Track Cycling - Body weight.

I am going to start racing in around 2 months, and I have been training ever since I have been told, so I have a question concerning body weight. I've been told that I should lose a couple of pounds for racing, which is surprising to me since I thought more mass would be helpful to track racing. Right now i'm 5'11 and like 145 or something, so I personally think I am light enough. And advice would be helpful :).

Thanks a lot.

Weight has been the most overrated aspecto of cycling. If you are in good shape and within normal body weight parameters you have nothing to worry about.

Enjoy the race and tell us how you did,

Ricardo

5'11" 145? You're skinny--just get out and race.

I'm 5'9" 175 and am a pretty competitive track endurance rider.

Thats what I thought :). I was thinking, "wow... I thought I was fairly light". I'll ask him whats up, but thanks a lot :).

If you're just racing on the track, power to frontal area is going to be more important than power to weight since you'll have to fight wind resistance and not gravity.

Look at the TdF. I know its a very different type of racing, but all the sprinters are the big guys (tom boonen for example) and the little, skinny guys are the climbers.

Look at the TdF. I know its a very different type of racing, but all the sprinters are the big guys (tom boonen for example) and the little, skinny guys are the climbers.

Big is a relative thing. There are a lot of road sprinters who are smaller than me (track pursuiter=road sprinter). The climbers and a lot of the rolleurs are tiny little waiflike things.

And yeah, riding on the track power to area is what matters, but frontal area scales with weight. And I do actually climb alright.

My advice would be to put on a couple of pounds. Not through eating but through riding, weight training and a healthy diet. Although the window is closing on the winter weight training.

Weight is much less an issue on the track. Sure, being a weight weenie will help you up long limbs on road rides or races but not on the track.

I'm a sprinter but weigh in a 190lb's. I'm hoping for big things just in my local area as a lot of other riders, dispite years of training can't keep up with me on attacks. :)

I'm psyched!!!!

weight has no impact on the track whatsoever, even when going up the bankings (you have more momentum so it equals out). people have set world hour records on 23 pound bikes.

weight has no impact on the track whatsoever, even when going up the bankings (you have more momentum so it equals out). people have set world hour records on 23 pound bikes.


that's a bit of an overstatement.

It's not so much about losing weight but more about getting rid of any non-functional body mass. Any extra weight increases the inertia and the energy cost of acceleration which is vital for any start. It also increases the rolling resistance of the tyres, frontal surface area and therefore drag. So just make sure that whatever weight or mass you do have is actually doing something for you.

Well this is good to know. I was told the opposite, though--that I'm too light. Gaining weight is still a good idea, and I am. 135 lbs currently, working my way up. ;) I'd like to get to 150 I think.

Without question, body weight is not an issue during the track sprint events, as long as the weight transitions to more power. That is why most track sprinters and speed skaters have large (muscular) legs. Look at Marty Nothstein. He weighed about 215-220 while in track. Now that he is a pro roadie, he has dropped to about 185.

Question: For beginning track racers: is it better to do alot of leg weight training in the winter or work on endurance? practice sprinting or what when on the bike? thanks for any and all assistance.

Upper body is good too. I'm new to the sport but one of the coachs at my velodrome was instructing us beginners on how to pull on your drop bars as you accelerate, making it evident that arm strength is key for explosive accelerations. Being a mtb rider I also know that a strong upper body is also important. Your core muscles (abs, obliques) really help you keep balance. Your shoulders and arms help you keep control of your bars and help you wrench on the bike as you make an effort.

rugby helped me out, i weigh 165 and am 6-0. My thighs are mad powerhouses, and i have the upper body strength for the drop pulling, but it hink it also has to do with your enduro... practice everything... get sprints up for the final laps if you;re in the lead, but get endurance up so you can hang with the leaders to use those sprints... being sweet all around is what is better in my mind... if you specialize on one thing you may end up neglecting performance in another key area.

dosh your a fly weight I am 220# sprint manimal as they say

Question: For beginning track racers: is it better to do alot of leg weight training in the winter or work on endurance? practice sprinting or what when on the bike? thanks for any and all assistance.

find a decent trainer and learn to squat, deadlift and clean. Atheletic lifts = Athletic performance.

honestly as long as you body fat % is in a decent range, weight should not matter.

Weight is very important on the track. Just in a totally different way than in road racing. Generally you want to weigh more for track racing (although you want muscle weight, not fat weight). I'm 5' 11", weigh 130lbs and I'm a terrible sprinter. Ideally I would like to gain at least 15lbs of muscle and I plan to start weight lifting over the winter to try to reach that goal.

I agree with the lean body mass idea a few folks b4 me.
Im 245 and 10%bf.
I'll leave the climbing for others