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1. hilldodger - Member

   All the talk of dehydration/hypoglycaemia makes me wonder how 'back in the day' you could do an alldayer with just a couple of bottles of finest tap water, packet of jelly babies and a lunchtime stop for a pork pie/tin of coke

   As for the 'energy drinks' - I certainly wouldn't want to be taking caffeine for a normal ride, late on in an endurance event mebbe but it's more likely to cause a headache than stop one.....

   ...if you suspect dehydration/hypoglycaemia try some 'non-cycling' exercise of about the same duration/intensity and see if you get the same effect (perhaps a long walk interspersed with jogging/running)

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. mtb_matt - Member

   I sometimes get a similar problem after an evening ride, but I get the headache the next day. Its feels just like a hangover.

   I didn't think it was dehydration because my pee was clear. So I figured that it might be a blood sugar problem so I drink full sugar coke and eat a banana 30 mins before the ride and this seems to help a great deal. I also avoid alcohol afterwards (takes a lot of will power)

   Cheers

   Matt

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. benjamins11 - Member

   Dehydration could well be the cause of these headaches, the coverings of your brain are very sensitive to changes in blood pressure hence why you get a headache when you get dehydrated. If you are peeing clear when you finish the ride though, its probably unlikely that you have been too dehydrated during the ride, as already has been said.

   The other option is that they could be exertional headaches, again due to changes in your blood pressure. They are reasonably common, people sometimes get them after sex! They are meant to respond well to indomethacin which is an antinflammatory drug, which can be taken before the excersise. They are most common with things like running and burst type sports like weight lifting, but I guess there is no reason why mountain bikes couldnt cause them. They are usually nothing to worry about, although not very pleasant.

   Things to watch with headaches are for a sudden onset, worse than any previous headache, if you have neck stiffness, if you get it in the morning, and if it is there all the time and if you have any other neurological symptoms. If you haven't got any of these features its more than likely nothing to worry about.

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. acorlett - Member

   Thanks for all the posts guys. I think it might be dehyrdation rather than tension or helmet pressure - I don't tend to get this problem on gentler rides, even if over longer distances or times. High exertion rides, with lots of steep ups or downs, or big epics seem to set it off. I drink loads all the time, and vary what I eat when out between nuts, jelly sweets and other bits and bobs. And it happens during rides, developing after a little while and then worsening until I take some pills.
   I'm going to experiment with a home-brew electrolyte replacement drink. If blood pressure changes during exercise can set off problems, I might try an anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen before particularly high-intensity rides.
   Mind you, when I think about it, I do get shoulder tension. Being tall (6'4") I find that even on a 21" bike I'm leaning forward on the bars more than smaller people on smaller bikes, who always seem to have a much more sit-up-and-beg posture. Thus I'm bending my neck upwards more than smaller folk to look ahead...
   Hmm.

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. acorlett - Member

   BTW - I've seen a lot of home-made sports drink recipes, but nobody mentions whether you need to boil the mix to dissolve the salt and sugar, or just shake to mix?

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. simonfbarnes - Member

   One of our riders reports this a migraine. It once struck during a ride and he had to wait for the visual disturbance to go as he could not see well enough to avoid hazards. He swears by Solpadiene as a painkiller.

   Posted 2 years ago #
7. jimmy - Member

   How about just making sure you're well fed and hydrated before and during the ride? Sounds crazy, it might just work.

   Posted 2 years ago #
8. woodsman - Member

   I used to ride with someone who would get this regularly. I seem to remember the post ride recovery drinks helped.

   Why not make an appointment with your GP.

   Posted 2 years ago #
9. uplink - Member

   I'm not convinced that it is dehydration/food etc. [for me anyway]

   I don't suffer with it after long runs just on the bike, if anything - I take less water when running

   Posted 2 years ago #
10. landy813 - Member

    stuartanicholson thanks for the shout about My protein thats saved me buying about 3 tubs of crap of CRC to make up my own drink.

    Posted 2 years ago #
11. stuartanicholson - Member

    Yep no problem. You can also use a protein/maltodextrin/l glutamine mix as a recovery drink too...its well cheap!

    Posted 2 years ago #
12. robhughes - Member

    pain in the arse is,nt it. i get them even when well hydrated.
    i put mine down stress when riding like mean it and masive concentration.
    3 anadin exra after usualy does the trick

    Posted 2 years ago #

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