Hmm, Gina Coulda Been A Racer

[Mr. Beanz]

I was looking at this pic yesterday because Gina said she had fat knees and couldn't ever wear miniskirts (discussion in skirt thread).

She was 5'4 and 124 pounds. 

I searched for an average weight of a female racing cyclist. Seems she would have fit right in. She was 24 at the time. 

Back in about 2003, we rode with a forum member Chuck52 aka OldNewbinCa. This was after Gina had already recovered from donating a kidney and at about 41 years old. We held a good pace throughout. Near the end of our ride, about 35 miles into a 43 miler, we caught up to a tandem that wanted to mix it up.  

We were doing really well beating down the tandem riders when all of a sudden. Gina dropped off the back.  Chuck shouted "Gina dropped!". So I sat up for a second to look back for her.  Just then the tandem rolled up and the guy said  "she got dropped back there!".

 

As I looked back,  Gina was on the wheel of the tandem  then shouted  "no I didn't!".

Then she kicked it up and rolled around all 3 of us. 😲 Chuck and I picked it back up to catch her then we all left the tandem behind. Gina says she just had to slow for a second to catch her breath.  She recovered well.

I was shocked and Chuck said, "you really ought to get her into racing ". But Gina says she rides for fun and doesn't have a competitive bone in her body.  

That was around this time.

 

 

At 24, right in there with the race specs. 5'4 124 pounds.

 

My friends always laugh because when we. 3 of.us started riding,  we would struggle to get to the beach in 50 minutes,  3 of us working together. 

I got her a bike 6 months later. Rode during the week around the neighborhood to get her used to the bike.  Her first time,  she was about 32 years old. She did the ride in 42 minutes. 😄

About a year ago she mentioned buying one of those carbon fiber racing recumbent. I said no you're not because I would never keep up with her. 🤣

[Airehead]

Gina can be anything she wishes and you will support her. 

[bikeman564™]

Hmmm, that' calculates my weight to be 146-166. That's spot on   150 is my ideal weight

[Mr. Beanz]

19 minutes ago, Airehead said:

Gina can be anything she wishes and you will support her. 

True.  

[Mr. Beanz]

2 minutes ago, bikeman564™ said:

Hmmm, that' calculates my weight to be 146-166. That's spot on   150 is my ideal weight

Nice. I'm more spot on for a power lifter.😄

[groupw]

Mine would be 142-160. WoW prefers me at closer to 172. 

[ChrisL]

166 would be pretty light for me. I was 175 in the Army and was really lean then.  

[Mr. Beanz]

Mine would be 184 at my height 6'1.

Haven't been that weight since my teens. 🤣

Here I was 230 pounds and just finished a 63 mile ride in Arizona with an average speed of 20 mph. 3/4 of the ride solo.  

No way could I get down to 184.

 

 

[Zephyr]

So according to this, for me to be an ideal cyclist I'd have to cut off at least one leg, or start growing until I am 6'5

[Razors Edge ★]

I'm right at the 100+55 that fits for my 5'11" height, and can categorically say that is WAY MORE than a COMPETITIVE cyclist would weigh.  I can drop 5-10 pounds and ride faster, climb faster, and go longer, but as I am NOT a competitive cyclist, I prefer staying at 150+.  Balancing on the bike performance with off the bike normalcy is important.   If I dip below 150, I significantly up my calories for a few days to right the ship, but if I was racing, I'd be likely aiming for 140 or even less.

I do think, though, that Gina would have potential in the female peloton where body types vary widely and, with shorter races, pure power is often king queen.  Women's road racing is a lot more different from men's road racing than I would have expected.  It makes sense, but at the same time, is odd to watch the men's race and then the women's race back to back, as the tactics and the rider characteristics of the winners often differ widely.