Pro cyclists

[TourdeForce24]

Anyone else notice that very few pro cyclists suffer from male pattern baldness? Cycling is perhaps the ultimate aerobic/endurance sport. Could it be that all of that aerobic exercise (as opposed to anaerobic like American/European football players) acts in limiting their testosterone/DHT levels? Perhaps exhausting your body to that extent every day and such carrying a low body fat percentage serves to keep the male pattern baldness gene from "switching on" until a later time? Is there any science to back this up?

 

[hoffmanbmx]

tour contenders this year:

Armstrong: losing it
Vino: still got it
Ullrich: still got it
Basso: still got it
Botero: still got it
Kloden: still got it

Other top cyclists:

Simoni: still got it
Cunego: still got it
(the late great) Pantani: lost it

However it's only recently that pro riders are forced to wear helmets, since the loss of Kivilev, which might not help matters.

However I don't think that means much. I used to train as a mountain biker for 2 hours a day flat out every day for approx 3-4 years, and was pretty fit, with absolutely no fat on me. I raced a fair bit, and got a few ok results, but despite all the exercise and healthy diet, I still went thin on top.

Look at pro football (soccer) and rugby players, some have hair, some don't.

Beckham has it, Veron doesn't.
Buffon has it, Bartez doesn't.

Think it's the same for everyone. Just luck and genetics mainly.

 

[dead]

I cycle around 50-60 miles a week on my bitchin' 'Klein' do the occasional longer run (82 miles last saturday) I have been doing this for years and yet the cruel hand of fate has taken what was once mine and left in its place scalp.

 

[TourdeForce24]

Yes, I am active as a racer in local crits, but I'm not talking about the kind of cycling that we do as mere mortals. I'm talking about the guys like Armstrong who train up to 8 hours a day. I think that training on this level and duration may have a significant impact on hormones.


hoffman- do you really think Armstrong is losing his hair? I just think it's a little thin from his chemotherapy treatments. His hairline, though a little high (just like mine), is still there pretty strong.

 

[Chujgcha]

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[dead]

This is why I set aside $50/week to pay three men w/ lead pipes to 'try' to kick my *** often.

$50 is a good deal, the guy I was paying to 'suprise' me every now and then wanted $120 + cost of the tools + they wanted 3 clean strikes at the head before I start to stuggle.

 

[managuense]

I'm on my mountain bike upwards of 12 hours a week (have been for 10 years). Add to that 2 hours of spin class a week and 5 hours of weight training. While I agree that biking is the ultimate aerobic workout it hasn't stopped my hair loss. The only thing(s) that have stopped it are rogaine and Propecia. The only things partially related to biking and hairloss is the fact that athletes tend to live a cleaner life with a healthier diet and plenty of water. Whether that has any effect I have no clue.

 

[Chujgcha]

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