Centre for Sports Studies, University of Kent , Chatham Maritime, Chatham, Kent UK.
J Sports Sci Med. 2010 Jun 1;9(2):332-7. eCollection 2010.
The aim of this study was to examine differences in cycling efficiency between competitive male and female cyclists. Thirteen trained male (mean ± SD: 34 ± 8 yr, 74.1 ± 6.0 kg, Maximum Aerobic Power (MAP) 414 ± 40 W, VO2max 61.3 ± 5.4 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) and 13 trained female (34 ± 9 yr, 60.1 ± 5.2 kg, MAP 293 ± 22 W, VO2max 48.9 ± 6.1 ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)) competitive cyclists completed a cycling test to ascertain their gross efficiency (GE). Leg and lean leg volume of all cyclists was also measured. Calculated GE was significantly higher in female cyclists at 150W (22.5 ± 2.1 vs 19.9 ± 1. 8%; p < 0.01) and 180W (22.3 ± 1.8 vs 20.4 ± 1.5%; p = 0.01). Cadence was not significantly different between the groups (88 ± 6 vs 91 ± 5 rev·min(-1)). Lean leg volume was significantly lower for female cyclists (4.04 ± 0.5 vs 5.51 ± 0.8 dm(3); p < 0.01) and was inversely related to GE in both groups at 150 and 180W (r = -0.59 and -0.58; p < 0.05). Lean leg volume was shown to account for the differences in GE between the males and females. During an "unloaded "pedalling condition, male cyclists had a significantly higher O2 cost than female cyclists (1.0 ± 0.1 vs 0.7 ± 0.1 L·min(-1); p < 0.01), indicative of a greater non-propulsive cost of cycling. These results suggest that differences in efficiency between trained male and female cyclists can be partly accounted for by sex-specific variation in lean leg volume. Key pointsDifferences in GE exist between male and female cyclists.Males have a higher oxygen cost of "unloaded "cycling, as predicted by the intercept of the O2 cost-power output relationshipThis suggests that in addition to work rate, leg volume/mass may be an important determinant of observed differences in oxygen cost and therefore GE, between male and female competitive cyclists.
本研究旨在探究男性和女性竞技自行车运动员之间的骑行效率差异。13 名男性自行车运动员（平均±标准差：34±8 岁，74.1±6.0kg，最大有氧功率（MAP）414±40W，最大摄氧量（VO2max）61.3±5.4ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)）和 13 名女性自行车运动员（34±9 岁，60.1±5.2kg，MAP 293±22W，VO2max 48.9±6.1ml·kg(-1)·min(-1)）完成了一项骑行测试以确定其总效率（GE）。所有自行车运动员的腿部和瘦体腿体积也进行了测量。在 150W（22.5±2.1%比 19.9±1.8%；p<0.01）和 180W（22.3±1.8%比 20.4±1.5%；p=0.01）时，女性自行车运动员的计算出的 GE 显著更高。两组之间的踏频没有显著差异（88±6 比 91±5 转/分钟）。女性自行车运动员的瘦体腿体积明显较低（4.04±0.5 比 5.51±0.8 dm(3)；p<0.01），并且在两组中都与 150 和 180W 时的 GE 呈负相关（r=-0.59 和-0.58；p<0.05）。瘦体腿体积解释了男性和女性之间 GE 差异。在“无负荷”踩踏条件下，男性自行车运动员的耗氧量明显高于女性自行车运动员（1.0±0.1 比 0.7±0.1 L·min(-1)；p<0.01），这表明骑行的非推进性成本更高。这些结果表明，训练有素的男性和女性自行车运动员之间的效率差异部分可以由瘦体腿体积的性别特异性差异来解释。要点男性和女性自行车运动员的 GE 存在差异。男性在“无负荷”骑行时的耗氧量较高，正如氧耗-功率输出关系的截距所预测的那样这表明，除了工作率外，腿部体积/质量可能是解释男性和女性竞技自行车运动员之间观察到的耗氧量和因此 GE 差异的重要决定因素。
