Road bke frame type, and eating while riding



Attlus

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May 31, 2011
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Hi guys, quik question: I am 6'0" and weigh 240lbs. The weight is mostly fat right now and not muscle but I am working to burn it off. I gained A LOT of weight after high school when I was no longer Swimming competitively or running track.

So, would my weight be too much for a carbon frame road bike? Right now I ride an aluminum but want to upgrade to carbon. what about my weight and a carbon seatpost?

Also, I hear a lot on these forums about eating gel and drinking calories on rides but should I be doing that since I have stored fat that I need to get rid of? It seems to me that the people who talk about needing gel on a ride are really thin and maybe they need it cause they dont have extra stores of calories like I do?

Thanks
 
I picked up a Columbus Carbon Fork recently and the rider weight is spec'd at 240lbs even. These are probably conservative numbers with some room for margin... don't quote me. Frames/Bikes are probably in the same balpark unless otherwise spec'd. As far as seatpost, stem and handlebars, quality alloy parts are available at approx the same weights as their carbon counterparts.


Working muscles, depending on what level of fitness one is at, burn glycogen stored in the muscles and to a certain extent in the liver, above a certain level of physical output, not fat stores. For someone not in shape, this may be as low as 55-60% HR max ballpark. For someone in shape, could be as high as 70-75%. This is limited to between 60 minutes and 90 minutes approx of useable fuel at sustained output before one simply runs out of gas aka "hitting the wall", or bonking, and may even have a hard time walking slowly or making decisions until some quickly usable energy becomes available. Not the kind of energy in a sandwich, but the immediate kind from a can of soda... or an energy gel. The sandwich is ok and sugar levels will normalize over time, just take a little longer. I.e. 15-20 minutes vs. 5 minutes. The energy gel also takes less room in tight jerseys and like any marketing effort has been sold to replace fruits, homemade energy bars, mini sandwiches, as the convenient option. I keep a couple for emergencies but would much rather have a mini-sandwich and a couple fig bars instead.

If you are just riding at conversation pace, fat stores are probably adequate tho.

edit: just a thought, for the first part these blokes may be able to assist...
Clydesdales 200lb / 90kg + riders
 
thanks for your reply, that was all really helpful! Ill take a look over at the Clydesdale section too. Also, I never knew alloy components that you mentioned could be as light as carbon, are they as smooth of a ride?
 
Why don't you just stay with what you have until your weight comes down, then reward yourself?

I don't think the previous poster is exactly correct about the body's energy sources. Fat is burned at all intensities, it's just that fat cannot be converted to energy very quickly. Glycogen can be converted quickly but fat is also still used.
 
I would say ride what you have. I ride an aluminum bike. If the ride seems too harsh, use wider tires at lower pressure. Make sure the wider tires will fit.

I don't distinguish between burning fat or carbs. If you eat less than you burn on most days, your weight will go down.

Find a slow group to ride with. Ride with them often. When you find those rides too easy, bicycle to the rides or move up to a faster group.

Limit what you eat. You should be able to ride a couple hours with the slower groups before you need any food. But drink water.
 
Originally Posted by Yojimbo_ .


I don't think the previous poster is exactly correct about the body's energy sources. Fat is burned at all intensities, it's just that fat cannot be converted to energy very quickly. Glycogen can be converted quickly but fat is also still used.
This statement is false. Danfoz is correct - at ALL intensities glycogen (stored carbohydrate in muscles) is metabolized for fuel. However, at high intensity (varies for each individual) there is a point where NO fat is burned as the process to metabolize it is far too slow to keep up with demand.

Pursuant to my own personal lab test, at 340w there is ZERO, zip, zilch, nada fat-burning occurring. As mentioned, the particular intensity for zero fat-burning varies for each person, but there is in fact a point where zero fat is used as fuel for exercise...
 
Originally Posted by Yojimbo_ .

Why don't you just stay with what you have until your weight comes down, then reward yourself?

I don't think the previous poster is exactly correct about the body's energy sources. Fat is burned at all intensities, it's just that fat cannot be converted to energy very quickly. Glycogen can be converted quickly but fat is also still used.
the bike i have now is The Specialized Sirrus. it is a flat bar road bike and I want a traditional road bike but its betweet the tarmac and allez. i would have to save up for either on a college student budget but i know i have more room for upgrading on the tarmac but the allez is still a cheaper bike while being good. anyway, i digress.
 
If you are comparing let's say an 18 lb bike with a 22 lb bike and add your weight to it, the difference of a few pounds will be pretty insignificant. If you are in college, you are probably partying some so consider if you can save some calories on the intake side.
 
Originally Posted by AlanG .

If you are comparing let's say an 18 lb bike with a 22 lb bike and add your weight to it, the difference of a few pounds will be pretty insignificant. If you are in college, you are probably partying some so consider if you can save some calories on the intake side.

yes, drinking a lot of beer doesn't help matters!
 

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