BodySpec and Helen's Cycles

BodySpec is proud to team up with Helen's Cycles to offer our DXA body composition scans to cyclists every month in Santa Monica!
Cyclists are unique. Cyclists tax the anaerobic system with power generation up steep climbs, and they push the aerobic and oxidative system to the maximum threshold as they embrace far-reaching endurance boundaries. In short, the cyclist is the complete athlete, and a cyclist's power-to-weight ratio represents the distinguishing factor between a strong finish and consolation.

So what's the winning formula? What is the ideal weight of a cyclist that propels them to new heights of cycling success? According to Joel Friel, endurance athlete and trainer, top cyclists have a body mass (defined as pounds per inch of body height) in the 1.8 – 2.0 range for men and 1.6 - 1.8 for women. Historically, this reinforces the ideal cyclist's body weight is at the minimum threshold because that gives him or her the optimal power-to-weight ratio.

But, what are you sacrificing when trying to achieve a body weight at such a low level? Ultimately, the trade-off is anaerobic power. It's the explosive, Type II muscle fibers that allow you to finish a race with a strong kick. Lean tissue gives you the power production necessary to climb steep hills.
Thus when losing weight, an individual needs to carefully monitor his or her method of weight loss so the levers affecting nutrition and training do not inadvertently impact lean tissue. Ultimately, targeting and optimizing body fat - not just weight - is a more effective way to have an immediate impact on your cycling performance. While elite cyclists often boast body fat percentages of less than 9%, most competitive cyclists tend to have 9% - 14% of body fat.

BodySpec's DXA scanners will provide you with exact measurements of your body fat and muscle mass. Our technology yields data that's more relevant and actionable than your home scale, and it also far surpasses all other body composition testing methods in both accuracy and convenience. The scanner utilizes dual low-dose x-ray fan beams that are completely safe. After just a 10-minute scan, athletes immediately get their results on-site. BodySpec also provides a free report consultation to review the data.

BodySpec is thrilled to be teaming up with Helen's Cycles, a leader in serving people and their bikes, to offer the best in analytics to help you make every moment of your training count. We hope to see you there soon!