As I was hauling the groceries up the stairs the other day, Shoko, at butt’s height behind me, commented on the relative smallness of my ass. ‘Relative’ is the key word here, of course, because she had spent the winter telling me of the largeness of it till then. But it made me feel good and reminded me of this quote from Tyler Hamilton’s book:
“You can tell a rider’s fitness by the shape of his ass and the veins in his legs, and these asses were bionic, smaller and more powerful than any I’d ever seen.”
These bionic bums were those of the first European pros he raced with, if memory serves. He was shocked and embarrassed by the lardiness of his derrière.
I’ve just finished the first 2 weeks of my training program for this season and, although later than normal, I will take this ass slimming as a positive sign.
I’ll leave you with another kind of cyclist’s butt, only because the choice was too hard after doing a Google search for the other.
The Vicious Cycle 
Who is that giving a headbutt??
Pretty sure that’s Mark Renshaw, back in the HTC days.
The inverse is true as well. I remember back before I cycled or married, when I was about average weight, a cute girl vocalized her shock at the large size of my bum. She immediately apologized, but that comment eventually inspired me to get fit. Fortunately cycling is a cure for largebumitis.
It certainly is. The off-season is definite proof of that. You should find that girl now, by the way!
I’m happy with the one I have. Really like the new layout, by the way!
Informative. I hardly like to ask Mrs Tootlepedal’s opinion of my derriere. She has a nasty tongue on her when she wants.
Gerry: I believe the restaurant was in Monieux, just at the top of Gorges de la Nesque. Would be happy to ride up there with you and enjoy a nice meai!
Gerry posted: “As I was hauling the groceries up the stairs the other day, Shoko, at butt’s height behind me, commented on the relative smallness of my ass. ‘Relative’ is the key word here, of course, because she had spent the winter telling me of the largeness of it ti”
I know the village, but not the restaurant. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Gerry,
I vaguely remember Armstrong making a similar comment about the bum size in one of his books but, if I recall correctly, he also mentioned that the true sign of fitness was the ‘dimple’ in the butt. At least that is what my wife keeps checking for.
I’ll have to get the hand mirror out and search for that dimple, but I don’t think it exists!