I rode at Cannock on Sunday (monkey trail) was a bit wet but really enjoyable.
Anyway I couldn’t finish the 2nd lap due to the worst cramping in my quads I’d ever had.

So I’m a bit gutted because it’s the first time my legs have let me down.
I was riding a 1×10 prophet, so the climbs took a little more effort than normal.
It’s only today that my legs have stopped hurting.
I’ve ridden 2 laps before on a 2×10 Stumpy, and my quads were cramping at the end.

I’ve been riding once or twice a week for the last year and half, and I would say that I ride at a reasonable pace.
But family commitments mean that a normal ride is 2 to 3 hours, but my legs are not normally the limiting factor.

So does anyone have any advice on what i need to do in my regular group rides to stop this from happening.

Cheers
Ben

Take it easy. Did you rest at all.?

The Monkey on its own is about 7.5 miles as is the Dog.

So you either did 15 or 30 miles depending on if you are counting the Dog too (as many seem to when they just mention the Monkey). I went a few weeks ago and did 15 miles, my legs were fine but the next day I felt like I had been bench pressing umpa lumpas for 12 hours my shoulders and arms were hurting that much!

It was the breaking bumps what did it.!

is 2 laps of cannock a long way? in all honesty no it isn’t but as long as you are having fun who cares?

Have you looked at your saddle height and ride position? i’ve ridden with a few folks who insit on having their saddle low as “it’s good for tech innit” who then end up complaining that their thigh are tired from covering a not very great distance.

We started in the main carpark by the bike shop, so I guess that we did the first half of the Dog and then the Monkey and then back on the Dog to finish the lap.
So that’s about 30 miles I guess.

Had a decent rest with some lunch, before starting the 2nd lap.
Oh and I crashed on one of the wooden bridges, they were really slippery.

Tazzymtb,
I think you may have hit the nail on the head, I did ride most of the decents with my GD right down, and pushed a bit harder than normal as well, so I did feel it in my legs more at the bottom of these.

But I had a great time and can’t wait to get back on my bike again.
Just don’t want go have to cut short a trail centre ride because I can’t handle it.

So you have an adjustable seatpost and leave it down? 😕

There’s a clue…

I put it down for the fast decents, jumps etc… and back up for the singletrack and climbs.
Isn’t that what you are supposed to do?

Im not sure I agree I think 30 miles off road is a fair distance. You didnt do any road.

I think the most I’ve done all off road is 66 miles and that took all day.

To be honest I think on most group rides your’ll be fine.

I dunno what you mean by cramping exactly are you quite big. I suppose the usual suggestion is make sure you drink enough + electrolytes

Ignore tazzy he’s a machine- id be knackered after 2 laps of both!!

Cannock always takes it out of me. More than I think it should do for some reason.

Cannock always takes it out of me. More than I think it should do for some reason.

Same here. I think maybe I’m just not very fit though. But I seem to be more nackered at the end of a Cannock ride than one riding up and down the Long Mynd.

Yep I’m normally fine with the small group of mates that I ride with.

I just drank water, no electrolytes, maybe this would help.
Really I guess I just need to put some more miles in.

cannock is quite ‘pedally’, I’d consider two laps (30 miles) quite a long way.

Ignore tazzy he’s a machine

cheeky blighter, extra hills for you on the next ride young man 😀

I’m reasonably fit and one lap of Cannock always seems sufficient to me. Never manage to do it that fast either.

cossyrush – Member
We started in the main carpark by the bike shop, so I guess that we did the first half of the Dog and then the Monkey and then back on the Dog to finish the lap.
So that’s about 30 miles I guess.

Nope, that’s about 14 miles.

Lack of fitness, hydration, salt, food.

Nope, that’s about 14 miles.

He’s describing the route that he did twice.

From reading the title I thought you meant 2 laps of Cannock Chase which is quite a long way

Hydration is super important, but then so is stretching and warming up and managing your enegery. 30 miles is by no means inconsiderable and Cannock has an ability to sap enery with the lose ground.

He’s describing the route that he did twice.

Ah, furry-muff!

OP, do you wear fullface, neckbrace, full suit of armour, lycra shorts & neoprene overshoes ?

The trail designer was M C Escher. You keep going up till you get back to where you started. I think he did Penmachno too.

I ride Cannock on a regular basis and two laps of the full dog/monkey/dog loop is a hard days work, some of the climbs on the monkey are quite harsh let alone the fire road climb on the dog.

Don’t worry about it and just make sure you’re hydrating and getting enough energy into you.

so did he do the full 14mile course twice? or just the second bit twice?

ive done it twice before (so around 28miles), and it was pretty killer trying to go at a fastish pace….i agree the monkey one (newest one) is actually quite a tough 7.5 miles or so, the climbs on the switchbacks are quite tough and for some reason the only way to do it is to floor it, its not a ride you ever just sit back and relax on (well isnt for me), no scenery no real stopping points so you just kinda blast on….

as somebody above said thats 28miles of pure off road, even up the peak you will usually do a 5 miles or so going on road to get from one to another…..

i definitely felt it on the way back of the second lap of it….

I guess I don’t ride the Dog Monkey combo enough. I find it quite a hard ride. My local trails are equally as hilly and once I’m in my “second wind” can just keep riding, but have never felt I wanted to, or could comfortably go round the Chase trails twice !
My mate rides them as his “training ” ride and nails them easily.
Probably just old and rubbish really.