What is the ideal cycling body type

[lwedge]

I get constantly get beat by girls here in Santa Barbara(very hilly here) and we have some strong riders around, it hurts my ego but hey Im just a man

Don't feel bad scribe, girls can climb, they can run hills too. They have strong butt's and legs, pound for pound stronger than men. The stategy is to catch them on the down hill and try and beat them on the flats. Have fun.

I draw my own avatars so it is me

The photo is Mt. Baker in Washington State

I have never seen Mt. Baker from that angle, it's always been from an open meadows or fields and of course the photo is much better with you in it.

If I can hijack this thread for one question: Eden, if you are familiar with the Washington area, do you know of a hill or mountain around Washington State that is popular or famous with cyclists for it's incline in the same way as Tin Mountain or Mt. Washington in Vermont ? I remember seeing an article in Bicycling Magazine sometime in 2003? about this really tuff climb in Washington State and I can't remember the name. Mt. Baker possibly ?

Lw

 

[Eden]

If I can hijack this thread for one question: Eden, if you are familiar with the Washington area, do you know of a hill or mountain around Washington State that is popular or famous with cyclists for it's incline in the same way as Tin Mountain or Mt. Washington in Vermont ? I remember seeing an article in Bicycling Magazine sometime in 2003? about this really tuff climb in Washington State and I can't remember the name. Mt. Baker possibly ?

Lw

There are several candidates that I can think of, 2 of which I have ridden. There is Baker of course. If you start from the town of Glacier its 24.5 miles to the top with 4300ft of climbing. There is Hurricane Ridge over in Olympic National Park which is about an 18 mile climb with something close to 5000 ft of climbing or Mt. Constitution, which I have not ridden but have heard that though less in elevation compared to the other two makes up with steeper grades. I'm not so sure any of these could really compete with Mt. Washington in Vermont though - my car wouldn't even be allowed to make that climb...

 

[lwedge]

There are several candidates that I can think of, 2 of which I have ridden. There is Baker of course. If you start from the town of Glacier its 24.5 miles to the top with 4300ft of climbing. There is Hurricane Ridge over in Olympic National Park which is about an 18 mile climb with something close to 5000 ft of climbing or Mt. Constitution, which I have not ridden but have heard that though less in elevation compared to the other two makes up with steeper grades. I'm not so sure any of these could really compete with Mt. Washington in Vermont though - my car wouldn't even be allowed to make that climb...

I remember the picture vividly. This guy grinding up this hill in Washington State, gaurd-rails where on his right and he was in the middle of a narrow 2 lane road. It was a great picture and looked to be one hell of a ride.

Thanks, have a good weekend.

 

[netscriber]

The geometry page for the frame says head tube angle 71, seat tube angle 75.5. I don't think that I have a zero offset seatpost, but I do have my saddle as far forward as it would come without tipping upwards. I should be able to get a shorter stem since I only need a little bit less length so I can go to a 90 or even 80 mm if needed, but a different seatpost is something to think about too.

Yup get a right seatpost. I have heard horror stories of peoples seat frames breaking off coz their seats were way ahead and had wrong offset seatposts.

 

[netscriber]

I remember the picture vividly. This guy grinding up this hill in Washington State, gaurd-rails where on his right and he was in the middle of a narrow 2 lane road. It was a great picture and looked to be one hell of a ride.

Thanks, have a good weekend.

I envy these places with loooooooooooooooooong gradual climbs. The type we have here are VERY steep winding climbs.

 

[lwedge]

I envy these places with loooooooooooooooooong gradual climbs. The type we have here are VERY steep winding climbs.

Yes, much like the foothills around my place. Santa Barbara is a very nice place though. It's been a long time since I was there but many of my friends went to UCSB.

I think the Tour de California is coming through your neck of the woods in February.

Enjoy the hills.

 

[Cyclist14]

I am 6'2 and weigh 148 lb., but, one of my teammates is 6'3 and he weighs 135 lb.

 

[bbattle]

He is still pretty big compared to me!! So if I had become a pro and was as well trained as Lance, all variables consistent(dont flame me its hypothetical) would I be as strong as him with about 45lbs less body weight meaning significantly less leg muscle? Offcourse the less weight would be an advantage but does it overtake the muscular advantage on flats?

Since your bike to body weight ratio will be higher than Lance's, you would have a disadvantage there. But you could have the same power to weight ratio as Lance; your legs may have less muscle mass but they are powering less total weight.

There are a number of riders on the pro circuit that are taller and heavier than Lance and they aren't faster(see the Roberto Heras to Magnus Backstedt comparison. Heras won the Vuelta this year[also tested positive for epo])

 

[netscriber]

Since your bike to body weight ratio will be higher than Lance's, you would have a disadvantage there. But you could have the same power to weight ratio as Lance; your legs may have less muscle mass but they are powering less total weight.

There are a number of riders on the pro circuit that are taller and heavier than Lance and they aren't faster(see the Roberto Heras to Magnus Backstedt comparison. Heras won the Vuelta this year[also tested positive for epo])

Umm...yea I was looking for riders as small as me and are succesful. Maybe I just want to feel good

 

[NYYTEX22]

I personally think that everyone's body is diffrent in some way. you have to just see the good in what you got.
​