On Feb 1, 9:17 pm, Dan Connelly <d_j_c_o_n_n_e_l@y_a_h_o_o_._c_o_m>
wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > I didn't mean to imply that fat percantage alone was the overriding
> > factor in cycling, just that BMI is a lousy yardstick.
>
> > But for crits, weight is certainly not the penalty it is in mountain
> > stages for example. I am also of the opinion that the importance of
> > weight is overrated for non top-level cyclists. It is important, but
> > not as important a factor as for pros.
>
> An issue with muscle mass is that there is a metabolic cost for it: it
> takes oxygen from blood pumped by the heart to support, whether or not
> it's contributing to turning the pedals. Thus losing excess muscle can
> be advantageous, just as losing fat is. That said, I still agree with
> you that losing weight is over-rated if you don't care about climbing.
>
> Dan
Even if you do care about climbing (at least to a passable level),
most cyclists are so far from their maximum potential in terms of
output, that it is easier for them to just gain more power. This is
when the weight is from muscle. Obviously, the easiest way to improve
climbing is to eliminate excess weight from fat. Then look to improve
power. When you reach an elite power output, but you still weigh too
much from too much muscle, that's the end of the rope. But most
cyclists are no where near their max power so it doesn't really matter
that they have extra weight to carry around.
Joseph
