Originally Posted by
therhodeo
Your mistake was trying to approach this thread with something resembling logic.
Well there are some/a few that may want a real (maybe wrong) but real answer. I'll re-give mine - again.
I am higher body fat mid 50s guy without a pot belly. I know a number of lower body fat guys with pot belly's.
So my observance is where you store fat is partially genetic. I expect by both individual and to some degree gender and race.
Good athletic breathing - esp for cycling is stomach breathing. Moving the rib cage may use more energy. So a full lung, will likely cause your gut/belly to stick out more than the guy at the gym who is likely not willing to gut breath, cause it does not look cool. A culture thing for sure.
Many cyclist ride only and do not do ab work. I don't know if that matters so much, but just that many don't. That may make it easier for the gut to sag.
Then there is the body fat thing that has been discussed completely, but I think it is not the major contributor to "pot belly" cyclists.