Originally Posted by
mtalinm
also remember that anyone over 199# can call himself a Clyde. it is easy to ride real fast when you are in that range.
Except up hills.
That's typically when many of us we feel our "Clydeiness" and brutal side of our relationship with gravity as we chase those flyweights up the steeps. That's when the word "easy" goes out the window.
But downhill — and even downward inclines of a few percent — offer us special speed and glide rewards, so at least there's that.
Wind resistance for us larger bodies is also a bigger deal. My 155 speedster friend thought I was great to draft behind, in the wind. :-o
I'm now down to 193#, but believe me I still feel every bit the Clyde in spirit, and in the effects of gravity -- even if I'm not the 219# I was three or so years ago.
Most of the folk I have ridden with are well under 175.
To think, years ago I used to beat myself over the head wondering why I had such a hard time keeping up with 125-160# riders on the MTB trail climbs. I just expected to, I guess, supposing, without much thinking, that it was all relative to conditioning.
Well it isn't -- even the larger guys on the tour, or what passes for large there -- the sprinters — are trailing the pack, in general, on the climbs.