1-track-mind

Are there any cycling-specific charts for target weights relative to height.
After losing 20 lbs, I am 6'2'' and weigh 192. I know 192 is too much, but at what point do you start losing strength ? I'm thinking 175-180 would be about right, but thats just a guess. Just wondering what the ideal cycling weight is for a 50 yo 6"2" male. I'm just a rec cyclist but want to improve my climbing, maybe do a century this year.

alison_in_oh

Ideal is probably somewhere below 10% body fat, with the exact point determined by whereever YOU find that YOU start losing training effectiveness because you're eating too little! Weight doesn't come into it so much as body composition, in my opinion.

Leo21

I agree with Alison, you can loss weight by dieting; however, the way you feel when you are riding is more important. I am 5' 11' and 182 lb, the ideal weight for me is around 170 lb, I have tired successfully many times to get to that point , but my energy level always suffered tremendously and forced me to get back to my current weight.

Enthalpic

The sweet spot ratio for most riders is between 2-2.5 lbs/inch depending on type of riding you do. Eg for a pure climber you must be around 2lbs/inch; sprinters etc can go to the higher end of the scale. So for a 74 inch rider you want to be about 170 - 175lbs.

But of course listen to your body.

alison_in_oh

See, but I think it goes the other way. Not "if you want to climb, diet down to 2 lbs. per inch" but "if you're at your 'race weight' and you weigh about 2 lbs. per inch, enter hilly races". And so on.

My fella's about 2.2 lbs/in at his race weight, and he's a sprinter who climbs well.

Oh, another guideline is that 100 lbs. plus 5 lbs. per inch over 5' is a pretty slender individual. That agrees with your 170 lbs. suggestion.

CdCf

"a pretty slender individual"
No 5h1t...
I'm 5'10" and according to that, I should be about 50 lbs. And a girl I knew in school should weigh in at -5 lbs (she's 4'11")...

alison_in_oh

Oh, good night. That'll show me for throwing off a post at a few minutes to five as I run out the door. I'll correct it.

spunky

Currently, I'm at about 2.1 lbs/inch and feel great.....5' 8"-145lbs.
My body fat "roughly" is around 7- 8% according to the cheap electronic testers.
Last year I was at 2lbs/inch and 4% fat......got a little scary.
I didn't feel as strong as I do now and lots of people kept asking if I was eating enough.
I figure this year I'll focus on building up strength and endurance more and worry less about my ideal hill climbing weight. I am riding stronger and faster than I was last year.

CdCf

I'm 5'10" (as I said) and currently 140 lbs (+/-1).
2 lbs/in, and less than the 100+10*5 lbs.
My body fat is somewhere between 10 and 14% (going to have it measured using calipers next week).