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Originally Posted by climbhoser
(Post 7106654)
Oh yeah, 5'10" and 195 lbs. But I do want to lose weight, get down to 180 ideally (last time I was that skinny I looked pretty ridiculous...I'm one of those big framed, farm kid types), and I'd probably be even quicker on the hills. Just need to cease and desist with the Chipotle every other day ;) |
Originally Posted by maddyfish
(Post 7106673)
You think you're fast now, get down to 165
+1 to those saying it takes a balance of losing fat but not power...and remeber you get to be good at climbing by sacrificing other things, which many consider more fun (flats and descents). Also someone said something about "powering up" short climbs. This is very true, a heavyweight muscle bound guy with huge legs can make short work of a 2 km climb even if it is really steep, the weight loss is more and more clear as you do longer climbs. |
There's a nice synergy/karma to climbing and weight for me. I started at 225, 5'9", am down to 195. On the way to 170 I hope, and beyond?
Anyway, naturally strong legs to begin with. But the legs got stronger climbing with 225lb, so that when the weight came off, it was compounded by having trained harder because of the extra weight. If I hadn't weighed that much to begin with, I don't know if I'd developed that same strength. I noticed this when I took some winter cycling classes (pretty tough ones). On a stationary bike, without actually carrying the weight, I was able to push hard compared with the class. On the road, I'm still not the fastest up hills by any means. But the weight has been a blessing in helping me gain strength to carry it...even more noticeable as the weight comes off. Great synergy. There's a gift in everything. |
Oh just give up. You're all fat fat fatties.
5 lbs makes a difference in your climbing. 10 lbs a major difference. Figure it out you idiots. Skinny guys get to the top of the hill first. Good grief what a frggin Duh that one is. I can't take some of these threads. You know what, never mind, just stuff your face wtih pizzas, gain 15 lbs, and see if it helps your climbing. Then for the next topic we can try a 'will weight lifting help me lift heavier stuff?' thread, or 'Why can't I piss up a rope?' or 'Does Infinity ever end?'. |
Originally Posted by patentcad
(Post 7106835)
Oh just give up. You're all fat fat fatties.
5 lbs makes a difference in your climbing. 10 lbs a major difference. Figure it out you idiots. Skinny guys get to the top of the hill first. Good grief what a frggin Duh that one is. I can't take some of these threads. You know what, never mind, just stuff your face wtih pizzas, gain 15 lbs, and see if it helps your climbing. Then for the next topic we can try a 'will weight lifting help me lift heavier stuff?' thread, or 'Why can't I piss up a rope?' or 'Does Infinity ever end?'. Let's start another thread about the virtues of titanium. |
Originally Posted by re-cycler
(Post 7106916)
Let's start another thread about the virtues of titanium.
'I'm down with that dude.' Was that right? |
Originally Posted by patentcad
(Post 7106922)
How do you kids say it?
'I'm down with that dude.' Was that right? |
Hip, most are all positive thats true. However, the one negative is that you said your body body wants to be 190. Your hardest work will be trying to keeping it under that number. Trust me, its freaking tough. You can do it if you want too though.
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As someone who's gone the opposite direction, a race weight of 165-168 in college (I'm 6'2"), to now in the 190's, I can say without a doubt I climb far worse now than I did then.
Just eat right and ride lots. The perfect combo for weight loss. |
Originally Posted by heckler
(Post 7106816)
going to 165 would require me losing like 30 lbs of muscle...pretty sure that won't help the wattage. (losing the additional 35 or so lbs of fat I have may tho ;) )
The strongest cyclist I know is 155 pounds. Fat guys always think they are strong though. I did when I was your weight. |
Originally Posted by merlinextraligh
(Post 7105075)
Even 10lbs makes a big difference. As long as you're not losing power to do it, the math is just too overwhelming.
8% grade 10 mile climb, rider producing 250 watts, 10lbs makes over 4 minutes difference. Even on a 1 mile climb, its close to 30 seconds. And 30 seconds may not sound like a lot, but if it's the difference between staying in contact and getting dropped, it's the whole ball game. |
Light is right.
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Originally Posted by re-cycler
(Post 7106976)
werd...
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Originally Posted by patentcad
(Post 7107175)
If this generation's spelling was any worse they could work in the Bush White House.
Like when one of your bro's is presented with the opportunity to mack on some fine shorty's ass, the most appropriate response would include "werd". "Oh, werd?" "Werd, son" etc. |
Ok I am really out of touch. Is it WEIRD? Or WORD? Or WIRED?
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Originally Posted by patentcad
(Post 7107175)
If this generation's spelling was any worse they could work in the Bush White House.
I know we're playing here, but I also mourn the destruction of language exacerbated by the internet, and general lack of attention span/articulation/intellegence. If we all could just be more thoughtful and careful, that would be...aweXXome! |
I read somewhere last week (I think it was on the Zipp site), that the % of weight dropped off the bike+rider combination results in roughly the same % drop in time on a climb.................??/
:thumb: *God, I love the thumb* :D |
Originally Posted by patentcad
(Post 7107175)
If this generation's spelling was any worse they could work in the Bush White House.
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Originally Posted by 531Aussie
(Post 7107609)
I read somewhere last week (I think it was on the Zipp site), that the % of weight dropped off the bike+rider combination results in roughly the same % drop in time on a climb.................??/
Edit: in case that wasn't clear, a % reduction in weight would result in an equivalent % increase in W/kg, and therefore speed. |
^^Hmmm, interesting. Thanks
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Hell yes!!! I lost 20 lbs last fall and I went from our 19 mph club group ride (19 mph on the flats) to being one of the better climbers on our race team (right behind the real climbers).
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Originally Posted by CyLowe97
(Post 7105097)
The more times you do a specific climb, the 'easier' it becomes (notice easier is in quotes there) through familiarization. ? My problem is that the only decent climb near my area is an 8% that is 1.8 m. I'm dialed in now and actually enjoy it. In reality, this is weak sauce - I should be doing an 8% that is 18 miles and, then I can tell myself I'm actually doing some 'climbing'. Can't get excited about repeats or interval work on climbs. Would rather do some longer climbs to enjoy the rhythm of the work itself. |
I'm getting to the age where my metabolism is slowing down, and unlike most of the posters on here, I went from a RyanF physique (6'1 and 150 lbs) to about 170 in the summer, 175 in the winters. It definitely makes a difference when climbing, although I think I have more power on the flats.
It sucks, because I too love eating. |
Originally Posted by mollusk
(Post 7106536)
It's not just weight, but what kind of weight. If I dropped 10 lbs from my "guads" and my "cottage of wattage" I would be a lot slower going up climbs. While I would be lighter, my power would be decreased as well.
Now we have to define what is a climb. Psimet talks about Blue Mounds. I rode up that a couple of weeks ago from the town of Blue Mounds. I would describe it as a big hill with a bit of a steep gradient at the end. Overall it might have been about 600 feet of elevation gain. Such things can be "powered" up by a bigger guy, like me. It wouldn't phase a TdF sprinter type rider. It is NOTHING compared to a Cat 1 or HC climb in the tour. I have also gone up climbs with over 3000 ft of elevation gain with stretches of 15% gradient for over a mile in north Georgia and western North Carolina. Now we are talking about real climbs. These make a guy like me (lots of power, but 200 lbs) hurt like hell. On these climbs every ounce you can lose is appreciated. True-not amazing, but just about the bext we have anywhere near here. |
Weight is the primary issue in terms of climbing. By means of comparison, a great climber will run under 2 pounds of weight per inch of body weight. For you, that would equate to under 146 pounds.
I've noticed HUGE differences when get close to that number. :thumb: ... Brad |
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