Strength and cycling controversy - Page 3

Originally Posted by RapDaddyo

I'd vote for PowerCranks.

Originally Posted by whoawhoa

Yeah, but don't PC users have a smooth, fluid style?

Originally Posted by steve

Hi there

Just had a quick look, it is closed and hasn't been posted to for almost 2 years.

cheers

Originally Posted by Felt_Rider

Seriously though, I could put enough force on the pedals once to snap them off the crankset or damage my handle bars, but what good would that do?

Originally Posted by velomanct

Ride your bike. Ride your bike fast. Done.


Let's stop trying to proclaim who is right or wrong. If you feel strength training makes you a faster rider, then by all means do it.

It doesn't matter what is said on these message boards. The only thing that matters is who is faster on race day.

Originally Posted by netscriber

Then please remind us why spend time here? Now dont give us the meaningless argument of "some things here do make sense" because that was a blanket statement.

Originally Posted by velomanct

Poor Ric has had to repeat himself once again, and yet, some still don't comprehend.

Originally Posted by velomanct

Here's my experience: In all my days of cycling/racing from age 14 till now, 7 years later and cat 2, I have NEVER come close to be limited by muscular STRENGTH in any endurance situation on the bike (> 1 min). Put a 30% grade in front of, and assuming it's long enough that I can't SPRINT it (> 30 secs), strength will be of little importance.

PEOPLE: Cycling is an aerobic sport, which is limited by cardiovascular fitness and/or other metabolic energy systems. This means NOT strength/neuromuscular system.

I started lifting weights a few years back because I was interested in improving my sprint. Guess what? It did nothing for my ECP.

See, even I can't ignore this topic


Like I said before, if you want to become a faster rider, PLEASE RIDE YOUR BIKE! PEDAL!

Originally Posted by K50

Yup, but good ol Ric was a trooper though.

Amen to that.

I think your reply there sums up nicely about 10 ongoing threads in this site. Too bad it's such a waste of arguments.

Originally Posted by 11ring

Muscular endurance as defined by me is your ability to do hundreds or thousands or reps at a given force, independently of aerobic capacity.

Originally Posted by 11ring

For simplicity sake and to refer back to my other posts it is the force you can exert for practically infinate reps, or the force below which there is no accumulated fatigue.

Originally Posted by 11ring

It is generally a proportion of maximum strength. In other words, a stronger person should tend to be able to have a higher fatigue limit.

Originally Posted by 11ring

Think or materials like steel with fatique limits. Below a certain stress level you can bend a piece of steel back and forwards forever without breaking, but above that limit every stress cycle makes it weaker. Typically the FL for steel is 1/3 it breaking strain. So double the maximum strength of an item and you double its fatigue limit as well.

Same with legs. If you make someone produce forces over their fatigue limit they will get tired and sore, even if you let their HR go down to resting they are damaged- they cant repeat their previouse efforts. Their muscles get damaged because they cant produce that level of force forever.

I think ric agrees that a certain amount of strength is required to produce say 300 watts for half an hour, but that the amount of strength needed is quite low. Essentialy the question is weather cyclists really ever go over their fatigue limit- i would argue that the symptoms of muscular stress- like soreness the day after and more to the point muscle growth with training show that many cyclists do.

The reason i proposed doing lots of high intensity efforts in testing is that it allows for rest time to let your HR recover. People will always be limited aerobically over one hour as it is too short for fatigue to set in and the forces one can produce for an hour are probably too small. Even better do 3 minute intervals with 10 minute rests. That way the power outputs will tend to go over the fatigue limit, and there is enough rest to do lots of them to get enough cycles.

These efforts ocur in racing all the time, so improved repeatable high intensity effort could reasonable be expected to help in racing.

Originally Posted by velomanct

This topic has been beaten to death way too many times. Give it a rest.

Originally Posted by Felt_Rider

I thought my sentiments coming from the weightlifting side would be even more convincing in previous posts.

I am an advocate for training with weights and for the average person seeking fitness I still believe resistance training is good for overall balance to holistic fitness and good health. That is why I do both resistance training and cardio training.

But I have yet to be convinced that my gains in the weight room has done anything beneficial as far as climbing hills or spinning fast on the bike. In fact the leaner and lighter I become the more efficient I have become on the bike and the weaker I have become under the weights. Which I am trying to let that era of bulking up for competition pass into just memories of glory under a heavy squat bar.

velo, you pondered whether one of the big guys could be sprinters and my thoughts are I seriously doubt it. When I was at my off season bulked up weight I had trouble walking to the water fountain and by the way I actually competed as a lightweight so I wasn't one of the bigger freakier guys that one might imagine. I am only 5'6" and right now to the hardcore bodybuilding crowd I probably just look like a normal guy. There once was a day that I got stares when I was at 190+, but not anymore. Now I am down to 170 lbs still holding onto to as much lean mass as I can while doing this cycling thing. I still train with weights 5 days out of the week, but unlike most of you I don't have to worry about winning a race.

Originally Posted by Billsworld

Felts wife wont let him spring for a track bike anyhoo

Originally Posted by Felt_Rider

My weakness (hill climbing) has become my strength.......at least for convincing the wifey to let me buy a Felt F4C which comes equipped with a compact crank. So much for my strong legs being useful on hill climbs. I going the pansey route and getting a compact crank I may even be real wimpy and put a 12/27 on it.

I just opened the door for ridicule.