Went out with 2 friends this weekend – one a cyclo cross champ the other won soggybottom overall this year in his class. I struggle to keep up for the first hours then bonk. After that my descending skills dissapear and unless I walk some technical bits I usually crash out. Does this sound familiar to anyone or shall I just give up now!

Yes. Try pacing, eating & hydrating better.

Normally I am fine – I hydrate OK but def need energy drink when I go out with them – I am not particularly unfit mind you! Cant pace and I am always in catch up mode!

I’m technically crap anyway so when I bonk nobody notices….. they just find me after the ride lying on my side still clipped in and wondering why I can’t get anywhere when I peddle

yes, loss of skills is a definite sign of bonking or just tiredness for me. i know through experience (when its happening) its time to go careful or walk if i need to

Guilliano beat me to it…

This is a massive factor if you’re taking groups out – we always make the finale of the ride a twisty singletrack that feels fast but carries less risk.

Hmm dont feel quite as useless now – I think I need to get fitter then going out with these two 😉

Same here, when i get over tired my body won’t keep up with my mind/expectations.

yep happens to me too! Even really simple technical stuff becomes a massive challenge. I usually take it easy for fear of injury.

I’ve bonked so hard I couldn’t even be arsed to change gear, let alone rise to any technical challenge!

I’ve bonked so hard I couldn’t even be arsed to change gear

You haven’t bonked that hard then – you wait until it’s so bad you’re too tired even to cry out for your mum…. 😕

It’s not just riding that suffers, my mate bonked whilst doing the High Street loop. We didn’t notice at first, but when he puncture he struggled for 5 mins to take of the tyre. Filled him with food and fixed the puncture for him, 10 mins later were on our way. He’s usually the strongest member of the team, so was a bit of a shock.

Happens to me, not so much now though. I bonked REALLY bad once, could not physically ride my bike anymore and basically had to lay down in the middle of the track (not caring less if it was a sodden bog or not) where I litterally struggled to stay awake, infact I think I may well have fallen asleep…………wasn’t nice at all 🙂

I’m technically useless from the off.

Try riding at you own pace. If they want to ride off into the sunset without you, then just let them. Valuble training partners will push you hard, but be human enough not to leave you for dead.

Bonking is low blood sugar levels IIRC – so what you need is more sugars. Long acting stuff for breakfast – porridge is the best then medium/ short acting stuff when riding. Its not more fitness you need – its more fuel.

If it hits you hard then you will be useless at anything including staying upright. Needs food (carbs) and liquid, medical profession reckon 24hrs before you are fully sorted!

There’s no need to bonk ever. If you eat/drink energy/eat gels etc on a ride you’ll have plenty of energy, and it’ll be fatigue that gets you about four hours later than when you’d bonk.

It’ll transform your riding far more than anything else (if you are flogging yourself like that so that you get the bonk) and it’ll work instantly, on your very next ride!

When I started using energy drink I was blown away by how brilliant I felt. Mind you I was 22 and all thrash and hammers, so particularly susceptible.

I think you need to ask my wife about that……………

I try to avoid sex before a race as after a couple of hours of bonking I’m knackered then you have to get up and do the event but it can help if she does the work and it releases a lot of stress too.

I say avoid sex the night before a race but after the race it’s great.

Research your nutrition before the race and also during the race-you’ll want to slow release carbs but also quick release during the ride.

Practise way before as so many riders try to eat/drink and throw up.

You need to build up your mental fitness too so keep going but the other two riders have been at this level more than you. So you’re pushing yourslf too hard too early. Build up to it.

Hmm – Bonking – yes it does have that alternative meaning but I was using the term for hypoglyemia/exhaustion on a MTB ride 😉

I was kidding honest… 😈

move this over to the other forum and I’d have to agree with you!

Although my wife claims I’m just generally useless anyway.

LOL

I usually feel like I’ve bonked before I’ve finished the first hill, but then I’m usually giving twenty years to riding buddies.

No need to go for energy gels / drink – altho no great harm to them. Any source of sugar will do.

Yes, only done it once, on a road bike, but by god it was as much as I could do to chance pedal, the thought of planning lines, balance etc. would have simply been far too much. Saying about no need to bonk, well having never done it before, there are times when it just catches you out, 90% of the time I have been aware of energy requirements before and after, but there will also be the that one time… And when it gets you, boy do you know (still remembering Christmas days disaster last year!)