Doge

Because they can afford top shelf wines and single malts that make it hard to give up?

Dave Cutter

It is so easy to over eat.... and so darn hard to body sculpt. For many (if not most) of us it requires a herculean effort. Even if someone is making the effort you don't see the finished results until after weeks or months of effort. For me (when I am lucky) I look pretty fit in parts of August and September. But the weather just turned warm enough here...and the jacket came off.

I look like a pig and it's pretty embarrassing. But I rode 3 of the last 4 days. I am back to yogurt for breakfast and salad for lunch.

Seattle Forrest

Yeah. We had a fitness contest at work a few years ago where they bought everybody a fitbit. A few people started experimenting with smartphone apps that did the same thing. I remember a couple of ladies talking about how this app or that one is more accurate because it gave them more calories.

Lazyass

Cardio does help but it does make you hungry so I can see some people eating too much.

Lazyass

I guess if Jan can get one then others can.

Hypno Toad

+1

Doge

There are those starting to ride and that that are kinda done with it.
I have easy 100K miles in my legs. I was never a super fast racer, but I did those kind of miles. More of the guys that were super fast 80s racers are large now, than not. Some - remain lean (thinking Wayne Stetina - very lean, John Howard, Thurlow Rogers). But most these old big mileage / big racer guys that I periodically ride with are 30-40# heavier than they were - and can still break legs on a group ride, and most don't group ride.

The types that are very good stage cyclists are also the types that have an efficient metabolism. Many ex-pros gain a lot after becoming non-pro.
Here are two guys that have swung 40# Merckx et Hinault, un tandem... à l'heure | SONUMA

Doge

You are correct.

KD5NRH

Yes, but the farther I ride, the more restaurants will be on the route, which means things won't be equal.

Dunbar

I didn't lose any weight riding a very consistent 100 miles per week for a year. Even in Southern California it takes some persistence to ride during the week when daylight savings time ends and it's cold and dark out. Many recreational riders will only ride if it's relatively warm and sunny. The number of road cyclists I see on a cool/cloudy day are much, much lower. If you take half the year olf, or scale it way back in the fall/winter, forget about keeping the weight off without a pretty strict diet.

I was climbing next to a guy who told me he was about 230 lbs. He didn't look that fit (and was wearing baggy clothes) but he had no problem keeping up with me until the very end. I did that math using my w/kg and figured out he was doing over 400 watts for a good 5-10 minutes to keep up with me.

cthenn

This thread is going to be full of "offend"...

Cycling is easy. You have to try if you want to get a workout on the bike. Ever see those same potbelly dudes in the drops hammering on the flats, or crushing it in the hills? I don't. Most of the fat riders I see are soft pedaling (with legs akimbo) on non-hilly roads. Don't get me wrong, there definitely are some bigger riders who try hard and want to lose weight, but cycling is something you can do for an hour or so and make yourself feel like you are exercising.

Nachoman

I'm not fat. I'm big boned.

rms13

because everyone thinks they need to be eating 300 g of carbs per day

Dunbar

Here's the non photoshopped version.

Inpd

6 hour centuries easy?

BS.

A 6 hour century is averaging nearly 17 mph. Most people can't do that and if you can then more power to you.

MoAlpha

At 59 with a demanding job, there but for the grace of God, an "air-a-tarian" diet, and resistance training between rides, go I. Cycling appeals to a guy who needs some exercise, has disposable income, likes slick kit, and enjoys being outdoors, even one with a gut. Personally, I give them credit for getting out there and suffering a bit. Who knows? They might even save Medicare a few bucks that way and I might even afford them half a wave, if I'm feeling generous and not too elite.

StanSeven

Sounds like envy

texaspandj

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed.
Time consuming job or family obligations that keep me off the bike and therefore pot belly for most. But enough riding time to complete a century.
I'm not in my 20s anymore doesn't help. Metabolic stuff.
Unlike running you have a gravitational device, the bike. So your body doesn't see a reason to shed the weight. Physiological stuff.
But the number one for me is when I get through riding I am ravenous. I get so hungry. When I get through running I don't have an appetite. I think it's just nature's way.

StanSeven

I do lots of activities including running, cycling, swimming, weight lifting, and some less strenuous things like golf and tennis. Weight lifting doesn't burn all that much. It takes about 3500 calories to get rid of a pound of fat. So if you run that's about 30-35 miles just to get rid of a pound. For many cyclists that's a week of riding. The problem is not eating more t compensate.

noodle soup

6 hour centuries, with huge groups of riders working together, are easy.

You've been riding 2 centuries a month for about a year. Ride an organized century and report back.

I'd be shocked if you didn't finish well under 6 hours.

wheelreason

LMAO, How many McNuggets is that?

jimincalif

Not everyone has the same metabolism. I'm 6'2" and 205# give or take. While I'm down 70# over the last 16 years I still have a bit of a gut, and I've never been truly skinny in my life.

For reference, I rode 6200 miles last year with 275,000 feet of climbing. I did 3 centuries, one with 9800 feet of climbing. I'll typically do a couple of metric length rides each month and ride 20-40 miles during the week in addition to weekends. I'm reasonably quick in my club (most recent metric 2 weeks ago averaged 18.1 mph with 3300 feet of ascent), though the skinny guys obviously beat me up hills.

My diet is "OK", but not perfect. I limit high glycemic carbs, try to eat lean protein, don't drink soda (diet or regular) and my drinking is about 1 six pack of beer per year. I'd love to drop another 15#, I think I can get there, but it isn't easy. Others I know are 30-40# less than me and they eat and drink more than me. Clearly I need to consume fewer calories, but then there's Mexican food!

Such is life, I'm not complaining as it wouldn't do any good!

big john

I'm about your size and I have over 180K miles on road bikes. I always have a gut, even when I am riding a lot. I work outside and am on my feet at least 8 hours a day but I never try to control my diet.

jimincalif

Good that your work keeps you moving. My work is with phone/computer/desk/chair - and since last summer I work from home. If I didn't work to control my diet I'd be in a world of hurt.

Doctor Morbius

It's genetics. I'm big boned!