Quote from Bud_Bent on Apr 24^th, 2015, 8:29am:

 
I agree with all that Bud. But no matter the shape or size, it still takes strength along with cardio. You need oxygen to feed the muscles and strength for the force. I know a leg or arm size does not make any difference, but Greg does have some monster looking legs! I too had an experience like the one you mentioned. I was riding as fast as I could when an overweight guy on a too small mtb flew by me. He had to turn his knees about 45 degrees to the side to pedal. His tires were underinflated and his plumbers butt was hanging out, but try as I may, I could not catch him. About 5 miles down the road he stopped and I pulled up beside him. I asked him were he was going and he said he had just rode 20 miles to go ride the really steep mountain bike trails. It is at a place called Klondike Park and it has trails over 22% grade and about 150 feet tall. I watched him as he beat all the skinny young bloods. He must have outweighed everyone by at least 100 pounds.  
 
Got to ride before the storms hit.

Well,  I consulted coaches Coggan and Allan, who are literally the guys who wrote the book on racing with power, and they were kind enough to respond to me.  They more or less agree with Bud (and myself a bit).  So strength can be a factor over a very short time think 200m sprint) , but any real distance negates strength.
 
Their direct quote:
Strength, force, and power are all different things. You also need to consider the duration over which power must be sustained.
 

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/09/speed-strength-and-endurance/ Read it! Can't argue with a stone!

In response to the assertion that increased speed comes only from increases in cardiopulmonary efficiency.....
 
I guess that's why Kenya and Ethiopia dominate the cycling world like they do with their off the charts cardiopulmonary capacity, or why Michael Phelps would be the Las Vegas bookie's favorite to be the Tour champ without ever practicing bicycle riding because of his maxVO2. You can't just be a one note Nelly, here. Muscles move pedals--hearts and lungs support them.
 
There is a difference between strength, force and power. Strength allows for greater force. Power is defined as work/time, or the rate at which work is done. We choose how that work is done by choosing a low gear and high spin rate or a high gear and a low spin rate. The former allows our hearts to do lots of work and gives our legs a break by allowing each pedal stroke to require less force, and the latter transfers the work load to our legs, which tire many times faster when they are required to supply large amounts of force per stroke. I think we mostly agree that CP carries the day in sustained efforts. Where we part company is the belief that leg muscles do not gain strength when exercised. I believe they do, and that their increased strength along with increased CP capacity leads to more sustained speed.

I hear you jrob! I'm laughing our loud right now as I read your post. Much ado about next to nothing.......

Trained muscles are more efficient at the task they are trained for. If that's what you're considering stronger, then OK. But that's such a tiny part of speed, compared to cardiopulmonary. When Lance Armstrong decided to cheat to make himself faster, did he use anabolic steroids to make his legs stronger, or did he blood dope to improve his cardiopulmonary function?  
 
I usually refrain from arguing in this forum, for just this reason. It's a waste of time. But when posted information gets this bad in this forum that I moderate, I really have a hard time remaining silent. For all of you newbies reading this, never believe that leg muscle strength gains will do much for making you faster on the bike, because they won't.
 
With that, I'm locking this thread.