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ASK RBA: ASK RC: BODY WEIGHT VS. SPEED
Richard Cunningham
October 19, 2009
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My friend and I have been riding road bikes since May of 2009 (15 miles 4 times a week and 40 to 50 miles on Saturdays. My friend has dropped 20 or so pounds while I have dropped approx. 4 to 5-pounds and her speed just seems to be getting better. My question is the weight difference a factor in why she is increasingly faster? We both started out at 160.
– Kim
Tough question to answer correctly, but there are basic differences in physiology that can make one person respond quickly to training and another more slowly. At this point, unless you two are riding a lot of hills, your weight bias should not be the determining factor. I weigh 155 and I get hammered on the climbs here at the office by a 200-pounder who is more fit and simply has more ambition to get to the top than I can muster. Pick one day a week to match or better your friend’s every effort, and don’t be afraid that you won’t have the strength or endurance to maintain that pace. Most new riders simply give up early because they have no idea where their true limits lie. Your friend has pushed herself further and harder than you and is more confident in her abilities. She doesn’t think, “maybe I can ride this gear.” She KNOWS she can, and there is where her new found power lies. You can boost your performance similarly by challenging your body to produce more than you believe is possible. The worst that could happen is that you’ll have to rest and recover – but I don’t believe that will happen. It is more likely you will discover that you can endure a little more muscle discomfort in exchange for more speed on the bike – and once you are riding faster, you will forget the discomfort and hunger for even more speed. Good luck – and don’t fret, the weight will come of as you continue your training.
Contact Richard Cunningham for questions or comments, or just to talk bikes at: askRC@roadbikeaction.com
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