Weight and cycling

[Belovedad]

Do you think your weight impacts the rate at which you cycle severely. I do not mean if you are obese or overweight. If your weight is normal for your height, do you think it affects your maximum output?

 

[Kakashi]

Well the way I see it, it depends on your equipment and your physical attributes, generally speaking the more fit you are the more energy and power you have and also stamina so its logical to assume that a physically fit person will win in a race against an overweight person granting that they both use the same kind of bike.

 

[treecko142]

Well, it depends more on your experience and on your actual cardiovascular endurance since it plays a big part if you can actually keep on cycling or maintain your performance for longer periods of time.

 

[Corzhens]

In my experience, I feel stronger if my weight is down. It may be psychological but I feel like carrying the extra weight when I'm riding so I easily tire when I am overweight. Unfortunately, I need to ride in order to maintain my weight and since it's been a long time since I had taken to the bike so you can guess how many pounds I am over the limit.

 

[DenisP]

If I understand what you're asking, I don't really think that such is the case. There are a number of factors than go into your "maximum output," and I think cardiovascular health is at the top of the list, regardless of overall weight.

I have a real world example of this to support my view. One time, my cousin and I went out for a bike ride together. We are exactly the same height, but he was about 20kg heavier than I was and had very strong legs. Despite being objectively heavier, he was much healthier at the time than I was, and this was made abundantly clear when we decided to race and he left me in the dust.

Cardiovascular health and leg strength relative to your bodyweight are going to make the biggest difference.

 

[ballyhara]

More than your weight, you should consider your cardiovascular strength and resistance. You can go for miles, if your heart can handle the increase of pumping. However, a lot of cycling mixed with overweight can eventually hurt your knees. So, if you want to avoid joint damage, you can try to get some help by doing slow pace cycling, and having extra glucosamine on your diet.

 

[Steve5]

I think it does. When we're light, it's easier to pedal and move. We don't feel as sluggish or encounter much difficulty compared to being overweight. Some people do cycling to help burn fats on a regular basis.