Non-extreme weight loss and bike fit changes

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ABogle
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:21 pm

by ABogle

Hi all, I'm just wondering has has anyone here ever lost weight and noticed a lot of changes their bike fit?

I'm not talking about going from being obese to stick thin.

Asking as I'm 6ft and went from 79kg to 70kg and everything about my fit just feels off. I had a bike fit a few months and it felt good but now the saddle feels low and the bars are too high, hands getting a little numb. I guess it makes sense, less bum fat so the saddle becomes too low and less upper body mass for the hands to support. However most of my fat loss is around the thighs, bottom and hips (love handles), I was never very plump to begin with.

I'm gonna start playing around with my fit and I'm just interested to hear any similar experiences.

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Karvalo
Posts: 3444
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 6:40 pm

by Karvalo

Are you less fat just because you started eating less or is it because you've trained more and got fitter?

TobinHatesYou
Posts: 12457
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:02 pm

by TobinHatesYou

Your body really is less voluminous now so I wouldn't be surprised if you lost a significant amount of "padding" around your sit bones.

wooger
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:32 am

by wooger

Weight loss from your torso can dramatically reduce the weight on your hands, meaning you can run a different bar/saddle position for the same comfort. It seems you have the opposite symtom however.

In terms of the saddle, you may now be sitting in a different place on the saddle due to changing upper body mass and associated balance change. Not to mention thinner thighs are less likely to chafe so you might be _able_ to sit further back.on the same saddle. You can potentially move the saddle forward & up.

Your legs may now be stronger, if you're pedalling harder there will be much less weight on your bum for the bulk of your rides.

Less weight on your gut will mean that clearance with your knees is better and your general ability to get low will improve.

Get your saddle position right first, then play with the bar position. It's likely you'll want to change the angle of your brifters too if your position is changing a lot.

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tarmackev
Posts: 899
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:59 pm

by tarmackev

Yup. Gone between 75kg and 95kg many times and my position changes.
As others have said it's never saddle height. When I have less girth I can ride and longer and lower position.

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mr_tim
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by mr_tim

Jeez. I can feel different fit issues if weight changes 2kg ... that relates to comfortably holding threshold effort for x period of time vs kind feeling strained with a bit of excess weight. 5-9kg swings would be major for me.. I'd be waiting to raise stem 2-3mm and maybe come back inboard on stem length 10mm.

Fwiw 6ft / 74kg have been same weight for 25yrs odd now.

Also remember some people carry weight in different places. If it goes to your butt/thigh it might not be so dramatic vs on your gut and thus pinching in breathing in a cycling position.

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ABogle
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2021 8:21 pm

by ABogle

mr_tim wrote:
Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:17 pm
Jeez. I can feel different fit issues if weight changes 2kg ... that relates to comfortably holding threshold effort for x period of time vs kind feeling strained with a bit of excess weight. 5-9kg swings would be major for me.. I'd be waiting to raise stem 2-3mm and maybe come back inboard on stem length 10mm.

Fwiw 6ft / 74kg have been same weight for 25yrs odd now.

Also remember some people carry weight in different places. If it goes to your butt/thigh it might not be so dramatic vs on your gut and thus pinching in breathing in a cycling position.
I think placement makes a big difference, I store most of the fat around my bum and hips, that probably changed the weight distribution hence why foreaft feels funny.

My ftp actually went down a tad over the course of the diet but my bikes now feel a way more relaxed and the bend in my elbows is not quite excessive.

To lose the weight I just stopped all snacking between meals except for on the bike eating and maybe a piece of fruit after a longer ride/run.

I've bumped my saddle up a few mm. But I'll look at the rest of the position once my FTP is back up.

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