any chance of success?

[SIDIscarpe4]

Hello all I'm just curious about a couple of things, as I'm very interested in getting into racing this summer, and in future years, but have some questions.

OK, I've read a lot of posts on here about how to train and how weight lifting isn't very good and it's all about the power to weight ratio, and you guys all seem to be about 6' and 160lbs or so.

Well, I'm definitely not a big guy at 5'8 150lbs, but it seems maybe a little too heavy to be a cyclist. I'm a competitive swimmer here at my university and swimming requires a lot of upper body strength, and in the offseason our coach requires us to do a lot of weight training.

So I'm just curious if you guys think maybe I'm pursuing the wrong sport in cycling, or if I may still be able to be competitive without the ideal bodyshape/mass or whatever.

Sorry for the long post.

thanks ahead of time for any info you can provide
-Josh

 

[whoawhoa]

Don't worry about it. You may be a little limited in your climbing, but with you swimming at a pretty high level, you should be fine. If you're curious, check out www.analyticcycling.com and click on the speed/given power or power/given speed and put in various weights and various gradients just to see the affects. By the way, I believe Lance Armstrong is about 158, and only 2 inches taller than you.

 

[wilmar13]

Hello all I'm just curious about a couple of things, as I'm very interested in getting into racing this summer, and in future years, but have some questions.

OK, I've read a lot of posts on here about how to train and how weight lifting isn't very good and it's all about the power to weight ratio, and you guys all seem to be about 6' and 160lbs or so.

Well, I'm definitely not a big guy at 5'8 150lbs, but it seems maybe a little too heavy to be a cyclist. I'm a competitive swimmer here at my university and swimming requires a lot of upper body strength, and in the offseason our coach requires us to do a lot of weight training.

So I'm just curious if you guys think maybe I'm pursuing the wrong sport in cycling, or if I may still be able to be competitive without the ideal bodyshape/mass or whatever.

Sorry for the long post.

thanks ahead of time for any info you can provide
-Josh

You will not be held back at all in cycling because of your body. At your height your are not super light, but you are not heavy either. Don't psych yourself out because you are not 6' 160lbs. It means nothing. Paolo Bettini is 5'6" tall and weighs about 130lbs. He was ranked #1 UCI rider in the world last year (or 2003?). Unless you are climbing mountains, power to weight isn't even all that important... it is more about sustainable power to overcome whatever drag you have. Your cycling ability will be determined by many things (heart/lung capacity, muscle adaptability, etc.), it has little or nothing to do with your height/weight compared to other cyclists. Besides it is way faster than swiming, and you only have to shave your legs instead of your whole body .

 

[lyotard]

when i started road racing i had been mountain bike racing and my 2nd season had me finishing mid pack sport class. being somewhat heavy i realized these races were in large part exclusively decided on the climbs.

so upon getting into road, i found that i was more suited to criteriums, were bursts of output could have result. i do love road couses too.
the comparison of the europros is not to be worried over in a crit. and all the weights of the pros tend to be publicized as heavier than they really are.

the guys who would make the break, and drop the field, maybe lap the field, tend to all be in your range. what can make the difference here is having a higher total output, versus the higher power to weght ratio of the lighter racers who gravitate towards climbing excellence.
but this is all general, cycling is proven to be the great equalizer. if you have average "talent" and can persevere for the miles, then get down to business and stomach some intesity, this racing is for you if you want it.

You will not be held back at all in cycling because of your body. At your height your are not super light, but you are not heavy either. Don't psych yourself out because you are not 6' 160lbs. It means nothing. Paolo Bettini is 5'6" tall and weighs about 130lbs. He was ranked #1 UCI rider in the world last year (or 2003?). Unless you are climbing mountains, power to weight isn't even all that important... it is more about sustainable power to overcome whatever drag you have. Your cycling ability will be determined by many things (heart/lung capacity, muscle adaptability, etc.), it has little or nothing to do with your height/weight compared to other cyclists. Besides it is way faster than swiming, and you only have to shave your legs instead of your whole body .

 

[SIDIscarpe4]

By the way, I believe Lance Armstrong is about 158, and only 2 inches taller than you.

Alright thanks for all your guys' input, I have a sprint triathalon on the 28th with a 15 mile bike ride so I'm pretty pumped to see how it goes, and I guess being comparable size as Lance Armstrong is a pretty good inspiration haha

thanks again.