Hiro11

My personal story: I'm 5'10", exactly. I was an athlete through college: varsity swimmer and water polo player, cat 2 cyclist and an avid runner. I weighed about 145 in college. I got married right out of college to a chef. Over the next few years, two kids, a mortgage and a minivan I gained 95 pounds. When I hit 240 and bought a pair of 42 waist jeans, I decided enough was enough. Over the subsequent two years, I lost almost 100 pounds through running. That was about 12 years ago. As a former endurance athlete, I was used to working out so this might have been easier for me than some others. I currently weigh about 155 at age 44. I'll get down to 148 in the summer when I'm riding and running a lot.

Regarding tubby cyclists: IMO, it's easy to do cycling at low intensity levels. You're not going to lose weight easily tooling around at 14 MPH. In contrast, running is a calorie inferno even at a relatively slow (~9 minute mile) pace. As a result, it's relatively rare to see a tubby runner, at least compared to the general populace. Also, cycling clothing is completely unforgiving if you're carrying a few extra pounds. Slow riding + Fredtastic kit = overstuffed sausage look.

Nachoman

So true. Every now and then, just when I think I'm getting pretty studly on the bike, some older pot bellied cyclist will smoke me up a hill.

caloso

Answers OP's question.

TheGrinch

I don't think it's genetics. His diet is probably a wreck. You can ride all day every day but if you're stuffing your face with chips and fast food when you're not riding you're going to get fat.

mprelaw

Especially this fat guy.

Dan333SP

This guy rode across the country in 17 days and won the Trans-America bike race, but he still has a pot belly. WTF?

Please discuss.

Lazyass

I don't really see a potbelly and we've acknowledged some of them can ride hard. Start from page one and read all the replies.

Dan333SP

That would take a while... ?

topslop1

Sure look at his belly.. but then look at his calves. Those are 'don't fk around with me mate' calves. Easily 3x the size of the calves of the dude in front of him. Scary.

fietsbob

The survivors of WW2 Breeded with Enthusiasm .. and then the Boomer parents did the same ..

Some pretty stocky Guys can Hit the Ball over the back Wall then dont have to run around the bases so fast.

topslop1

I'll discuss just to add another post: In this docu 'Inspired to Ride' there was a lady.. Juliana Burhling(sp?) who said that she had 'gained weight' before doing the challenge so that she'd have some extra energy on board.

Likely that these guys doing the ultra endurance 'sprint' type races where they're on the bike for 16 and 18 hours a day throw on an extra 5 or 10 or 15 lbs so that they can plan to go calorically deficit during the race.

My guess is its an insulation against not having the best food availability or being able to 'not stop' when they need to go that extra day at the beginning or end.

Jarrett2

Or that chronic cardio makes you skinny fat.

Lazyass

Well I'm not going to repeat myself for the 50th time. Making a comment on the last page of a 10 page thread when you don't know what's already been said is pointless.

Dan333SP

Can you give me the cliff note highlights? Like a summary for each of the 10 pages? That would help clarify things for me.

Jarrett2

The OP wanted to know why a lot of recreational cyclists have pot bellies despite being able to regularly ride hundreds of miles a week on the bike and even be relatively fast on their bikes.

Several people came in to take various digs at fat people and gave bad information. Then the answer was posted.

The answer is chronic cardio (while great for cardiovascular health) promotes a skinny fat body. Meaning, skinny guys with no muscle and a pot belly they can't shake despite their somewhat healthy diet.

Then that was dismissed and there were some more digs on fat people after that.

Then you showed up. Now you're up to speed.

SquireBikesalot

People usually say "oh calf size is all genetics" but it seems to me that the easiest way to get big calves is to be fat. Just pig out for a few years and rock the potbelly, then enjoy your melon calves when you get ripped again.

topslop1

AHAHA, no way. That is so not true. That cannot be true. Nobody has actually done that in order to get diesel calves. I look at my legs/calves and they start to grow though so while I'm a bigger dude, I'm entirely blessed if you want to have a leg/calves contest. (mostly show, not a ton of go fyi).

dougphoto

gravity

spokenfour

This has been hilarious for the most part. Thanks for all the information and misinformation , guys ! I love the seriousness of you Bike Nazis, and I equally love the disdain of you Bike (Libertarians ?) To quote one of my favorite movie characters, the Rabbi of Anatevka in Fiddler on The Roof : "Lets All Sit Down" ,which for us means : keep riding ! I think I get fatter when I eat more than I ride, havent had the problem of losing too much weight, except for that in my butt which may have to do w my 50+ years

Machka 

There's a difference between fat calves and muscular calves.

Muscular calves are usually pretty lean.

CNC2204

It's important to look sexy around other men eh ... ?


People age, they get old, they die.

Nobody gets out of this world alive including Lance Armstrong.

Machka 

What does age have to do with potbellies?

CNC2204

If u don't know now, you will ...

I personally think anyone over 170 lbs should be bant from riding.

Riding bicycles should be limited to only the finest Adonis looking manly men.

In addition only manly men with waists 34 and under should be around other manly men in spandex & lycra.


**** Bonus question : Why are there so many shallow ego-tistical narcissistic people on cycling forums with - 0.00 self worth the they think [all] people that ride bikes are suppose to look the same ?

Lazyass

Relax, this isn't a subject for the thin skinned.

CNC2204

Kinda like why not everybody has a 1000 lb squat & 600 lb bench.

How many of you so called 170 lb "cyclist" hit the gym consistently ?

I could take most of you in my gym with a 100 lb straight bar and within 10 to 15 minutes have you calling 911.

Stock cars & cycling in a circle is boring as ****.

I did a long ride with two Cat #1 dewds last Saturday, we weren't "racing" we were "riding" and we are friends.

Thats what cycling is about.