Fat muscles

Ever since switching to a singlespeed - not fixed - for commuting about a year ago my leg muscles (primarily calves but also hamstrings) have got bigger.

That's probably because of I have a gear around 69" (good for a flat 5-mile commute) and I tend to mash it hard as I sprint between lights (and love doing that as I can chase down RLJers).

To be honest I prefer the idea of singlespeed to fixed but am wondering whether riding fixed would give me leaner legs.

I suppose the main downside is the smoother riding style could make it trickier for me to get involved in commute pursuits.

Any thoughts from fellow fat-legged freaks?

"Beefcake!"

I thought I had unusually large thighs.. but then I met Hippy.

I'm not sure how you would slim down - usual advice would be to spin a lower gear...?

Any thoughts ?

If the Earth stops spinning, will we all fall off?

Now that the Polish are moving home, who's going to work in the Pubs?

Are you MessenJah in disguise?

...there's a few for you ;)

69" is pretty low?!

"Beefcake!"

I thought I had unusually large thighs.. but then I met Hippy.

babydinotrackboy wins the thigh contest...

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread12332.html

Riding fixed is more likely to *increase *the size of your muscles. But why would you not want that? I have only slightly muscly legs thanks to cycling, probably comparable to a female athlete. They just wont grow anymore, I rode 81" fixed for a few months with no effects. Id especially love to have huge calves but it just wont happen.

I reckon the muscly calves you have arent that much to do with commuting on 69" freewheel, as that is pretty mellow. Its probably more to do with a genetic disposition. Just HTFU and embrace it. Very few professional cyclists are freakishly muscly, even chris hoy looks average when wearing casual clothes.

I have only slightly muscly legs thanks to cycling, probably comparable to a female athlete.

Girls legs and a fanny.
Ergo, you are a girl?
;)

Vanity is for pussies

I have only slightly muscly legs thanks to cycling, probably comparable to a female athlete.

...
Id especially love to have huge calves....

Sometimes big is not good. It'll cost a fortune to change all your tight fitting jeans when you can't get into them.

my muscles in my legs have doubled in size since I started riding fixed, but that may be due to my uphill commute home everyday.

My third leg is still child-like in size.

What, you mean like a babies arm holding an apple?

non-grooming disclaimer.........ahem

since riding fixed my legs doubled in length and my arms withered to near useless vestigal stumps. i now look a lot like a lycra-clad t-rex.

That's probably because of I have a gear around 69" (good for a flat 5-mile commute) and I tend to mash it hard as I sprint between lights (and love doing that as I can chase down RLJers).

To be honest I prefer the idea of singlespeed to fixed but am wondering whether riding fixed would give me leaner legs.

I suppose the main downside is the smoother riding style could make it trickier for me to get involved in commute pursuits.

there will be a point where your legs stop getting bigger.
fixed/singlespeed wont make any difference in your commute, 5 miles isn't even a warm up.

if you are so concerned with racing, then join BC, get a license and enter a few races, I'm sure the noddys you ride past don't realize they are in a pursuit.

since riding fixed my legs doubled in length and my arms withered to near useless vestigal stumps. i now look a lot like a lycra-clad t-rex.

since riding fixed my legs trebled in size, my shirts no longer fit and my skin has turned green. Women find me irresistable, men cower at my presence and I no longer have to queue in Sainsburys. My todger is the size of heathrow airport.

rpm is obsessed with his todger

retreating penis man?

My todger is the size of heathrow airport.

Crabs are now landing planes there

it's hard not to be obsessed when 747s keep attempting to land on it

Crabs are now landing planes there

I once heard of a quick cure for crabs:

put a saucer of milk on the floor and drop your trousers and pants, when the crabs go down to the saucer to drink, simply pull up your pants and trousers and run away, leaving the crabs stranded.

I once heard of a quick cure for crabs:

put a saucer of milk on the floor and drop your trousers and pants, when the crabs go down to the saucer to drink, simply pull up your pants and trousers and run away, leaving the crabs stranded.

That's the cure for cats, not crabs. Really, pfft ;)

When I was a courier, I was doing 60-70+ everday.
I lost every single piece of fat on my body. However, my calves were still so skinny I could almost put my hand round them and my things just would not grow.

My thighs are reasonably large now from riding fixed. Larger in fact than in the past. But I know that unless I go to a gym and do massive power stuff on them , and start eating raw mean or whatever, they just will not get any bigger. Just the way some people are built I guess

my things just would not grow.

Must have been all that time spent in the saddle ;)

i think eating right has a lot to do with it too.

when i was riding in the summer i was doing 50-70 miles a day on 52-17 SS (dont know the inches, but its big) in the cornish sun with all the mad hills. i was a pennyless student so was eating shit food not very often, and i hardly ever had any meat in my meals. i was already skinny but i got really thin during this period and developed the nickname skeletor by my mates. looking at pictures from then i realise how bad i looked, but at the time i was easily doing the miles in good time. during this time i dont think i developed any muscle.

ive scince moved back in with moi parents so im now eating really good, but cause its winter and kent sucks for pleasure riding im on the saddle a lot less. but as a result my legs have ballooned in size. im not massive but on my stick legs the new muscles really stand out.

i reckon theres a lot of variables but i think SS is likely to give you bigger muscles for the amount of time spent riding. the momentum fixed has up hills is blatently easier than the mashing of SS

hmmm i 'm not too sure about that melon, when you slow down on a ss bike you just pull a lever, the only muscle your going to build whilst stopping is your hand muscles!!! when riding fixed your legs are continuously moving uphill and downhill AND....until you use them to stop!!!!! where as unless you pedal whilst going downhill and continue to pedal whilst pulling breaks, your muscles are not being used as much as on a fixed, i seem to have larger thigh muscles since i've ridden fixed and often if overexerted use the free wheel bike to rest my legs lately as you can roll along instead of constant pedalling and breaking, i do know that riding your nutz off every day can be detrimental to muscle building as overexertion will have a negative effect so i ride cool one day then ride my knackers off the next!!