Wolfvegas

So my buddy and I went for a ride last night (he doesnt ride) he had my 21 speed CCM and I had my single speed katmandu. He is a smoker but he is fit works out with weights and is in pretty decent shape like 6 packs and ****. Anyways he could never keep up and had to stop for breaks often. he has like 15" in height on me and obviously more powerful legs, any idea why he had such a hard time keeping up with my little ass.

10 Wheels

(he doesn't ride)

apollored

he smokes.

Wolfvegas

Yeah but besides those two factors, he has a multi speed, im rockin a single speed up steep ass hills AND he is in like 2X as good physical shape as me... I guess those are two big factors. Anyways it made me feel like I actually achieved something.

chasm54

They are not two big factors, because the shape he is in, however good, is not the sort of shape you need to be in to ride bikes. Weight-training will do lots of things for you, but it won't build aerobic fitness.

Wolfvegas

Is cardio fitness the same as aerobic fitness? He kept saying his lungs and legs were on fire, for me I run out of oxygen before that starts to happen

chasm54

Yes, pretty much. Cycling is predominantly an aerobic activity, like other endurance sports. How good you are is heavily dependent on how much oxygen you can get into your bloodstream and transport to and burn in your muscles. Google for VO2 max and lactate threshold if you want to know more about it.

Weight-lifting is largely anaerobic, that is, lifting heavy weights doesn't require much oxygen. it builds strength and explosive power but not aerobic endurance. A weight-lifter might well outsprint you over forty metres, but you'll absolutely kill him over a kilometre or so.

Wolfvegas

the only thing that stops me from going hard all day is my lungs im trying to draw so much air in but I run out of breath, but my lungs never "hurt" or on fire

jim p

You crushed him. The next time that you ride with him you need to ride up and down the hills as he is struggling just to get to the top. Put the smack down on him while you can.

Just don't get into a lifting contest with him.

Most of us are not good at everything. We are lucky to just be really good at anything.

I think that our bodies adapt to our exercise. Bike riders need a good flow of blood and nutrients to their leg muscles and my guess is that people that have been riding for years have developed more or better blood vessels in their legs. I would also think that muscle growth is an adaptation to lifting heavy weights.

I am not qualified in any way to make the above statements. It is just my best guess.

Wolfvegas

next week we are going again, this time im going to go 20km on flats first then tackle the hills with him lolol... CRUSH!!!!!

AlmostTrick

Plus, if he has 15" (?) height on you your bike was seriously way too small for him. That's going to hurt performance quite a bit right there.

Diddii

being in a good shape dosn't really make you good at anything, you could have a good physique (like bodybuilders) and have no endurance. Bodybuilders might even sweat walking up 5 floors while some overweight guy who has done it almost everyday while going to work has no effect on taking the steps (muscle memery). If you do something often... you'll get better.

pro cyclist would have a chance in a strongman competions and vice versa, physical shape isn't something one achives and is good at everything.

2manybikes

Even though you were on a single speed, to keep the rpm up it's typical to beat someone up a hill who has the ability to downshift. The lower gears are easier, but slower. It also depends on all the other factors that might make the bike you were on more efficient. For example, tires, weight of the bike, your weight etc. etc.

My friend with a geared weight weenie bike begs me not to ride my track bike with him, I crush him on hills.

My points add to the total picture, the other comments about health and being in shape are all valid. It is not just one factor, it is the total of all the small things.

edit - his upper body strength may make him heavier, it is actually a negative thing when cycling. Even more so when going up a hill.

ratdog

So you give a 21 speed bike to a smoker that doesn't ride , who is probably also packing a lot more weight than you due to weightlifting, and not to mention the bike probably doesn't fit him then dust him on your single speed and still wonder why he couldn't keep up?

Ratzinger

You're obviously doping.

umcade

That is indeed a conundrum, having 20 more speeds than you, he should be able to go 20 x faster.

Myosmith

Bull biscuits. You are comparing apples to oranges. Too many people equate muscle mass and being lean with being fit. I came from a powerlifting background and I know a lot of bodybuilder types who are huge and ripped who absolutely suck from a cardiovascular standpoint. Now there is nothing wrong with being muscular and lean and both can benefit cycling, but without cardiovascular conditioning to back it up, extra muscle mass is just more weight to carry around. I'm still a big guy with a better than average amount of muscle, but I routinely get blown into the weeds by skinny little guys who are barely cracking a sweat as they blast past me while I'm sucking wind.

Remember that cycling, besides requiring cardiovascular capacity and endurance, is also about the power to weight ratio. It's not about how many pounds of muscle you carry, it's about how many watts you can generate per pound.

There is a reason that Olympic caliber powerlifters make crappy triathletes and visa-versa. When you say "fit" my question is "Fit do do what? Do you want to bench press a Buick or outrun one?".

Closed Office

Here's an interesting aspect to it.

It's from this page.

https://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/art...matters-16394/