I reckon cramp down to genetics and how much you sweat and fitness levels ,I’ve suffered over the years and been at various fitness levels over the years to ,I’ve noticed as I’ve tried to get my fitness up or raced harder than I ride normally cramp happens .

I’ve had it about 3 month agony a 25 mile MTB ride but didn’t drink enough so last few months I’ve made sure plenty water before I ride and a torq drink hour before then I’ve added Pink salt or tablytes to my bottles and made sure I had at least a bottle every hour and refilled at tea stops .

Not had it since been riding 30/40 mile MTB rides and 60/70 mile road rides

Some people never get cramp from riding some mates only drink I bottle over 3/4 hrs we all different

Was once walking up a hill I should have ridden in a long event due to cramp. A guy stopped to see if I was ok and when told the problem, gave me a sachet of Heinz tomato ketchup! It worked, I don’t know why but within a few minutes was able to carry on.

I’m quite prone to cramp, more when fell running rather than cycling. Ive tried all sorts of potions and foods over the years and none worked for me. So my advice is like some others, be fitter and like whitestone said, train other muscle groups. Secondly, and for me most importantly, pace yourself. Anything over two hours I would consider to be endurance so limit your efforts to 80-85% max HR or pay the price later. Watch all those keen whippets run away from you at the start then reel them in over the next 5-6hrs. That’ll learn ’em!

Well yesterday was a tough race with plenty of climbing and I seem to have survived it cramp free.

I went back to wearing some compress-sport socks before the race and afterwards the socks and some skins longs, which seems to have kept things in check.

I also changed my hydration from Powerbar electrolyte tabs to Torq Hypotonic. Not sure if this also helped, but I reckon the compression wear was key. My calfs were so twitchy post race it was like getting a massage!

FOG – Member
Was once walking up a hill I should have ridden in a long event due to cramp. A guy stopped to see if I was ok and when told the problem, gave me a sachet of Heinz tomato ketchup! It worked, I don’t know why but within a few minutes was able to carry on.

Basically an off the shelf version of what the other guy said earlier about vinegar and honey in a drink,

Bit of a thread resurrection. My wife suggested I try some Body Shop Peppermint Reviving leg Gel. So I slathered some over my legs. Gives a nice tingly feeling although I wouldn’t recommend getting it near your manhood! Anyway it certainly seemed to help and I didn’t get any leg cramp last night.

I was told potassium was best for cramp, so now I use Low sodium salt, which is half potassium.I put salt in everything
Butrecently I was told its Magnesium thats best,so the tablets are about 470mg a day.
I was getting cramps all over, riding dirtbikes,and swimming.
Worst thing was jumping in the pool,after a really hard days ride, I had to pull my self out of the water and lie there in pain
And for foot/leg cramp you can put your feet in a bowl of Epsom salts, so the magnesium gets absorbed through your skin

After starting to race enduros last year I found that i would get cramp after the second stage without fail. I followed all the advice above without any success. It was suggested to drink pickle juice which I thought was crazy however since I tried it the cramps went away.

Read this itsthenerve

looking at my own cramp it makes sense. I can replicate the intensity of a race easily and get no cramp but as soon as the race is on i get cramp which suggests it’s nothing to do with fitness but more to do with the added excitement/stress of a race.
I should try racing without again to make sure it is the pickle juice but cramp makes me cry so I won’t
Drink some pickle juice after a race and before bed and see if it works. Just a mouth full should do.

A couple of Rennie tablets at the first sign of any twinges seem to work for me

Bananas, or any other potassium rich foods.

I found cramps went away when I drank more and stopped using electrolytes.

Simplistically the body tries to maintain an isotonic level – so if you keep you fluids topped up there’s no need for additional electrolytes. Too high a ratio and you get cramps.

If you are not drinking enough then the salt ratio in your body rises and to keep the balance salt is excreted in your sweat. So drink more water to prevent that.