BTW, guys, not all gals who are into cycling actually love the skinny runt types. I, myself, would prefer a nice tall "Clydesdale" guy -- say 6'4" or 6'5" -- over 220. I think it's a shame the companies that make cycles don't "get" that there are a fair number of competitive burly guys out there dying to find a smokin' road bike that isn't going to rip apart when they kick their powerhouse thighs and glutes into sprinting or hill climbing. A guy this tall who weighs under 200 looks emmaciated. The guy I've been with for some time now amazes me. He is out on these randonneur rides of 100, 200 and 300 kms and riding for something like 12-20 hours or more on some of them . . . into hours of headwinds, up huge hills, and across miles of flats where he can pick up the speed to a modified sprint. No, these are not races, but they have the propensity to build your mental focus and endurance along with your physical endurance. I only wish that I had what he has to do these, but at this time the thought of riding 19 hours pretty close to "straight" with only a few short breaks to eat a sandwhich, change a flat, etc just makes me cringe! Oh, and btw, at 5'8" and over 150 myself, I guess that means I am an "Athena" -- and freakin' proud of it since I seem to have better endurance than my tiny girlfriends who are 5'nothing and 100lbs soaking wet and are winded within the first 10 miles. I dont' get to that point until I've hit 30 miles minimum, and that is with at least two or three good hill climbs of 2-4miles with a 6-8% grade. My long days are now up to 100 miles; I just don't ride long days here in Portland when it's still so rainy so that will have to wait a little longer. However, I'm in good enough shape to tackle them already if I want to :-) I guess my point in this post is not to measure fitness by weight alone. My BF and I are both very healthy -- eat a balanced diet, limit sweet and caffeine, drink moderately (well, ok, sometimes we slide on that one but not that often!) and cycle A LOT and yet neither of us have these super skinny bodies that the media would have one beleive is the ideal body to achieve all things good. Hogwash! Strong-thighed people unite! We have a place of honor on this planet too!