Assuming that you are doing the same amount of riding before weight loss.

Is it the same argument as losing bike weight compared to body weight? In other words, is losing 5 lbs of body weight same as making your bike 5 lbs lighter?

Losing body fat and all else equal, yes.

Of course. Fat is not only weight, but more tissue to keep oxygenated and bloodflow to. Now, if you are already lean and you lose muscle, maybe not so great.

Losing body weight makes it easier for you to climb as there is less mass to caring up against gravity.

It's better (generally) to lose body weight instead of bike weight. Sure, 5 lbs is 5 lbs, but 5 lbs off of an already light road bike, means a lot of $ and some durability compromises. But 5 lbs off of the old belly flab just means better fitness and you look better at the beach.

So, if all else equals, and I lose body fat %, then I should see performance on the bike.

No, I am talking about someone who is too fat for this sport

What do you think? IF you see a 300lbs pound runner, would you venture to guess that his performance would increase if he lost 20-30 pounds? ofcourse! He'd be lighter, have to carry less weight, put less stress in his joints, not have to oxygenate all that extra fat,etc.
Common sense would tell you that a cyclist would see similar benefits.

Nobody is too fat for this sport!!! NOBODY! ))

I concur! Too fat to be competitive, yes, but not to fat to enjoy riding my bicycle and train towards competing at some point.

Yes, losing weight helps. I started this bike riding thing at 312lbs back in Feb/2011. I am down to 296lbs as of today, 4/12/2011.

I can tell a difference.

fify

Depends. In general, yes, but not always, and there's a point where getting too light can hurt you. I lost a lot of weight when I started riding. I got a whole lot stronger. Then I got really really light and got a whole lot weaker.

Now I'm pretty light and pretty strong. I could still use a lot more of both, though.

I have one teammate who is VERY light and VERY lean. She is a monster on the hills but she really suffers in a lot of races because she just can't put out enough power. I have another teammate who looks really really big. She's heavy. But, she puts out so much power that she just rides away from everyone, even on the hills. It comes down to w/kg, and the w part can be just as important as the kg.

Wow, just wow!

I don't know!! How about getting a backpack and putting 30lbs in it and try riding with it.
Then try riding with out the 30lbs and you tell me.

Where is umd when you need him?

Don't know, but cycling sure helps my weight loss performance...

-Bert

duh

If you only race in flat crits or TTs, or on the track, it probably doesn't matter. Once the road points up, it matters much.

If "Duh" would have been a poll option, I would have voted.

least amount of weight without losing power = yes.

and i vote duh.

later.

Yes. Down from 235+ to 210-215 this year (and hope to go lower). I can ride faster for longer. And climbing is a bit easier as well.

Anytime you are making it easier on gravity, you are making it easier on yourself. It will almost always help your performance.

Now, if you look like a concentration camp person, then gaining weight may help, but for 99% of people losing weight will help in some way.

I think I'm currently the poster boy for the opposite: "does gaining weight hurt your cycling performance?" I'm 10lbs heavier than the end of last season. I didn't have a PM then but based on my speed on the flats, I'm pretty sure I've gained power. But climbing right now is terrible, just terrible.

This belongs on SNL's "Really?" sketch.

Nice one!