normal, so going from 12.1 to 12.5 is not much? Maybe like 2 750ml bottles or a large saddle bag?

I'm trying to stay active on the bike as in trying to not loose any fitness and possibly keep at the level I am, or get better with as little training as possible, and with this comes the worry about weight gain. I don't really want to go swimming or go to the gym.


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## Young Un (20 Aug 2009)

willhub said:


> It's more about that I don't want this extra weight if it's bad weight like fat, if it's muscle then I'm happy with it, but I have a fatty stomach and chest and no matter how much riding I'd do it never seems to burn it off.
> 
> I mean last week I was climbing as normal, so going from 12.1 to 12.5 is not much? Maybe like 2 750ml bottles or a large saddle bag?




I always think about this with water bottles - 1l of water is an extra 1 kg in weight right theer - do a ride with out them, then do one with - can you feel a difference?


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

Young Un said:


> I always think about this with water bottles - 1l of water is an extra 1 kg in weight right theer - do a ride with out them, then do one with - can you feel a difference?



I guess not really, I did 60miles the other week with saddle bag and 2 750ml bottles on and still managed 20mph avg over rolling terrain.


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## Young Un (20 Aug 2009)

willhub said:


> I guess not really, I did 60miles the other week with saddle bag and 2 750ml bottles on and still managed 20mph avg over rolling terrain.



Theres you answer then - it doesn't really matter (unless, like me, you think you have a flabby stomach and moobs, in which case, excersice more, eat less - although this hasn't been helping me shift the weight)


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

See I have a large appetite, I do indeed think and I know I have a flabby stomach and moobs lukilly no one would think it unless I've not got a shirt on. I used to be cycling most days, it certainly removed fat from around my face, neck, arms, legs but not the rest, I can't exercise more I'm having to drastically cut back cycling at the moment.


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## Young Un (20 Aug 2009)

willhub said:


> See I have a large appetite, I do indeed think and I know I have a flabby stomach and moobs lukilly no one would think it unless I've not got a shirt on. I used to be cycling most days, it certainly removed fat from around my face, neck, arms, legs but not the rest, I can't exercise more I'm having to drastically cut back cycling at the moment.



I'm exactly like you, I eat a lot portion wise, but you wouldn't think I had moobs and a flabby stomach if I had a t-shirt on. it's just that I know its there and it bugs me. I will never fly up hills as I am built rather well (I currently weigh in at 13 stone or 83kg)


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

I used to weigh 13.5stone last year, lost about 1.5 stone in the space of a month or two, I'd say I'm a good all rounder but I can do hills faster than allot of people I guess, in my club anyway, on the flat TT's compared to the Hilly TT's I'm closer the 1st than in the flat TT's.


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## montage (20 Aug 2009)

How tall are you both?

I'm just over 6'2 and weight in around 12 stone ..... I can really notice the difference between carrying 2 full water bottles and carrying nothing. As a rough guess, if I were to tackle a 0.5mile long climb and do it in 4 mins I would say that the water bottles would slow me down 10-15 seconds.

I'm not bothered about my weight until next season.... I know I won't put on more than half a stone, and I doubt I can loose more than a stone. When I am stripping down weight.

Try and do 20-30 mins twice a week before breakfast...even if this is just fast walking. I would also say eat lodes at lunch and then less at dinner time. Use fruit for snacks and cut out fizzy drinks etc ..... easy on the booze aswell. Simples.


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

I'm about 5ft 10" and find I'm mostly hungry around 7-10PM. If I stopped cycling or only did like 1 or 2 rides every 2 weeks or so then I'd end up going back to 13.5 stone, I find it very easy to gain weight but very hard to loose weight.


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## Young Un (20 Aug 2009)

Bout 5" 9 1/2 for me


I go for a run about twice a week before breakfast (30 mins) and sometimes once in the afternoon some other time. I don't eat much junk food - I cut it all out but Iive noticed it's creeping back in - that will change tomorrow. I easily get my 5 a day, and I don't drink that often either. The weight still won't shift though, even though I am doing around 140 miles a week


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## willhub (20 Aug 2009)

I think the weight stopped dropping on me when I went down from 300miles a week to around 160-200.


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## walker (2 Sep 2009)

if you gain more weight you'd be faster on the flats where you will gain more weight to push down on the pedals.
I've always been faster on the flats due to my build, and totally turd on hills, when riding with my old club in the UK I was always the last up the hill, but always caught and passed once I got up and over the top.
Don't get too hung up on weight unless your racing or a pro


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## Bill Gates (2 Sep 2009)

I think I read somewhere that if you are able to lose some surplus weight it will have a positive effect on your CV system as well as making it easier to climb.


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## Crankarm (2 Sep 2009)

If you feel hungry it is probably because you are actually thirsty. Drink water instead of eating food. Don't eat after 6pm so when you go to sleep your stomach isn't full of food . Eat main meal of the day at lunchtime.
Do lots of stomach crunches right to left and left to right, and chin ups to increase core strength. After two weeks you'll have a 6 pack.


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## blazed (2 Sep 2009)

willhub said:


> It's more about that I don't want this extra weight if it's bad weight like fat, if it's muscle then I'm happy with it, but I have a fatty stomach and chest and no matter how much riding I'd do it never seems to burn it off.
> 
> I mean last week I was climbing as normal, so going from 12.1 to 12.5 is not much? Maybe like 2 750ml bottles or a large saddle bag?
> 
> I'm trying to stay active on the bike as in trying to not loose any fitness and possibly keep at the level I am, or get better with as little training as possible, and with this comes the worry about weight gain. I don't really want to go swimming or go to the gym.



Whats your body fat %? Generally you can see start seeing your abs at 10% by the sounds of it you are probably around 15%+? You need to do more than just riding to burn fat, exercise is only a tiny portion of it its all about diet so thats probably where you are messing up.


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## bonk man (2 Sep 2009)

If you want to lose weight...... 

Give up dairy and meat.....

Give up beer.....

sad but true

I lost a stone in a few weeks when I packed in the milk and cheese, I pack the beer in for short periods to knock a few pounds off if I am starting to get a bit porlky looking. 

Riding good steady miles burns fat, but most of us don't have the time. 
Any diet has to be a lifestyle change and not a fad so going vegan is pretty much a serious way to do it but worth it. You have to replace some vits etc with supplements or investigate alternatives but vegans are generally healthier apparently. My time trial times are slightly better  so got to be worth it. ...


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## jimboalee (3 Sep 2009)

Bill Gates said:


> I think I read somewhere that if you are able to lose some surplus weight it will have a positive effect on your CV system as well as making it easier to climb.



I read somewhere...

"99.9% of Doctors know what fuel to put in their automobile's gas tank, but 99.9% of Human Beings don't know what fuel to put in their stomachs."


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## lukesdad (4 Sep 2009)

Crankarm said:


> If you feel hungry it is probably because you are actually thirsty. Drink water instead of eating food. Don't eat after 6pm so when you go to sleep your stomach isn't full of food . Eat main meal of the day at lunchtime.
> Do lots of stomach crunches right to left and left to right, and chin ups to increase core strength. After two weeks you'll have a 6 pack.



hes right about the wateryou know. Try drinking a pint before your meals that will dampen your appetite.


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