Does being overweight mean you're slow on a bike?

[MikeG]

The answer is 'no'.
It is more to do with fitness.
Whilst being heavier is a disadvantage going up hill, it is a distinct advantage going down.
Also, once your mass is moving, it is working for you; sort of like a flywheel does for rotary propulsion.

You wouldn't like to take the trouble to read the whole thread, would you? The answer isn't "no", nor is it "yes". The answer is it makes you slower, but not necessarily slow.

Oh, and the maths of going up and then down hills makes any claim of one compensating for the other a load of nonsense. If it ordinarily takes 2 hours to climb a hill, and half an hour to go down (Mont Ventoux, if you like), and being overweight makes you 10% slower going up, and 10% faster going down...........well............work it out for yourself. You'd be 9 minutes behind your not-fat alter ego at the bottom.

 

[uclown2002]

The answer is 'no'.
It is more to do with fitness.
Whilst being heavier is a disadvantage going up hill, it is a distinct advantage going down.
Also, once your mass is moving, it is working for you; sort of like a flywheel does for rotary propulsion.

Are you likely to be fitter and therefore faster if you're not carrying excess lard?

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Are you likely to be fitter and therefore faster if you're not carrying excess lard?

Gawd help us!

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

It's all about FBF (Fat but Fit)

I would be "morbidly" obese but I can still run a 10k faster than some skinny types (skinny does NOT equal fit). I can do long distance hill walks whilst the slender types drop out. Sure, I know that FBF isn't the ideal but having an overhang over the saddle doesn't always mean slow!

 

[brand]

It's all about FBF (Fat but Fit)

I would be "morbidly" obese but I can still run a 10k faster than some skinny types (skinny does NOT equal fit). I can do long distance hill walks whilst the slender types drop out. Sure, I know that FBF isn't the ideal but having an overhang over the saddle doesn't always mean slow!

And if you weighed less you could run faster still. So therefore within your own capabilities you are unfit because you have an excess of unneeded fat.
Move to the countryside but not near a pub taking up excessive drinking. Cycle 12 miles to the pub get rat arsed and cycle 42 miles home. The Brand diet ...it works

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

And if you weighed less you could run faster still. So therefore within your own capabilities you are unfit because you have an excess of unneeded fat.
Move to the countryside but not near a pub taking up excessive drinking. Cycle 12 miles to the pub get rat arsed and cycle 42 miles home. The Brand diet ...it works

I like it..

..and I know just the pub!

 

[marzjennings]

I was replying to 100 metres sprint therefore running. Also stated not severely affected.

But acceleration, or at least the ability to accelerate rapidly is severely affected by mass. Accelerating out of corners and sprint sections are two areas where the larger rider has to work a lot harder than their slimmer self or counterpart to keep up. Once caught up again and traveling at the same speed, produced power requirements are similar.

 

[Shaun]

I've removed a number of posts from the end of the thread and excluded one member from the discussion for a few days. Please stick to the thread subject and leave out the personal remarks.

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[brand]

I've removed a number of posts from the end of the thread and excluded one member from the discussion for a few days. Please stick to the thread subject and leave out the personal remarks.

Thanks,
Shaun

That was me...bad boy. It appears as usual that I have a different definition of humour to the majority of people.

 

[brand]

The answer is 'no'.
It is more to do with fitness.
Whilst being heavier is a disadvantage going up hill, it is a distinct advantage going down.
Also, once your mass is moving, it is working for you; sort of like a flywheel does for rotary propulsion.

How about aerodynamic drag? No way does being fat help you go faster downhill. Show me some science that supports your view, ignoring the aerodynamic drag.

 

[Old Plodder]

Aerodynamic drag is negligible in comparison to a heavy mass being put into motion. (Which actually hits the floor first, a feather or a stone.)

 

[User16625]

Generally no. Fat people are slow off the bike too.

 

[brand]

Occasionally I cycle on the flat part of Lincolnshire (the majority) it is excellent till you are going back cycling into the wind. It ruins a good ride. And it is made worse by the lack of hedgerows. I can be on the Wolds in gale and the protection you get from the hedge makes the gale a slightly windy day. Although the gaps in the hedge can be a bit dodgy! I use to cycle up into the mountains rather than cycle into the wind on Highway 1 in the US.

 

[brand]

Weight has its advantages..In holland where I did a tour of the Dutch bulbfields I hired a dutch bike .

What like my Dutch Travelmaster with Rohloff gears?
Sorry just bragging about my newly acquired bike.