Can you be to big to ride...

[Dominik]

I was also asking myself the same question. I did some bodybuilding the last couple of years (not competing) and started 2 weeks ago with mtbing weighting in at 96kg and 1.83m. Totally love it now and probably the best investment I did. Enjoy the cycling, nothing wrong with your weight.

[Super J]

Ever heard of Miguel Indurain? at 6'5" and 90 odd kg he took the Tour 5 times, Boonen,well over 6 foot and well over 80 kg, Marcel Kittel, 6'4' and 90 kg...... its not about size but power to weight ratio!!!

[Vetseun]

Big guys descend like cycling gods....

And big guys climb like tortoises

[tombeej]

Ever heard of Miguel Indurain? at 6'5" and 90 odd kg he took the Tour 5 times, Boonen,well over 6 foot and well over 80 kg, Marcel Kittel, 6'4' and 90 kg...... its not about size but power to weight ratio!!!

 

While I agree with your point re. power to weight ratio, here are some corrections to your numbers:

 

Miguel Indurain: Height = 1.88 m (6'2") and was 86 kg when he started racing. But he was around 79 kg in his TDF prime.

 

Tom Boonen: Height = 1.92 m and weight = 82 kg

 

Thor Hushovd: Height = 1.83 m and weight = 83 kg.

 

Marcel Kittel: Height = 1.88 m and weight = 80 kg.

 

Fabian Cancellara: Height = 1.86 m and weight = 81 kg.

 

Mario Cipollini: Height = 1.89 m and weight = 76 kg (he might have looked huge in the peloton, but people say if you saw him in person he was actually a very thin, scrawny guy with thin shoulders).

 

The biggest of them all was Magnus Bäckstedt: Height = 1.93 m and weight = 94 kg.

Edited January 1, 2013 by tombeej

[tombeej]

For people worrying about their weight for cycling, this article is worth the read:

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2011/11/the-pursuit-of-leanness/

[Paul Ruinaard]

Hey guys. I see that like 90 percent of cyclists are skinny guys. I really got into cycling this year. I do a lot of weight training, got an injury then took some time off and just cycled to do something. Now I'm hooked to cycling, mostly off road and I gymming again. I'm 1.76m and weight is 94kg. Is this bad? Would I still be able to perform? Get better? I'd like to do more competitions. But does this put me back?

 

Happy new year!!!

I am 1,8m and a fat 110 kg at the moment. I have been down to 90 kgs as a racing weight. Don't let it bug you.

 

If you are that weight you will likely get down to the weight weenie weights, which are in the 70 kg range. Just carry on going.

 

I raced a lot of road when I was thinner and faster, i was always sprinter and big gear grinder material and on a relatively flat route I used to love to put in a huge pull on the front at high speed and watch the climbers and weight weenies who couldn't handle the pace get shelled out the back. A big strong guy can drive the bunch along at a pace. Two or three big guys with sprinter builds working together can really create mayhem. The smaller leaner guys couldnt handle consistently high paces, but they always made up for it on the hills. in racing, you learn to pick your fights. Either you are a Paris Roubaix type rider or a TdF climber.

 

FWIW, I hope you are a climber, as it will benefit you, but will come to know which one you are. MTB by its nature favours climbers. Big guys always struggle in those hills.