Body mass, not gender, predicts VO2 in cycle ergometry

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if gender and selected physiologic and anthropometric factors could account for variations in the oxygen cost of cycle ergometry. Forty women and 25 men volunteered as subjects. Subjects performed a three stage cycle ergometry test at power outputs of 0,360, and 540 kgm·min−1 respectively while their oxygen consumption was measured. The subjects also had several anthropometric, body composition, and knee muscle force measures made. Results indicated that most of the variables were significantly related to cycling VO2 (p ≤ .05). Fat‐free mass (FFM) and fat‐free thigh mass (FFTM) correlated the highest and identically with VO2 (r = .80, .67, and .57) at each respective power output listed above. Using stepwise multiple regression only one variable, FFTM, was associated with the equation for each power output. Because FFM correlated identically with VO2, the resulting equations were statistically equivalent in terms of r2 (.64, .45, and .35, respectively) and SEE (7...