Big Calves

Richie G

Why is it so many cyclists i see out and about have such big calves? I know i've followed people up hills and simply can't believe people can have calves that big! Reason i say this is i have the skinniest calves in the universe What's going on?

spasypaddy

my calves are 16inches i think... is that big or small?

Garybee

When you start to do a lot of fast miles they do get pretty freaky. It's not the size so much as the definition and the network of veins.

carlstone

Calf size as with a lot of things is governed a lot by genetic potential. Although as said cycling does improve size and definition, if you were born with small calves no matter how much you work them you won't get freaky size but may get freaky veins and definition.

on the road

spasypaddy wrote:

my calves are 16inches i think... is that big or small?

But how much of that is fat? only joking

My calves are 13 inch, but I think calf size has a lot to do with size. I'm 5 foot 6 so 16 inch calves on me would probably look ugly.

Eat My Dust

Richie G wrote:

Why is it so many cyclists i see out and about have such big calves? I know i've followed people up hills and simply can't believe people can have calves that big! Reason i say this is i have the skinniest calves in the universe What's going on?

Poor wee lamb

spasypaddy

on the road wrote:

spasypaddy wrote:

my calves are 16inches i think... is that big or small?

But how much of that is fat? only joking

My calves are 13 inch, but I think calf size has a lot to do with size. I'm 5 foot 6 so 16 inch calves on me would probably look ugly.

im not much taller, buy my legs are like tree trunks

my calves aren't fat but they aren't defined they are just humongous. Years of cycling combined with football has done that

is 16 inches big then? or average or what?

peanut

my calves are 18" and have always been big since I was about 20 . Partly genetic but mostly in proportion to my weight. If you are athletic but carry a lot of weight your calves will grow to accommodate the workload they are called upon to do.
This is not necessarily an advantage. I am an awesome sprinter but hopeless in the hills . My weight has fluctuated between 16 and 17.5 stone but then thats what you'd expect from an ex shot-putter .
Be thankful you are carrying the weight that you are. You should be a good climber with good long distance endurance

Anonymous

spasypaddy wrote:

my calves are 16inches i think... is that big or small?

Just perfect.

Same as mine :shock:

Now there's a coincidence

on the road

I must skinny then, but at 8 stone 10, that's probably a yes.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry :?

SteveR_100Milers

small calves?? pah this is like the "wish I had straight/curly hair debate" we had as kids.

Mine I am sure are bigger than my thighs, which is bizarre, and downright abnormal. Like peanut, they are crap for climbing, and I too am on the heavier side at 15st ish, most of which is upper body muscles mass.. I used to be able to sprint too, but age and fags have taken half the blade rather than just the edge off my speed...
I have given this much thought, and believe that the optimum cycling leg profile has a thigh to calf diameter of at least 3:1 for that classic athletic appearance. Anything lower and you just look like a stumpy extra from Lord fo the Rings.... :evil: Therefore I would suggest you should consider yourself lucky.!

Richie G

Well i can't believe i've been reduced to measuring my calves :roll: (Mrs G looked quite dismayed), but for the record my calves are 13.5 inches. I guess at 6 ft and 11.5 stone i'm bound to be pretty skinny. However, my wife reckons i have a 'huge' arse! Maybe we should turn this into an out of proportion cycling freaks thread

Turnbull2000

5' 10' with 16' calves. Women love them 8)

Cakey

Richie G wrote:

Maybe we should turn this into an out of proportion cycling freaks thread

I'm in for that - always thought that my legs were strangely out of proportion, but never had a 'justified' reason for measuring them till now...

I'm 5' 7'' with 18 inch calves (and 26 inch thighs)...


...slinks back into the shadows, where his freakish, stumpy kind belong...

SteveR_100Milers

6ft 1, 15 stone, 24" thigh, 18" calves. Not even 2:1!!!

That doesnt even qualify and a Hobbit!! <hangs head in shame>

oldwelshman

Richie G wrote:

Why is it so many cyclists i see out and about have such big calves? I know i've followed people up hills and simply can't believe people can have calves that big! Reason i say this is i have the skinniest calves in the universe What's going on?

because most of them have small dicks

popette

peanut wrote:

my calves are 18" and have always been big since I was about 20 . Partly genetic but mostly in proportion to my weight. If you are athletic but carry a lot of weight your calves will grow to accommodate the workload they are called upon to do.
This is not necessarily an advantage. I am an awesome sprinter but hopeless in the hills . My weight has fluctuated between 16 and 17.5 stone but then thats what you'd expect from an ex shot-putter .
Be thankful you are carrying the weight that you are. You should be a good climber with good long distance endurance

hey!! I'm an ex discus thrower! Of course, I did throw a few shots around as well - I think I may still hold a few records for the north of england Like you, it's also the reason why I'm good on flat and not great (yet) on the hills. I think it's all those cleans and squats I had to do.

6ft (well, just under now) and calves are 15.5inch.

btw, I don't have hairy armpits or a moustache.

popette

Turnbull2000 wrote:

5' 10' with 16' calves. Women love them 8)

I must say, big calves with a kilt and the socks rolled down a bit with some boots - I like.

popette

kids are wondering why I'm now measuring my thighs. 24.5inch :shock:

Gary R

i think cyclists calves look big because they have thin ankles,Non cyclists always laugh at my skinny ankles!!!

Monty Dog

People have commented that my legs are a weapon of psychological warfare - years of rock climbing and ski-ing means that they are pretty well-defined, particularly the calves. The downside is that they are too big to be comfortable with certain brands of bike tights - at 5'5" and 9.5 stone I'm no heavyweight, but have to wear medium tights in certain brands because the smaller size restricts the blood flow in my legs. When I used to ski, I had lots of problems with boots because the cuff was too high and cut into the muscles in my legs.

hammerite

5ft 10 - 11 stone 5.......

16 inch calves and 22 inch thighs, and thats after being injured so having no exercise for 2 months. I never realised my legs were big until someone in my old football team pointed it out, they've always been like it. It then also became apparent as to why I struggle to find jeans/trousers baggy enough to be comfortable.

meesterbond

I've always had pretty big calves, but after taking my boots off after the first day of my first snowboarding holiday they were huge! Had the missus in hysterics!
5 hours of largely heel edging down blue and red runs pumped them up to a hillarious level.

pneumatic

popette wrote:

Turnbull2000 wrote:

5' 10' with 16' calves. Women love them 8)

I must say, big calves with a kilt and the socks rolled down a bit with some boots - I like.

Funny you should say that. Since I took up cycling again, I have felt much more confident in full highland dress. Especially since these days, on seeing a man in a kilt, women seem to think it OK to have a good hands-on inspection. Makes you feel like a sideboard on the Antiques Roadshow. When approached in this way, the trick is to do an imaginary track stand, rendering the legs mahogany-like and the ladies speechless with admiration. 17.5 inches, by the way.

Matchstick Man

20" thighs / 14.5" calves and 6'2" :oops:

Richie G

Well as we're doing thighs now- 22" thighs 13.5 " calves 6ft 11.5 stone. Think i' still skinniest calfed for my height (don't think that's anything to be proud of! ) So are we blaming genetics or is it the way we we pedal (and should anybody care?!?!)

CHRISNOIR

How do you cope with skinny fit jeans and whopping calves? Don't tell me you're all still wearing baggies...

SteveR_100Milers

Richie G wrote:

Well as we're doing thighs now- 22" thighs 13.5 " calves 6ft 11.5 stone. Think i' still skinniest calfed for my height (don't think that's anything to be proud of! ) So are we blaming genetics or is it the way we we pedal (and should anybody care?!?!)

its all abot the ratio..work it out (its late and im too pissed to do so) remember the 3:1 rule!

on the road

Well my thighs are 20.5" and my calves are 13" which works out as 1:1.577, does that mean I can get a part in Lord of the Rings :oops:

SteveR_100Milers

on the road wrote:

Well my thighs are 20.5" and my calves are 13" which works out as 1:1.577, does that mean I can get a part in Lord of the Rings :oops:

Get in the queue

shockedsoshocked

22inch thighs, 16inch calves. 6"2ish tall, 75kg in weight. My legs don't seem to get any bigger with cycling for now, just more defined it seems.