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Properly hydrated, drank plenty during the ride as well (went through two 3 litre bladders, each one with 3 x SIS lemon/lime mix in there), cramp started really early into the ride as well, like within an hour. Then continued all day, sometimes to the point that I basically had to fall off the bike as I couldn't move my legs without seizing. Then it'd be fine for a while before building up again...
Never had anything this bad before (well, I have, but that's usually been after a stupidly long ride in hot weather with bog all electrolytes 😳 ) Wonder if it's something weird with my position on the new bike? It all felt pretty good to me, knees over the pedals, seatpost not too high up, wasn't stretching out to reach the bars...
Any ideas on a possible cause? Hope this isn't the start of some bloody annoying trend... 🙁
you had a rubbish day 🙂 🙂
6 Litres? Too much water causing an electrolyte imbalance perhaps?
you had a rubbish day
well, it was a bloody good day really, new 'dream bike' out on it's inaugural ride, reasonably decent weather, nice dry trails with just a smattering of crumbly dampness on top (ace for sliding on!)... would've been perfect except for my legs absolutely killing me for no apparent reason; [i]almost [/i] harshed my vibe it did 🙁
(went through two 3 litre bladders, each one with 3 x SIS lemon/lime mix in there)
I presume it was a 100+ mile ride.
it was 6 litres over the course of 6+ hours or so, so not a huge amount? And the cramping set in early in the ride as well, before I'd even had a chance to actually start getting dehydrated...
Over****ing.
You've lost fitness?
it was 6 litres over the course of 6+ hours or so, so not a huge amount. And the cramping set in early in the ride as well, before I'd even had a chance to actually start getting dehydrated...
I drink about 750ml on a hot day in about 2.5 hours, your fluid intake is considerable, though that is probably not the cause of your bad day, ATGNI maybe?
Stress - you've just built you dream bike, first ride, creaking noise, don't want to crash etc.
This overstimulates your sympathetic nervous system (google it) which combined with the humid heat and exercise is going to make you feel several shades of crap.
That's my theory, others will undoubtedly disagree 😉
You've lost fitness?
Undoubtedly, unfortunately... but, I've been less fit and never had this happen before. It was really weird and not nice 🙁
Fingers crossed it was a one off...
I drink about 750ml on a hot day in about 2.5 hour
That's surely not enough? I've always been told at least 1 litre an hour, particularly on hot/humid days? I was sweating like a be-atch today, kept messing up my glasses so I struggled to see at times!
C'mon psychle, tell us how you got on!
it was very muggy around the Surrey Hills today - I drank a can of coke, a water bottle of water, a cup of tea and a 300ml bottle of Tropicana
my hamstrings were threatening to cramp towards the end of the day (c.50km) and tonight my inner thigh cramped up and had me writhing around in agony because I couldn't work out how to stretch it off
my conclusion from this is that your problem is geography-based 🙂
Check your riding position is not a bit different on the new bike?
its your bike its crap
best give it to me
ime experience if youre a bit out of shape(i have a lot of experience with that) you sweat bucket loads leaking out all that precious sodium
especially when its warm and muggy
id reccomend extra strong sis in the camelbak and marmite on toast for breakfast
I've been taking magnesium, zinc and a high dose vitamin / mineral they seem to have kept my cramp at bay but makes your wee look like orange juice
I mega bad cramp in both thighs my first MTB ride of the year never had anything like it before...Found out a few weeks later I had Type 2 Diabetes related or not I don't know..... I'm fitter now and haven't had it since and have pushed much harder
it was 6 litres over the course of 6+ hours or so, so not a huge amount.
I know everyones intake is different, but drinking 6 litres you must have been pissing more than riding?
For the record I use 2x 750ml bottles (1x water and 1x bottle Lucozade Sport topped up with water) on 100ish mile road rides in the recent warm weather.
drinking 6 litres you must have been pissing more than riding?
Actually, I wasn't, which I thought a bit weird as well... probably only needed to take 2 piss stops during the day, I was sweating a lot though...
Left quad is absolutely killing me today, extremely tender to the touch just above and to the right of my knee, guess I've torn a muscle there as well... ouchy ouchy ouchy 🙁
Actually, I wasn't, which I thought a bit weird as well... probably only needed to take 2 piss stops during the day, I was sweating a lot though...
In that case, you might have been slightly dehydrated to begin with. You need to keep your fluid intake up in the 48 hours or so before a big ride or you're starting from a losing position. Not saying that's why you were cramping, but if you're consuming that much fluid without peeing much, it might be that you weren't very well hydrated when you set off, which won't help.
To put it in perspective, I've just done 50 hilly miles on a cross bike - Holme Moss, cake shop, Pennine Bridleway back home ... - and drank 750ml of electrolyte drink and a latte, which wasn't really enough, and I still had two pee stops.
Ride more, less buying 😉
That'll sort the fitness issues out 😛