I absolutely love cycling, but one thing I always envy smaller cyclists - they just look better and more proportional than taller riders. I'm 194cm (6'4"), and I believe we, taller riders, even on properly sized bikes look a bit like clowns on child's tricycle. Just compare at 1:51 😅
As a larger rider at 192cm, thank you so much GCN for creating this kind of video which gives me an excuse when I get dropped on climbs and in sprints.
@@lupo3694 TT is big boys friend.. OH and descends. Noone is catching you, if you don't crash in a corner. I remembered a local race I went to, on descend a fellow cyclist came up to me in a straight and said he gave it all he had and he could never get on my tail down the hill. And he was riding aero rims and I rode standard endurance bike.
Good to see this test. I'm 6ft 7"/200cm and 90 kg. I'm more than happy to spend time on the front, and oh how I love the sound of freewheeling behind me 😅
I'm a mediocre rider, 198 cm and my training partner for many years was Max's size. We learned through experience what you just learned -- the only place I had an advantage was flat roads with favorable wind. I could also sprint for longer than most guys I raced with. Riding with someone that small certainly encouraged me to get flexible so I could ride on the drops!
What about descending? Does Conor’s weight give him an advantage? Straight descent vs. curvy? Does Max’s lower center of gravity help him corner better? Inquiring minds need to know!
Means he needs a better anchor! Momentum= mass x velocity, so if he can get aero, then the extra 35kg is his friend and by sitting up, Connor instantly deploys a mahooosive airbrake! Ying and yang I guess! 🤔🤷
Smaller riders like Pidcock are better through the corners due to the lower centre of gravity. But in a straight line descent a taller, heavier rider would have a slight advantage.
I’m 152cm and 58kg and I absolutely love the luxury of riding just about anyone’s wheel and feel the immediate relief of energy preservation 😅 Only downside it’s hard to find extra small size bikes. 🤷🏽♀️
i sent this to my tall friends saying "this could be us, but you playing". GCN really has the best cycling content, its so diverse and informative the videos. It's really for the people.
I recently watched a replay of La Vuelta 2017. Connor was catching wind the whole time periscoping from the Peleton. (It wasn't exactly a game of where's Wally) Pretty remarkable effort to finish the race virtually as a solo effort 😂😂!!
I really enjoyed the part of the video explaining the drafting difference in real world figures. I would love a video with a full GCN team peloton explaining the watt difference the drafting effect has on different race positions/ moves. Ie the relative effort of being sat in the bunch or the effort of bridging to a breakaway Vs then being able to sit on the back of the small group
I'm glad I've found this video. At 5' 5" myself, I've always been self-conscious about my height when I bike with others, who tend to be much taller. Max is an inspieration!
This is the best “real world” film I’ve seen GCN do because this situation is played out in every club ride. It also cuts through the BS about who has the highest FTP. Side by side, on the flat at 30kmh and 240 watts vs 355 watts. This says it all!
Being only 5'6" myself, awesome win for us "wee lads"! Of course, I couldn't hang with Max on his worst day with me on my best. I normally just submit that I can climb ok and suffer everywhere else, but Max did well on all except raw power. Well done.
1:08 Max is indeed really short with his 1.67 cm height. :D I think it's almost obvious that Connor would be a time trialist type (and not only into a tailwind) hence he is really tall and slim. Ganna is a great example and also Marcin Bialoblocki who is 197 cm tall. Marcin absolutley smashed almost all the British National distances but he unfortunately came across as an unsung hero since in cycling media there's only room for World Tour racers. I myself am not typically tall, 180 centimetres but a heavier built with wide shouldres and hips. This puts me into the field sprinter category. I haven't raced much yet but if I would be able to get to a proper shape then I would try to conquer the road races of my area that are flat, windy and have bumpy tarmac.
Ohh wow. Can i respectfully ask you what frame size do you have to buy or do you ride? Do you have to drive a Kids-Road-Cycling bike? Would just interest me. I was over 180cm with 15 already, thats why i am asking. Having a frame size 60 now with ~190cm
@@marvin5729 No problem about you asking at all. I ride a junior size road bike so everything is scaled down. Not just the frame but crank length, stem length, reach to the shifters etc. I find even the smallest frame adult size is just slightly too big in every direction. But a junior one is perfect. And it’s definitely like riding behind a delivery truck. I can tuck in so well 😁. Funnily enough no one ever tries to draft behind me 😂.
Just going to point out that in some parts of the world, a "pocket rocket" would be a small size women's vibrator... not just a fast or excitable small person. ;)
Should have included a descending challenge! My experience being a lightweight is that if I'm going to get dropped it happens on the flat or downhill portions of a ride
Loved the video. As a fellow 6'8 big man myself, i kinda knew how this one was gonna go. The final challenge was super interesting, i think would have been different with a headwind. With equipment getting lighter and more aero, i think the smaller riders have a bigger advantage than ever.
I'd love to see Conor do a video on cycling clothing and brands that make cycling clothing for tall riders. I have a difficult time finding jerseys, bibs rain gear, ect that fits me properly.
I am going to go off topic here and talk about visibility. As cyclists we are so vulnerable on the road and should think about whether or not we can be seen, and not just from behind. (I note Max has a rear light.) Take a look at the vid at 10.04. You can just about see Connor. A car trying to overtake from the other direction might not.
At 6'6" I'm no giant, but my best mate at 5' 3" has always been quite impressive. Always wanted to do a video like this, and appreciate the effort. For me, I doubt I'll ever be a pro, so its down to the love of the sport and I'd be happy to ride with either of you any day! Great job and thanks for the video!
at nearly 2 meters height i'm pretty sure you are a giant. Having trouble fitting anywhere and hitting your head are good indicators when it comes to that.
Hi guys I'm 5,5 ,68 kilos 73 old guy, ride a orbea ebike, road up Newlands pass in the lake district yesterday, met a tall guy just like you little and large, but he was a lot younger, he wasn't on an ebike bring on old guys on their ebike, enjoyed the your blog.
Max waving at invisible crowd had me rolling 😂😂 that mustache/goatie looks pretty aero if you ask me P.S. as a shorter rider (156 cm), very much interested with Max's set-up
I'm curious about Max's setup, i.e., saddle height, stem length, what size bike does he use, etc etc. Anyone with info? Also, man, what Connor said at 10:51 still pains me, even as someone who's outside GB. Followed the team from the time Rory showed up on the 5 roadies vs 1 TT video.
As a 6'8" cyclist I recommend using aerobars. They make a huge difference on the flats and downhill. If I stay down on the aerobars and put in a simple 500 watts I usually catch up to anybody. At least on the flats.
At 197cm, I keep telling my 165cm friend that he is rubbish to sit behind, but it’s even worse than I thought. 2 watts? I’d get more value out of doing up a zip, or straightening the banana in my back pocket!
Oh man, this put a smile on my face! Max and Conor were great together, and the topic was something everyone has desperately argued in their own head as they got dropped in their local group ride (and with the group at the stop afterwards). "It's only because they're bigger/smaller and we're on the flat/climb!" The drafting effect was cool to put numbers to! I'm 165cm tall and I've always debated whether I should be taking pulls on the hoods to try and block more wind and help out the taller rider behind me, or in the drops because screw that guy - I'm having to put out a lot more power on a flat than he is anyways! 😂
183cm and 122kg...Punchy climbs and rollers are good because of the downhill, same for flats... headwinds and long, even rather shallow grades are BRUTAL.
Great video! I'm 6ft 5" and this video confirm the "negative & hard" points for being tall within a group of cycling team with average high. Happy cycling!
I'm also tall and I will tell you, the only way to survive is to strengthen that core and get flexible. Otherwise you will be eating so much wind that you won't be able to do anything and single-file drafting won't do much for you. Something that worked pretty great was working on my position on a wattbike. You get to set it up like your bike and can adjust your position (and fit) to find a good balance between aero and funcion/power production. If you have some explosivity the track will feel like a home for you. No wind to slow you down so you'll ride fast if you are fit. Plus your weight will have you flying down from the top of the bankings. If you want to know how fast you can really push it this is the place.
Excellent video - Conor is fantastic (as always) and Max was great also. Next time, add in a "control" rider for us middle folks (I'm 184 cm and 69 kg) who don't have Conor's raw power or Max's power to weight ratio!
I would give Connor one more point for technique. Its visually very nice to see someone keeping the perfectly straight line and keeping perfectly upright bike even when going all out. However its probably not connected with height 😀
I found this quite interesting and aerodynamic advantage also makes sense with different body sizes but at the end of day, past & current winners of major race competitions pretty much tells the story. None of the small guys wins and winners don't need to lead the pack at the front for the entire race so aerodynamic disadvantages can be greatly minimized by using other riders to draft until the final sprint. That being said, it was nice to see that in some situations, there isn't a huge gap with being a smaller rider.
I'm 170cm. Pretty much everyone I ride with is taller than I am. This is exactly what I experience. I'm better on the climbs, but get dropped on the long pulls. Great video, GCN! And good luck, Max, with getting yourself a contract!
@@gcn Yup. I wish I could say it was an aero issue. I think I just need to get more time on the turbo. Having small levers can be a bummer. But honestly, if I have to pick a strength, it's climbing.
@@gcn incline vs weight. I'm 197cm and 92kg and I can clearly see that I can ride with my mates up to 5%. The steeper it gets the more I suffer. And my vengeance is on the flat. Or even more on the decent. Pure physics but very informative.
6'7 here and it's amazing how much faster the shorter folks are. Frontal area/drag is a big deal in this sport...HUGE deal. So even though I can crank out some watts, and some decent w/kg others with similar w/kg who are shorter are still faster. I've attributed this to aero and this video seems to confirm that.
Love Connor and absolutely hope Max gets a ride soon! I'm happy drafting behind anyone of any size so long as they can keep a safe, steady, predictable course! Thanks for the great vid!
This was pretty funny! Especially the kid’s bicycle comment. As a short rider myself, I can completely relate. Although relate on a much decreased scale as Max’s watts/kg is far higher than mine.
Love to see the numbers behind this! My partner and I do a lot of duo rides, and as he's a foot taller than I am poor guy never catches a break if we take turns drafting. But at least me never wanting to go in front into a headwind is backed up by science! And on the other hand I'll never come close to catching him on a descent!
I am 180cm & 75 kg. I am by no means as large as Connor, but I recently rode gravel events with female riders. They were all into climbing. Luckily, I am ok on the flat and sprinting and did not get dropped. It is difficult to make up for 20 or so kg in weight difference going uphill. There is a reason why small riders like climbing so much. 😂
I feel like I need to give my predictions here before watching the video and then return to see if I'm correct! As far as I can figure out there's barely any advantage in cycling to being tall. You're heavier (and so will be the bike) so going uphill (which is all about power to weight) is worse unless you have proportionally more power. Then on the flat you're bigger so will be less aerodynamic. Although less subject to the wind. Possibly it's better for sprinting as maybe you can fit more muscle onto a longer leg? But other than that I can't see how longer levers help. I'm the same height as Conor and used to be a rower where they definitely did. Are cranks longer on bigger bikes made for tall people? If they're not then it's back to needing more power. Still, I'll take the cycling disadvantages for always being able to see the band at a concert.
Love that vid! As a tall cyclist, I can totally relate to what Conor is going through! But remember, outside of cycling, being a tall man is definitely an advantage. ;)
Nice to see I’m 6’7” 2m and I weigh 128kg so I’m a big boy and everyone loves riding behind me mind you I do get a bit of assistance when I’m at the back of a pack.
The difference in braking was less than the margin of uncertainty, which is not surprising. Heavier riders press the tires into the pavement with more force and generate more traction, but more force is needed to stop a heavier rider in the same distance. These two effects cancel each other, meaning any difference is skill, brake feel/ modulation, and tire compound.
I had to laugh when Max mentioned "monkey bars" at the playground. When I was a kid, every playground had them mounted in concrete. There were always accidents that resulted in broken arms, but that was just part of being a kid. You hardly find them anymore, because they are "too dangerous". If you do see them, the ground underneath is covered in soft wood chips, to protect little Jimmy.
Small rides like Cav get super low and aero, which reduces the advantage for taller riders to draught them, making the tallerrider work a lot harder than they would do draughting another taller rider. Stay as low as you can and make the tall riders work to keep up
another issue is trying to sell the bike. im not a guy who sticks on one bike for more than 2 years. i like to always sell and buy to get a variety of different bikes expierences. and selling was painful. rarely i find a shortie like me whos willing to buy from me lol
Intuitively I’d imagine small and strong is preferable, though larger people may be able to generate more absolute power. The advantage of being small is that you present less frontal area and therefore reduce drag resistance.
0:05 90 kg isn't big for 204 cm; I'm the same weight at 181 cm and I'm not that big for my height; point is, big relates to weight/bulk, not height, which descriptors should be tall, average or short, compared to the norm.
You can get away with being tall as long as you are light. I was 66kg 194cm when racing. Suffered on fast flats but I could climb pretty well. Long femurs also help on steep grades
Yeah, I'm 5'6" and love to get behind a larger rider but I am always leaning to the side or peeking through their arm pit to see what's ahead. Never thought of having to ride a little differently until Max pointed that out.
Im 180cm/81kg my ridemate is 162cm/68kg. On our normal rides i average 30w more on normalized power no matter what ride we end up doing. My ftp is 60w above his but we have comparable fitness levels. On the climbs i basically need to go 300w to follow his 200w pace. He absolutely destroys me every time. Funny thing though, i always make it back during descents where i typically go 20kmh faster freewheeling than him. At least drafting behind him gets me savings unlike that poor Connor ! Well done guys
Tech question: Why aren't crankarm lengths proportional to frame sizes? (Or better yet, leg lengths?) "Laziness" of manufacturers? (cheaper to minimize the number of lengths a company has to make)
As a short rider, who's also flexible enough to get into a pretty compact and aero form, riders don't often mind if I don't come to the front - I think we can easily see why from this video!
Great video and I totally empathize at 194cm... it should've been 3/3 as you missed the down hills!! :) I've got back into many a bunch by learning how to ride down at speed..
I am 5'6" (167cm) at 128lbs (58kg) on a 49cm Giant TCR that weigh in at 14 lbs (6kg), hope I wrote conversion out correct. With the guys I ride with it plays out same as your test, but I can get them on all out effort. The heavy guys hold line better and able to last longer with cross winds, where I get blown around and wear out due to fighting the wind holding onto my line. Going up climbs I drop them, but If we play around and coast down, they will drop me.
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What advantages does your size give you as a cyclist? 🚴 Let us know in the comments below! 👇
On a downhill section the heavier rider would go faster.
Taller riders have longer reach. You can punch someone in the peloton fairly easily.
@@biggertree7063 looooooooool
Taller rider have more friends, because everyone wants to draft you.
@@m4yd0g Yeah, but taller riders have to work harder
I absolutely love cycling, but one thing I always envy smaller cyclists - they just look better and more proportional than taller riders. I'm 194cm (6'4"), and I believe we, taller riders, even on properly sized bikes look a bit like clowns on child's tricycle. Just compare at 1:51 😅
Max’s smile is contagious. He’s such a charismatic fellow!
As a larger rider at 192cm, thank you so much GCN for creating this kind of video which gives me an excuse when I get dropped on climbs and in sprints.
Hahahaha Conor is always on hand to offer excuses? 😂
so I'm confused. when does the taller rider have an advantage?
@@ericvutran4140 in raw power. So basically on a straight over more than just a short sprint and even more so with a tailwind.
That makes two of us. I'm still trying to be a 🏔️ 🐐😅
@@lupo3694 TT is big boys friend.. OH and descends. Noone is catching you, if you don't crash in a corner. I remembered a local race I went to, on descend a fellow cyclist came up to me in a straight and said he gave it all he had and he could never get on my tail down the hill. And he was riding aero rims and I rode standard endurance bike.
Very cool video! I had no idea size would make that much of a difference! Great chemistry between Connor and Max. Connor as always, a gracious host.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Max is hilarious! Of course Connor does provide a wonderful platform for those qualities to come out in folks..
Good to see this test. I'm 6ft 7"/200cm and 90 kg. I'm more than happy to spend time on the front, and oh how I love the sound of freewheeling behind me 😅
Same, there isn’t that much draft for us anyway 😅
Know the feeling at having a body shaped for track at 185cm and approx 100kg...almost always in front on road rides 😂
Same here, 6 feet, wide shoulders big legs! My friend love being in my draft! 😆
You should come on some group rides with us 😉 We love freewheeling
I really appreciate folks like you on the road. Ride safe!
I'm a mediocre rider, 198 cm and my training partner for many years was Max's size. We learned through experience what you just learned -- the only place I had an advantage was flat roads with favorable wind. I could also sprint for longer than most guys I raced with. Riding with someone that small certainly encouraged me to get flexible so I could ride on the drops!
That's one way to learn how to get aero 👀
I'm 7ft 2in 123kg and I love breaking wind for my mates. They hate it because they have to hold their breath until they pass me 😄
Maybe next April 1st, we can have a spoof movie trailer called "Breaking Wind" :)
can you be a center in our team 😅
What about descending? Does Conor’s weight give him an advantage? Straight descent vs. curvy? Does Max’s lower center of gravity help him corner better? Inquiring minds need to know!
Maybe we'll have to get Max back for more! Pidcock is a small guy and we all know how good at descending he is!
Newton already answered that question
Means he needs a better anchor! Momentum= mass x velocity, so if he can get aero, then the extra 35kg is his friend and by sitting up, Connor instantly deploys a mahooosive airbrake!
Ying and yang I guess! 🤔🤷
Smaller riders like Pidcock are better through the corners due to the lower centre of gravity. But in a straight line descent a taller, heavier rider would have a slight advantage.
Mass has no effect on falling velocity. If all resistive forces (air, friction) are equal then riders of any mass would descend at the same speed.
I’m 152cm and 58kg and I absolutely love the luxury of riding just about anyone’s wheel and feel the immediate relief of energy preservation 😅 Only downside it’s hard to find extra small size bikes. 🤷🏽♀️
Im 150 and Pinarello is the best for me. Cost more, but all other bikes reach is way to long starting at 370
That's a great advantage! Do you find you have to alter bikes to fit you?
Im 151cm Male, well, xs frame sizes are kinda rare and costly, im using a 46cm size Roadbike its just fine for me.
what bike are you riding?
my gf is 155 and I have troubles to find her first road bike
@@HCMORGI Pinarello Paris 43cm, felt also make 43cm bikes
i sent this to my tall friends saying "this could be us, but you playing". GCN really has the best cycling content, its so diverse and informative the videos. It's really for the people.
Hahahahaha great to hear that GCN is doing the groupchat rounds 😂
I'm 166 cm and 54 kg, my bike weighs 14 kg and I'm usually carrying shopping. I'm probably underachieving in all areas.
whats that in english?
@@mikewade777 in English that is 166 cm 54 kg.
@@doddsalfa nope, try feet inches and stone... Bikes weigh kg, fish weigh lb... People don't.
@@mikewade777 that’s for the third world
@@mikewade777 did you mean Imperial measurements?
I love the 'walk in' intro!!!
I recently watched a replay of La Vuelta 2017. Connor was catching wind the whole time periscoping from the Peleton. (It wasn't exactly a game of where's Wally)
Pretty remarkable effort to finish the race virtually as a solo effort 😂😂!!
I really enjoyed the part of the video explaining the drafting difference in real world figures. I would love a video with a full GCN team peloton explaining the watt difference the drafting effect has on different race positions/ moves. Ie the relative effort of being sat in the bunch or the effort of bridging to a breakaway Vs then being able to sit on the back of the small group
I'm glad I've found this video. At 5' 5" myself, I've always been self-conscious about my height when I bike with others, who tend to be much taller. Max is an inspieration!
same here mate!
This is the best “real world” film I’ve seen GCN do because this situation is played out in every club ride. It also cuts through the BS about who has the highest FTP.
Side by side, on the flat at 30kmh and 240 watts vs 355 watts. This says it all!
Thanks Tim! Glad you enjoyed it
flats are boring, its the climbs that make you feel the dominance lol
1:06 "One point six seven centimetres" - Oh! That is one hack of a perspective trick you pulled off there! ;)
Being only 5'6" myself, awesome win for us "wee lads"! Of course, I couldn't hang with Max on his worst day with me on my best. I normally just submit that I can climb ok and suffer everywhere else, but Max did well on all except raw power. Well done.
1:08 Max is indeed really short with his 1.67 cm height. :D I think it's almost obvious that Connor would be a time trialist type (and not only into a tailwind) hence he is really tall and slim. Ganna is a great example and also Marcin Bialoblocki who is 197 cm tall. Marcin absolutley smashed almost all the British National distances but he unfortunately came across as an unsung hero since in cycling media there's only room for World Tour racers.
I myself am not typically tall, 180 centimetres but a heavier built with wide shouldres and hips. This puts me into the field sprinter category. I haven't raced much yet but if I would be able to get to a proper shape then I would try to conquer the road races of my area that are flat, windy and have bumpy tarmac.
So relate to this. I’m a shorter rider at 145cm. Love the ability to tuck in behind others and get their draft.
Ohh wow. Can i respectfully ask you what frame size do you have to buy or do you ride? Do you have to drive a Kids-Road-Cycling bike? Would just interest me. I was over 180cm with 15 already, thats why i am asking. Having a frame size 60 now with ~190cm
Like riding behind a delivery truck.
@@marvin5729 I'm a few cms more , I have a 48cm cervelo
@@marvin5729 No problem about you asking at all. I ride a junior size road bike so everything is scaled down. Not just the frame but crank length, stem length, reach to the shifters etc. I find even the smallest frame adult size is just slightly too big in every direction. But a junior one is perfect.
And it’s definitely like riding behind a delivery truck. I can tuck in so well 😁. Funnily enough no one ever tries to draft behind me 😂.
How do the other riders feel about that? 👀
I’d love to see wha Max has done in the gym and his training routine. A proper pocket rocket!!!
He trains hard 🙌
Just going to point out that in some parts of the world, a "pocket rocket" would be a small size women's vibrator... not just a fast or excitable small person. ;)
Should have included a descending challenge! My experience being a lightweight is that if I'm going to get dropped it happens on the flat or downhill portions of a ride
cue the pidcock gifs... 😅
Yep, first to the top of the hill, last back down...
Loved the video. As a fellow 6'8 big man myself, i kinda knew how this one was gonna go. The final challenge was super interesting, i think would have been different with a headwind. With equipment getting lighter and more aero, i think the smaller riders have a bigger advantage than ever.
5'2" here - Max's comments at 4:40 are spot on. "Staring at asses all day" and "peering out the side" is my life.
I'd love to see Conor do a video on cycling clothing and brands that make cycling clothing for tall riders. I have a difficult time finding jerseys, bibs rain gear, ect that fits me properly.
Very few big guys would ever see anything close to 7 watts/kg. Weight is everything.
I am going to go off topic here and talk about visibility. As cyclists we are so vulnerable on the road and should think about whether or not we can be seen, and not just from behind. (I note Max has a rear light.) Take a look at the vid at 10.04. You can just about see Connor. A car trying to overtake from the other direction might not.
Very good point
the little caveat with my 164-5 cm body is the challenge to find extra small/ suitable nice geometry for my size (and not so long extremity)
As a short rider (167cm/70kg) this is very interesting! My biggest problem is that smal size bikes often looks sooo tiny!
Have you ever thought of going to smaller wheels? 650B can keep everything in proportion.
@@gcn correct. canyon actually only offers 650B wheels for sizes S and XS i believe
The smaller cyclist has a distinct advantage, not only in the wind / draft due to the shaft-pedals and the silly rules about bike (wheel) dimensions.
At 6'6" I'm no giant, but my best mate at 5' 3" has always been quite impressive. Always wanted to do a video like this, and appreciate the effort. For me, I doubt I'll ever be a pro, so its down to the love of the sport and I'd be happy to ride with either of you any day! Great job and thanks for the video!
at nearly 2 meters height i'm pretty sure you are a giant. Having trouble fitting anywhere and hitting your head are good indicators when it comes to that.
6'6 is not a giant? where do you live mate lol
Hi guys I'm 5,5 ,68 kilos 73 old guy, ride a orbea ebike, road up Newlands pass in the lake district yesterday, met a tall guy just like you little and large, but he was a lot younger, he wasn't on an ebike bring on old guys on their ebike, enjoyed the your blog.
Max waving at invisible crowd had me rolling 😂😂 that mustache/goatie looks pretty aero if you ask me
P.S. as a shorter rider (156 cm), very much interested with Max's set-up
1:05 - "1 point 6, 7 centimeters." Conor, that's like the height of a valve cap. 😀
I'm curious about Max's setup, i.e., saddle height, stem length, what size bike does he use, etc etc. Anyone with info?
Also, man, what Connor said at 10:51 still pains me, even as someone who's outside GB. Followed the team from the time Rory showed up on the 5 roadies vs 1 TT video.
Shall we get Max in for a pro bike check? 👀
@@gcn Definitely. At 196cm myself I'm always interested in tall rider setups!
@@gcn yes please
As a 6'8" cyclist I recommend using aerobars. They make a huge difference on the flats and downhill. If I stay down on the aerobars and put in a simple 500 watts I usually catch up to anybody. At least on the flats.
At 197cm, I keep telling my 165cm friend that he is rubbish to sit behind, but it’s even worse than I thought. 2 watts? I’d get more value out of doing up a zip, or straightening the banana in my back pocket!
this is probably the most fun gcn video ive seen from quite some time now. Good Job with the content Conor.🔥🔥🔥
Oh man, this put a smile on my face! Max and Conor were great together, and the topic was something everyone has desperately argued in their own head as they got dropped in their local group ride (and with the group at the stop afterwards). "It's only because they're bigger/smaller and we're on the flat/climb!" The drafting effect was cool to put numbers to! I'm 165cm tall and I've always debated whether I should be taking pulls on the hoods to try and block more wind and help out the taller rider behind me, or in the drops because screw that guy - I'm having to put out a lot more power on a flat than he is anyways! 😂
183cm and 122kg...Punchy climbs and rollers are good because of the downhill, same for flats... headwinds and long, even rather shallow grades are BRUTAL.
Max was a natural presenter. Great video
Great video! I'm 6ft 5" and this video confirm the "negative & hard" points for being tall within a group of cycling team with average high. Happy cycling!
I'm also tall and I will tell you, the only way to survive is to strengthen that core and get flexible.
Otherwise you will be eating so much wind that you won't be able to do anything and single-file drafting won't do much for you.
Something that worked pretty great was working on my position on a wattbike. You get to set it up like your bike and can adjust your position (and fit) to find a good balance between aero and funcion/power production.
If you have some explosivity the track will feel like a home for you.
No wind to slow you down so you'll ride fast if you are fit. Plus your weight will have you flying down from the top of the bankings.
If you want to know how fast you can really push it this is the place.
Excellent video - Conor is fantastic (as always) and Max was great also. Next time, add in a "control" rider for us middle folks (I'm 184 cm and 69 kg) who don't have Conor's raw power or Max's power to weight ratio!
I would give Connor one more point for technique. Its visually very nice to see someone keeping the perfectly straight line and keeping perfectly upright bike even when going all out. However its probably not connected with height 😀
Once a pro always a pro! 😂
always amazed and pleased to see the concepts you develop to entertain and inform.
I found this quite interesting and aerodynamic advantage also makes sense with different body sizes but at the end of day, past & current winners of major race competitions pretty much tells the story. None of the small guys wins and winners don't need to lead the pack at the front for the entire race so aerodynamic disadvantages can be greatly minimized by using other riders to draft until the final sprint. That being said, it was nice to see that in some situations, there isn't a huge gap with being a smaller rider.
I'm 170cm. Pretty much everyone I ride with is taller than I am. This is exactly what I experience. I'm better on the climbs, but get dropped on the long pulls. Great video, GCN!
And good luck, Max, with getting yourself a contract!
Do you tuck in when the road gets flat and long? 👀
@@gcn Yup. I wish I could say it was an aero issue. I think I just need to get more time on the turbo. Having small levers can be a bummer. But honestly, if I have to pick a strength, it's climbing.
I love all these comparison videos. Entertaining and informative.
Can you think of anything else we should do a comparison of? 👀
@@gcn incline vs weight. I'm 197cm and 92kg and I can clearly see that I can ride with my mates up to 5%. The steeper it gets the more I suffer. And my vengeance is on the flat. Or even more on the decent. Pure physics but very informative.
6'7 here and it's amazing how much faster the shorter folks are. Frontal area/drag is a big deal in this sport...HUGE deal. So even though I can crank out some watts, and some decent w/kg others with similar w/kg who are shorter are still faster. I've attributed this to aero and this video seems to confirm that.
Here's one Conor would win: The "downhill coast." Max would start ahead but Conor would easily pass him as gravity assists him more.
Maybe but Conor is much less aero
Love Connor and absolutely hope Max gets a ride soon! I'm happy drafting behind anyone of any size so long as they can keep a safe, steady, predictable course! Thanks for the great vid!
This was pretty funny! Especially the kid’s bicycle comment. As a short rider myself, I can completely relate. Although relate on a much decreased scale as Max’s watts/kg is far higher than mine.
Love to see the numbers behind this! My partner and I do a lot of duo rides, and as he's a foot taller than I am poor guy never catches a break if we take turns drafting. But at least me never wanting to go in front into a headwind is backed up by science! And on the other hand I'll never come close to catching him on a descent!
I am 180cm & 75 kg. I am by no means as large as Connor, but I recently rode gravel events with female riders. They were all into climbing. Luckily, I am ok on the flat and sprinting and did not get dropped. It is difficult to make up for 20 or so kg in weight difference going uphill.
There is a reason why small riders like climbing so much. 😂
Im 6'6" 220 lbs do love long rides with wind at my back, in group rides people love to draft behind me as I'm regularly told.
Fun video. Enjoyed this one.
Would love to see a comparison between a tall rider and small rider when roughly the same weight, see what difference actual size makes.
I feel like I need to give my predictions here before watching the video and then return to see if I'm correct! As far as I can figure out there's barely any advantage in cycling to being tall. You're heavier (and so will be the bike) so going uphill (which is all about power to weight) is worse unless you have proportionally more power. Then on the flat you're bigger so will be less aerodynamic. Although less subject to the wind.
Possibly it's better for sprinting as maybe you can fit more muscle onto a longer leg? But other than that I can't see how longer levers help. I'm the same height as Conor and used to be a rower where they definitely did. Are cranks longer on bigger bikes made for tall people? If they're not then it's back to needing more power.
Still, I'll take the cycling disadvantages for always being able to see the band at a concert.
Long Femurs are good for short steep climbs but other than that long legs don't help
At 6ft and 90kgs, there’s no hope for me 😂 mind you 2 years ago that was 115kgs, so yes cycling has been a big positive for me.
Love that vid! As a tall cyclist, I can totally relate to what Conor is going through! But remember, outside of cycling, being a tall man is definitely an advantage. ;)
Absolutely love this content! Fascinating video! Thanks to Conor and Max for demonstrating the dynamic so well! Hope some team snaps Max up!
Nice to see I’m 6’7” 2m and I weigh 128kg so I’m a big boy and everyone loves riding behind me mind you I do get a bit of assistance when I’m at the back of a pack.
Nice video guys. Max is truly impressive - really hope you get your team 👍
He's a little rocket 🚀
The difference in braking was less than the margin of uncertainty, which is not surprising. Heavier riders press the tires into the pavement with more force and generate more traction, but more force is needed to stop a heavier rider in the same distance. These two effects cancel each other, meaning any difference is skill, brake feel/ modulation, and tire compound.
I had to laugh when Max mentioned "monkey bars" at the playground. When I was a kid, every playground had them mounted in concrete. There were always accidents that resulted in broken arms, but that was just part of being a kid. You hardly find them anymore, because they are "too dangerous". If you do see them, the ground underneath is covered in soft wood chips, to protect little Jimmy.
Small rides like Cav get super low and aero, which reduces the advantage for taller riders to draught them, making the tallerrider work a lot harder than they would do draughting another taller rider. Stay as low as you can and make the tall riders work to keep up
Why Kittel packed it in
One thing that’s more difficult if you’re small is finding good deals on second-hand bikes because all the frames are too big for you 😅
Nice video!
Short people never sell their bikes
I find the issue other way. No 63cm bikes for sale second hand here...
another issue is trying to sell the bike. im not a guy who sticks on one bike for more than 2 years. i like to always sell and buy to get a variety of different bikes expierences. and selling was painful. rarely i find a shortie like me whos willing to buy from me lol
3:01 Sorry, 355 watts at 30 kph? Even for Conor that seems very high - was it like 2% uphill or something?
So to sum this up: Connor exceeds at going slower
Brutal 😉
At 163cm...I now feel a lot better about my 3 digit sprint.
me too ! 100W has 3 digits !
The only question i have is what crank length is Max using ? At 164cm hight i can only get 165mm which is to long .
Scram and Shimano make 160, that what I run at 4'11
Damned, I am lost with this video. What am I gonna do now? I have Max's size and Connor's weight.
The difference in frontal areas is amazing.
Interesting video, I hope Max gets a team.
Some day Connor will get a recumbent to finally be aero and smash all his KoM's.
Intuitively I’d imagine small and strong is preferable, though larger people may be able to generate more absolute power. The advantage of being small is that you present less frontal area and therefore reduce drag resistance.
@@paddymurphy-oconnor8255And less connection with women 😢
@@pussmasssemanding Gotta watch those emissions:)
Pidcock Remco Lemond
I'm 6'10 and 105kg and just love sprinting downhill with a tailwind, don't think I'll ever get a climbing KOM though!
why not? it's not because of your size because you are actually at an advantage
0:05 90 kg isn't big for 204 cm; I'm the same weight at 181 cm and I'm not that big for my height; point is, big relates to weight/bulk, not height, which descriptors should be tall, average or short, compared to the norm.
You can get away with being tall as long as you are light. I was 66kg 194cm when racing. Suffered on fast flats but I could climb pretty well. Long femurs also help on steep grades
At 156 cM, I've been told I'm not much of a wind break 😂 Being pint sized means I can draft almost anyone!
Sounds pretty ideal! 😉
@@gcn until you try to buy a bike! Very limited choices 😢
201cm, 108kg, 66cm bike. I love tailwinds 😂
Yeah, I'm 5'6" and love to get behind a larger rider but I am always leaning to the side or peeking through their arm pit to see what's ahead. Never thought of having to ride a little differently until Max pointed that out.
Now I get why Remco Evenepoel is so good.
Nice use of Chew Valley Lake for this video!
Cool rider size comparing video,I really like Max's Dolan Ares Road bikeand it's really good value for money.
I am small and heavy = worst combo!
Neither strong as a big guy nor light as a climber.
I am 182 cm with 105kg to carry, now I understand how come others are much faster then me
At 6'3", 240 pounds I am always being dropped on climbs by smaller riders. But I usually win on the descent. You should have tested going downhill.
Great video! Pure comedy in places 😂 Yay for little people. Draft Kings and queens
👑👑
Im 180cm/81kg my ridemate is 162cm/68kg. On our normal rides i average 30w more on normalized power no matter what ride we end up doing. My ftp is 60w above his but we have comparable fitness levels. On the climbs i basically need to go 300w to follow his 200w pace. He absolutely destroys me every time. Funny thing though, i always make it back during descents where i typically go 20kmh faster freewheeling than him. At least drafting behind him gets me savings unlike that poor Connor ! Well done guys
Good info there, as I would be your ride partner in this scenario..
Tech question: Why aren't crankarm lengths proportional to frame sizes? (Or better yet, leg lengths?) "Laziness" of manufacturers? (cheaper to minimize the number of lengths a company has to make)
As a short rider, who's also flexible enough to get into a pretty compact and aero form, riders don't often mind if I don't come to the front - I think we can easily see why from this video!
So nice to see a dad taking his son out on a bike ride.. 😊
Good video that. Different terrain suits different riders. Key takeaway is try and be the best version of yourself I think.
Connor's "Not gonna happen" made my day!
Great video and I totally empathize at 194cm... it should've been 3/3 as you missed the down hills!! :) I've got back into many a bunch by learning how to ride down at speed..
can we already talk about the fact that 355w vs 240w side by side is already huge
This is brutal. I'm 194 and all my height is in my legs. Basically I'm a giraffe 🦒
I am 5'6" (167cm) at 128lbs (58kg) on a 49cm Giant TCR that weigh in at 14 lbs (6kg), hope I wrote conversion out correct. With the guys I ride with it plays out same as your test, but I can get them on all out effort. The heavy guys hold line better and able to last longer with cross winds, where I get blown around and wear out due to fighting the wind holding onto my line. Going up climbs I drop them, but If we play around and coast down, they will drop me.
I’m 200 cm, and 100 kg and I do love a tailwind!