Born Cyclists

UNF_Chaz said:

nope, not at all. built to big and shoulders are way to wide.

You were just meant to be a swimmer...

I'm 5'9'' and 181lbs. I'm definetly not built to cycle... but I try and make myself think I'm a dog when, in reality, I'm a parrot.

GucciPucci said:

You were just meant to be a swimmer...

I'm 5'9'' and 181lbs. I'm definetly not built to cycle... but I try and make myself think I'm a dog when, in reality, I'm a parrot.

just figuring that out now after 18 years of my life. the only problem is that i used to lift weights for a while and now im trying to get rid of all that unneccesary upper body weight that is slowing me down in the pool and on the bike.

Dont complain dude ..... 170 pounds is really light!!

That must be an awesome power to weight ratio!

BTW ... I have to loose at least 15 pounds of upper body muscle before I buy a road boike

I'd give anything for some upper body weight problems, as you get older you tend to worry about the middle body weight problems.

huhenio said:

Dont complain dude ..... 170 pounds is really light!!

C'mon, are you kidding? You'd be amazed at what serious cyclists typically weigh. The only reason 170lbs sounds light at all is because most people are *way* above the 7% body fat that UNF_Chaz claims. 🙄

frenchyge said:

C'mon, are you kidding? You'd be amazed at what serious cyclists typically weigh. The only reason 170lbs sounds light at all is because most people are *way* above the 7% body fat that UNF_Chaz claims. 🙄

Yep. I rode with a third-year Cat 1 last weekend who is 137 lbs at about 5' 9". The guys around here that are the top climbers seem to be in the 125-160 lbs range.

Not me but both of my sons probably are. 6' tall 160 pounds 8% body fat and neither one of them trains to speak of. The youngest ran a 5:03 mile at 14 years of age. And won't go out for track. He rides about teice a month. When he does he is very fast and strong and can ride with even very competitive groups. But he has no interest racing or even in riding much.

We did rock a 24 hour Mtn. bike race together with my brother last year and placed second with a 4 man team for the only racing they have ever done.

Born to ride, or born to be an elite cyclist?

I don't think too many of us have what it takes mentally to be the latter. As with any sport, there is a LOT of sacrifice and self-discipline required to be the best, or even to be amongst the best. Even if you have it, you still need to find a good coach.

Then you need the physical attributes.....

I know physically I have an advantage over many people. Doctors have told me I have a very large lung capacity for my size/age, especially since when they tested me I was smoking a pack a day (They actually told me to come back the next day so they could recalibrate the machine since they didn't believe the numbers they were seeing. Just to confuse them I made sure I didn't smoke that morning and got an even better result 😄 ). I've also kept pretty fit (despite the smoking, which I've since stopped doing) all my life, so a month or 2 break from exercise doesn't affect me as much as some.

Sometimes I wonder how far I could've gone had I kept riding when I was younger and started competing seriously. Then I realise that I know I didn't/don't have it mentally - I've won a national championship in another sport, and sure, I had to train hard to win that but ultimately I was never prepared to put in the amount of effort (and sacrifice) to be the best in the world at anything. Instead, I've made a point of enjoying myself as much as possible 🙂

frenchyge said:

C'mon, are you kidding? You'd be amazed at what serious cyclists typically weigh. The only reason 170lbs sounds light at all is because most people are *way* above the 7% body fat that UNF_Chaz claims. 🙄

I wouldn't call my self "serrious", but I'm 5'7" and 138 lbs. I do enjoy when the world turns uphill. I have it much easier than my heavier riding partners.

As for being born to cycle, I don't know about that. I have good raw material (given size/weight). When I was 18 I ran a 5:23 mile, untrained. However, I didn't really get a bike until last year, 17 years after that. That being said, I don't think I have the "killer instinct" required....

L

johnnybrewer said:

Do any of you readers on this forum feel like you were physically born for cycling? I know it may sound egotistical to answer "yes." What do you guys think?

Interesting question.

Speaking personally, I have never thought that I was physically born to cycle.
Any small level of success that I ever had in this sport, was down to hard work, sacrifice and luck.

But I'll provide some food for thought.
I remember years ago talking with a guy here in Ireland about cycling.
This guy was a natural sportsman - he played our national game called Hurling and he played at county (national) level (he was also a 3 handicap golfer !)
Therefore he would have had a very high level of fitness.
We had a good chat and he said that he always wanted to try cycling.

A few weeks later, a three day ride in aid of charity was taking place - 400 miles distance and this guy volunteered to do it.
For a guy who'd never been on a bike - I reckon he was a natural because he was well able to stay in the bunch and do his turn at the front without any bother at all.
Some of us tried to persuade him to take up the bike but he couldn't be persuaded from leaving his chosen sport.

So yes I think that there are natural cyclists out there - except I was never one of them.

I am 14 and don't know/care if i am built for cycling, I just enjoy riding.
I am terrible at running, though, but I have always had strong legs and i can outride all of the runners when they go out on a saturday ride

macca1234 said:

i think if you start young are very commited enter races early on and ride with a better more experienced rider you can train youre body to be born to cycle.

im 14 now and about 2 years ago i realised after watching the tour de france that this was a sport i was made for. sure my dad is 6-3 but i have naturally massive legs and a weak upper body and very slow twich body make up most of all like you guys have commented you have to want to hurt, i think thats all it comes down to ive been tought young that whatever you can dream you can do as long as you start early and put in the work.

hopefully i stick at the sport because the reward you get after going for a ride are great.

[font=Century Gothic]I started long distance riding at 12 with a Tourist club in the UK (West Surrey CTC) & then at 14 I started racing. Im now 35 & have raced every year until 2004 when I had to stop (work/family & high level of racing in Belgium my new home). I think if you start young you should have a fair advantage over a say a twin brother that started racing past his 20s. [/font]
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic]Every young rider Ive ever helped has gone onto win races as soon as they realise just how to do a good solid extreamly simple engine building ride. I beleive that a young rider can become fairly talented even if not born so....[/font]
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic] Just train that engine & maintaine those fast twitch muscles![/font]

Phil Stone said:

[font=Century Gothic]I started long distance riding at 12 with a Tourist club in the UK (West Surrey CTC) & then at 14 I started racing. Im now 35 & have raced every year until 2004 when I had to stop (work/family & high level of racing in Belgium my new home). I think if you start young you should have a fair advantage over a say a twin brother that started racing past his 20s. [/font]

[font=Century Gothic]Every young rider Ive ever helped has gone onto win races as soon as they realise just how to do a good solid extreamly simple engine building ride. I beleive that a young rider can become fairly talented even if not born so....[/font]

[font=Century Gothic]Just train that engine & maintaine those fast twitch muscles![/font]

I'm 16, i started riding properly a month ago, the first proper ride I went on was 30miles, it was the first time I had ever riden a racing bike, and rode in a pace line etc. I managed the 30 miles easily, then a few days later I rode a 55 Mile ride in just under 3 hours, the guys who I rode with were in there 20's, and as I say had only been riding a few weeks.

I felt I done very well, I just about finnished the 55 mile ride, averaging 19mph all through. So in a way I feel I am some what built for cycling, to complete a 55mile ride with in the first few weeks of touching a racing bike with older well trained guys is pretty good.

I'm 6 feet tall, weigh in at 150LB's. I'm not sure if this is a born cyclists structure, but in some way I do feel Iwas born to cycle.

I'm 19, 170cm (67"😉 and 56kg (124lbs).

I started riding 1 year ago, I've been seriously training for some 6 months. I improved a lot in this year and I'm going to continue as long as I improve.

Don't actually know if I'm a natural born cyclist-endurance sportsman but let's wait and see, shall we..😄 😄

I've listed my attributes here, although a lot of them i wasn't born with.

Weaknesses:
Large overdeveloped back/lat muscles.
Athsma: held relatively in check due to some great new medication
Broad shoulders and upperbody muscle
Poor muscle recovery, I take twice as much time to recover from most any strenuous workout.
Weight: 175 lbs up from about 160 in the past
Job, Mortgage, fiance (hope she doesnt read these)

Strengths:

Massive powerful legs.
Shortish frame at 5'10"
Very high tolerance for pain
extremely motivated
previously reached elite status in other sport

Neutral
Good VO2, probably through training
Low resting HR but also low Peak HR (181 bpm for cycling)
Age: 26

Interesting topic

dhk said:

Yep. I rode with a third-year Cat 1 last weekend who is 137 lbs at about 5' 9". The guys around here that are the top climbers seem to be in the 125-160 lbs range.

I'm one of the top climbers in my town and I'm 6'4" and 164 pounds... And at 13-14% BF I know I can improve a lot with a 10 pound weight loss or so. Also my bikes are old and heavy (road bike 19.25 pounds, XC bike 24 pounds)...

I feel as though there are several factors that make someone a "born cyclist" - such as , proper genetics(sure, long femur, big O2 intake, lactate acid does not get too out of control, ) , but what I find even possibly just as important as those features , is 1. a solid support system(family/friends, coaches) , 2. the riders metal/ psycology has got to be on point - cannot get stuck on stupid 🙂 Also, riding at a early age(early teens... 13-18 is especially important- and I recommend to teens to keep it FUN... dont get too competitive TOO fast. If you have a solid FUN riding foundation behind you.... you cannot go wrong with cycling in the future). Sure, coming from a childhood that was twisted/torn can be a driving force for taking that anger out on the pedals later on in life(which I can say I did not have the most "intact" family, no Brady-bunch/Adam's family , I mean from the time I was 10-14 my mother and I moved about 8 times in Southern Cali ........ which was not fun. I can also remember riding back country in PA. when I was 7-10 on my BMX , taking some spills .... and eating some gravel 😉

I personally feel as though I have some good traits for being a cyclist ..... however, when ever I get in group rides(where 5-8 riders want to fly , and 8-10 riders want to go at 75-80% max , etc.) I can have the ability to get caught up in the moment(thus, my current weakness is a psycological barrior that only I can do something about). Basically, I only ride in groups about twice per month..... and before rolling out, I have to tell myself if I am going to go hard, or not- and stick to that plan for the day. Knowing ones limits , abilities, strengths .......... in the end only means a more mentally strong rider- which I am diligently working at right now..... from nutrition, to recovery(proper sleep), to streaching after rides, to having a cycling program that has hard days/easy recovery days ...... and have fun out on the ride.. make it a life-long journey 🙂

johnnybrewer said:

Do any of you readers on this forum feel like you were physically born for cycling? I know it may sound egotistical to answer "yes." What do you guys think?

I think I could be some sort of "born cyclist" if I could shed off another 10-12 percents of my fat... I just desperately crave for someone to fix my eating habits. I just believe in it.

I did absolutely zero athletic anything for the first 28 years of my life. Since age 16 I smoked marijuana every single day drank like crazy and did lots of other drugs and sat on many a couch. I hadn't ridden a bike or done anything active since I was probably 10 or 11 years old. I hit a wall psychologically at 28 and not wanting to drive my vintage Alfa Romeo to work in the bad weather an old fat guy I knew through work told me I should get a bike to commute on. The first day I was riding it home (a 30$ 20 year old Raleigh) I was passed on a 2 mile climb up to my apartment in Seattle by a bike racer. From that moment I quit everything negative and started riding like a nut. About 6 months later I very very nervously entered my first cat 4/5 bike race. I almost got knocked into a ditch by a guy taking off his arm warmers. This scared me so I took off to the front and inadvertantly started a break. Me and three dudes were off and I never looked back. I won that day then I took 3rd a few weeks later. I manged another 2nd and 3rd that year and upgraded to cat 3. As a 3 the next year I took a 2nd 5th 9th and a few more top ten in the gc's of multiday NRC stage races. That brings us to today where I'm a cat 2 and have scored 11 more pts towrds upgrading to cat 1. I've never told anyone on my team my history as they are all jocks and have almost all always been jocks thus I think they'd see me as a druggie loser. So to answer the posed question with no ego attached, yes I think I was born for cycling. Obviously I started way to late to go pro but I see all these other young guys struggling so hard and I can still ride away from them on true mountain climbs.I dropped a field of 70 guys one day on a 14 mile climb with 20% grade in sections in pouring rain. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and collapsed in tears in my girlfriends arms afterwards but I did it. I guess I don't think that should be considering my past. Maybe I'm wrong but something else has to be going on inside. All the drugs and suffering on a bike now are sure to kill me young but alas, such is life...

I don’t believe genetics play as big of a roll as everyone thinks, don’t get me wrong genetics have there place. But I cant believe that "all" the pro cyclists from, sprinters to climbers to GC guys, to those domestiques have this genetic ability and they stumbled upon cycle to excel at. Are you really going to believe that a rider that is just a domestique (but still can ride the miles everyone else does) all his career has genetics to thank. I think genetics has its place but the BIGGER factor is training correctly & having a coach teach you the correct way without wasting time doing the wrong thing. How many of us can look back and say I wish I knew then what I know now & what we did back then was kinda the wrong way to train, well those are the years we wasted by training by trial & error, maybe if we have a coach we wouldn’t have. I can say I did the wrong type of training for almost 10 years compared to what Im doing now and the improvements I’m making are in leaps & bounds. I was told to do hard, hard 100% intervals all the time to get faster, but now I’m doing intervals at only 75-87% MHR and am getting a lot stronger and with more in reserve, train easier & get stronger didn’t understand it years ago, just followed what everyone else is doing.

Also motivational drive and the ability to stay focused is the other big factor, we all have a few guys we ride with that have all the excuses why they didn’t ride and then get frustrated why the cant keep up or they have a bad day and take several days off because they cant get their head back together. I believe you can take a not so genetically talented rider that has drive, motivation & that trains correctly, beat the naturally gifted rider that does all the wrong type of training.

Do we classify the other riders genetically gifted also that race the other big races on the calendar that we never hear about like, the Havant GP Int, GP di Lugano, De Vlaamse Pijl, Giro della Provincia di Lucca, Lincoln Int just to name a few, there are a lot of really strong guys that we never hear about and can out ride me, so should we give up hope.

I am a very positive thinker/stubborn, I refuse to let someone say it cant be done, our only limit is first in our minds. We got to the moon when they said it couldn’t be done, look at what the disabled can accomplish, bike, ski, run, walk etc!

So get out there and ride, be better than you were yesterday!!

Im off the soap box 😄