Benefits of being a "larger" cyclist.

[grellboy]

Everybody knows that being a featherweight is great going up hills and much less so for the heavier individual, but are there any benefits speed wise in any situation apart from down hill, when the advantages of being larger literally outweigh the drawbacks?

 

[Drago]

I don't seem to have a problem going up hill. I don't rocket up, but my endurance and mental fortitude are good.

Again, I'm no whippet, but don't have any problems toying with the club roadies, and apart from being heavier I'll often have luggage on my back too.

It doesn't seem to disadvantage me greatly, or help me either. The only real advantage of being a big mofo is these road ragers tend not to want to play with me.

 

[jefmcg]

Everybody knows that being a featherweight is great going up hills and much less so for the heavier individual, but are there any benefits speed wise in any situation apart from down hill, when the advantages of being larger literally outweigh the drawbacks?

I was speculating with another cyclist being bigger in crosswinds. You've more ballast, so that would make you more stable, but you also have a bigger surface area, so that would make you a spinnaker. Suspect the whippets have an advantage there.

On the flat and a still day, you'll probably have a little more rolling resistance, but the weight wouldn't make much if any difference. Again, though, the whippets can get down further on the drops, so their is still the spinnaker affect.

<waits for @User to come and fact check this>

 

[GavinDavies7]

I don't have a problem going up the hills my problem is that I am as aero dynamic as a London bus so coming down hill all the featherweight safe flying past me

 

[Drago]

Nice when the wind is behind you though!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You'll generally be faster on the flat with a better power to wind resistance ratio.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Depends what the weight is. I'm heavier but faster than I was a few years ago because I now do a much more physical job so legs of steel and arms not far off.

I don't know whether a body builder on a bike would be faster or whether it would just be too much muscle though.

 

[nickyboy]

I was speculating with another cyclist being bigger in crosswinds. You've more ballast, so that would make you more stable, but you also have a bigger surface area, so that would make you a spinnaker. Suspect the whippets have an advantage there.

On the flat and a still day, you'll probably have a little more rolling resistance, but the weight wouldn't make much if any difference. Again, though, the whippets can get down further on the drops, so their is still the spinnaker affect.

<waits for @User to come and fact check this>

Stability in crosswinds (assuming a cyclist isn't actually assuming a more aerodynamic position) is a function of mass and drag coefficient. As one becomes "rounder" one's mass increases more quickly than one's drag coefficient. So, all other things being equal, the tubby cyclist is more stable in crosswinds

More generally, cyclists who are "bigger" are generally faster on the flat for the same reasons. Bigger person = bigger CV system but of course bigger drag coefficient. But the CV system output increases faster than the drag. That's why flat TT specialists are generally amongst the biggest of the professional cyclists and, generally, whippet thin little climbers are poor TTers. This of course only works if the bigger person is as fit as the smaller person. If they're bigger cos they're fat then it's not going to work

 

[Drago]

I don't know whether a body builder on a bike would be faster or whether it would just be too much muscle though.

It never seemed to make any difference to me.

 

[Crackle]

Bigger cyclists get better value for money out of clothes when they order their XXXXL jersey and I order my medium. It's a constant source of irritation that I'm subbing their genetics.

 

[Slick]

Depends what the weight is. I'm heavier but faster than I was a few years ago because I now do a much more physical job so legs of steel and arms not far off.

I don't know whether a body builder on a bike would be faster or whether it would just be too much muscle though.

I know my experiences are not scientific, but I've worked with a few body builders over the years and to a man they struggled to lift their head off the pillow most days let alone anything else. Lately, I've cycled with 2 different guys who did OK on the flat but really struggled on any hill, and I'm no Contador. My conclusion, take these guys out the gym and their not much good at anything.

 

[Drago]

I don't struggle on hills. I got bored body building and after a couple of years moved into amateur power lifting. No speedy Gonzales and never will be, but I'll indefatigably climb any hill that any other rider can.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Depends on what you mean by bigger. If you are large with lots of lean muscle mass, you have some advantages. However, if you are just fat then you have no advantages.

The human body is tube shaped. The frontal area of a tube goes up with the square of the radius, whereas the volume goes up as the cube of the radius. That means, as you get bigger and build more muscle, your muscle growth exceeds your increase in wind resistance. That's why large strong people do so well in headwinds compared to skinny people.

However, those heavy people are then disadvantaged on hills where they have to fight gravity and their bulk works against them.

 

[nickyboy]

I know my experiences are not scientific, but I've worked with a few body builders over the years and to a man they struggled to lift their head off the pillow most days let alone anything else. Lately, I've cycled with 2 different guys who did OK on the flat but really struggled on any hill, and I'm no Contador. My conclusion, take these guys out the gym and their not much good at anything.

It's a bit of an oversimplification but generally speaking, big muscles are a massive hindrance to cycling up a hill quickly

 

[Drago]

It's a bit of an oversimplification but generally speaking, big muscles are a massive hindrance to cycling up a hill quickly

Not sure Chris Hoy would agree...