This is uncanny--I was just thinking about this subject last night.

In the past year I've also been spending more time in the weight room; I've put on weight and bulked up all over, mostly by concentrating on deadlifts, squats, bench/shoulder presses.

I've noticed that I'm more explosive in accelerating than I used to be, particularly on climbs. But, I have also considered that time spent in the weight room is time you are not spending on the bike.

There is one aspect that I would like to throw up for additional discussion, though. Do y'all think that the extra bulk has a beneficial effect when you go down on the bike (i.e., crash)? I recently went down on a recent ride, and although I got some road rash, I can't help but think that the fact that I had a little extra muscle on my shoulders and pelvic area prevented me from getting injured.