BMI is about as useful a measure of health/fitness as is 220-age a useful measure of maximum heart rate.
Does being overweight mean you're slow on a bike?
- Thread starter screenman
- Start date
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BMI is about as useful a measure of health/fitness as is 220-age a useful measure of maximum heart rate.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I've lost 5 kilos of fat in the past month or so. I'm a similar speed on the flat (probably faster to get up to speed), and noticeably faster up hills. If you have fat to lose (I'm aiming for another 5 kg) you'll thank yourself for it on the climbs, but is it worth the hard work from a purely cycling perspective if you aren't a professional? You'll probably look and feel better having shed the excess, but it is hard work. Dark chocolate Tunnock's wafers are my nemesis.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Not read the whole thread but for my tuppence, I'm currently 17 stone. My best cycling fitness level was around 2 years ago when I weighed 14.5 stone. I certainly notice the difference as I now struggle at the 100 mile mark. On the last FNRttC I managed to get to 110 miles before my level of performance dropped significantly but it then dropped like a rock and I struggled for the last 20 miles of the return from Whitstable.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Isn't it strange that people selectively forget how much or what they eat, but exaggerate their physical performance. Denial. You have to be pretty fit and healthy to average 18+mph as a cyclist.
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Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Some people eat junk and lots of it and still manage to perform pretty well... maybe it's my gift!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That's the old "My grandfather smoked 30 fags a day, drank 10 pints a night, ate loads of fried food, and lived to the age of 81" argument!
The grandfather in question might well have lived to 95 if he'd looked after himself better!
Perhaps you would already be doing sub-50 minute 25s if you had junked the junk ...
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
That's the old "My grandfather smoked 30 fags a day, drank 10 pints a night, ate loads of fried food, and lived to the age of 81" argument!
The grandfather in question might well have lived to 95 if he'd looked after himself better!
Perhaps you would already be doing sub-50 minute 25s if you had junked the junk ...
That wasn't my point, my point was, that there is no need to under state what you eat and exaggerate what you can do on the bike (no point in me exaggerating what I can do anyway, since anyone can look me up on the CTT website and find my race results and I'd soon be found out) to please some internet forumers and that one shouldn't just assume people are doing that either.
Joshua Plumtree
Approaching perfection from a distance.
As I remember, Steve Cram had a tendency to eat lots of junk food when he was young. Think I'm right in saying the media called him the Marathon man, back when Snickers were called Marathons!?
Fine when he was young, but he found it hard maintain the heights he reached as a young man as he became older.
Seb Coe, on the other hand, who has taken a more 'scientific' approach to nutrition, seemed to hang around forever!
Scotchlovingcylist
Formerly known as Speedfreak
I commute on my 29er, I usually average 11 miles is 40 - 45 minutes and often do 50 - 60 miles on weekends with a friend. I consider im relatively quick considering im 17 stone, I do eat healthily, just too much 
my blood pressure, blood glucose etc are all healthy and my general fitness is good, I rarely feel drained or get ill. Being overweight doesn't necessarily mean you are unfit or unwell.
I have work colleagues who boast they can eat what they want without gaining weight however they often complain they are tired or have colds, personally I'd rather have a bit of a gut.
Of course I could just buy a road bike
(Sorry for being a little off topic)
my blood pressure, blood glucose etc are all healthy and my general fitness is good, I rarely feel drained or get ill. Being overweight doesn't necessarily mean you are unfit or unwell.
I have work colleagues who boast they can eat what they want without gaining weight however they often complain they are tired or have colds, personally I'd rather have a bit of a gut.
Of course I could just buy a road bike
(Sorry for being a little off topic)
Scotchlovingcylist
Formerly known as Speedfreak
Agreed, however isn't being thin with an unhealthy diet "bad for you"?Overweight with a healthy diet and regular exercise, therfore gaining a certain degree of fitness is surely healthier?
Maybe you should make that another topic.
Scotchlovingcylist
Formerly known as Speedfreak
I think it's valid here, judging the other posts in this thread. If you don't wish to elaborate your reasoning to me though that is fine.
MattMM
Senior Member
- Location
- Southern suburbs of Glasgow
I can relate to that. My weight has been well in the normal range for years now, but being very keen on riding up hills and mountains, I wish I weighed less than 80-85kg (I'm 6'3", by the way). I look with envy on those shorter cyclists weighing well below 80kg with their smaller, lighter bikes, flying up the mountains. For me, it's harder work, although of course the sense of accomplishment when I reach the top of a tall mountain is all the greater for it.
Well Bradley Wiggins and Miguel Indurain are both 6' 2" / 3" and weigh / weighed at their prime around 80KG. Do not get too despondent mate.
Me, I'm 6' 3" but about 20% over this, bothered? Nah. Any roadie that drops me on a hill, I can catch or match on the flat / downhill afterwards and have done so on a few occasions.
