For a Monday Night Pub Ride i usually try and limit my hematocrit level to 49.6 just in case there are any testing agencies on hand…

I backed off my day-to-day caffeine intake before a couple of longer events, so that the caffeine gels would have a greater effect on the day.

Apparently that’s not the case, I read something recently that suggested that cutting down on caffeine before a race doesn’t improve the effect of caffeine gels.
It might have been on the Sciene In Sport website I think.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7916118

I know it’s only rats but it makes you think.

For the record I’ve used diclofenac, tramadol and prednisolone for recovery and I’ve given pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (mucron) a whirl too. Not in competition just for my own curiosity.

Diclofenac turned my wazz orange but worked, tramadol had a disco biscuit vibe that took my mind off aching legs, prednisolone worked a treat. Couldn’t tell if it was the mucron or weapons grade coffee that opened up my airways but they did something.

Would I have a go at EPO, HGH or synthetic testosterone? Absolutely. Would I try other anabolics? My liver has enough to deal with given my love of beer so no.

I’d give them a whirl out of curiosity more than anything I don’t race anymore and most of my riding is solo these days so my experimentation wouldn’t be unethical in my eyes.

A pint of milk followed by oily fish works a treat for me after a long ride.

You can view the WADA list here

So supplemental oxygen is OK hmmm

Perhaps the frame could be used as an oxygen cylinder…

I’d try EPO. I most certainly would not try anything like growth hormones as it **** with your health well before you turn senile.

EPO is more dangerous than HGH or roids.

Whereas EPO has no harmful side-effects of course.

Heart attacks?

Actually “Virenque forehead” or “Lewis Teeth” aren’t that appealing, I may pass on the HGH

I’d try EPO. I most certainly would not try anything like growth hormones as it **** with your health well before you turn senile.

from this article:

It was first synthesised by GlaxoSmithKline, which saw the hugely lucrative potential for marketing it to people wanting to lose weight. But when the company’s scientists tested it on rodents, they didn’t like what they found. In large doses it induced cancers in various organs of the body, from the tongue and the thyroid to the testes and the ovaries by way of the kidneys and the liver. In 2006, without going any further, GSK dropped it.

EPO could give you bollock cancer it seems…

Got some Tramadol in the drawer. Off for a ride in a minute. Shall I pop a tablet first?

Definately not! You’ll end up in a hedgeback and you wont care

I had to wee into a cup with a bloke watching me at the end of the World 24 Hour champs in 2012. I thought I’d properly made it. Well chuffed I was.

(my sample was clean, BTW)

Quite an ask when one is potentially rather dehydrated!

EPO could give you bollock cancer it seems…

Ah I see…… silly Lance.

Did we not kind of have this thread a few months back? I remember thinking, if I could be guaranteed no significant health impact, damn right I’d dope as a weekend warrior, why not? It’s not like it’s on balance, I just can’t see any reason not to.

But I race, badly, and if I took performance enhancing drugs I’d still be slow but I’d be cheating too.

mattsccm – Member

Got some Tramadol in the drawer. Off for a ride in a minute. Shall I pop a tablet first?

Best bike ride ever. Spent 2 hours in the garage looking at the brickwork.

My understanding of it is that it’s pretty easy to get a diagnosis of asthma

You don’t even need to go to the GP these days, I got 2 Ventolin inhalers from Superdrug online the other day, just had to fill in a form that basically said “we believe you when you say you’re asthmatic”. Was only a couple of quid more expensive than a regular prescription, but without the hassle of having to go the GP to get it.

if I could be guaranteed no significant health impact, damn right I’d dope as a weekend warrior, why not?

I don’t really race but would be nice to be able to ride a few more hills tho, so I think I’d be behind you in the queue.

[Quote]Gone for a ride on a comedown, don’t think it was performance enhancing though.[/quote]

Surprisingly some of my best road rides have been on a hangover or comedown, something about me feeling like crap must make me want to push harder 😆

a couple of years back, myself and a friend had a couple of beers before we tried some new stuff. Worked really well, as it was not so huge to be deadly, but took the edge off and allowed us to relax more.

Strong Italian coffee of the black espresso rocket fuel variety just before a ride usually increases my average speed by at least 1 mile per hour.

I swigged a can of Monster mid-ride the other week. The end result was like that scene from Forest Gump; “Lieutenant Dan, you’ve got new legs!”.

I’ve done this in the mid week sailing races.

1) it turns my piss the colour of monster
2) it makes me need a pee mid race, not good in a wetsuit, even worse if it had been a dry suit!
3) I definately gained a few places, no performance enhancement, just more focussed and made less errors. It’s probably closer to riding DH than XC or road, the aim’s to make less errors and get past people, rather than ourtight speed.

If there was a wonderdrug that improved performance with few/no adverse effects, and was accessible, I’d probably take it.

I imagine everyone. Having been subject to doping control in the past then nearly everyone will have taken some form of banned substance. Would they have seen any performance enhancing effect? Almost certainly not. Would they have failed a doping control test? Probably.

Due to my line of work I have easy access to a number of banned substances. Until relatively recently I had three syringes of EPO in the fridge at work (now out of date and incinerated). I didn’t actually feel very tempted at all tbh.

I have to say, despite my cynicism of the “energy drink” moniker a bottle of Mountain Dew does make me feel better before a race!

I’d much sooner not be asthmatic rather than ‘cheat’ using inhalers

Ibuprofen, diclofenac gel, iron tablets.

For the record, I don’t know where that GSK quote came from, but EPO is not “synthesized” as it is a protein not a small molecule, and it was originally developed by Amgen. GSK and other companies are however developing Hypoxia-Inducing Factors e.g., prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor that stimulate the body’s own EPO production. Results here if you are interested.

But drug testers are already on the case http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=GSK1278863, so you are more likely to get caught than taking EPO.

Just done 21 miles on 100mg Tramadol. Fantastic sunset and my legs didn’t hurt climbing at all. 😆

That was the irony, EPO being made by Amgen, who sponsored US road races…

Got pissed at sleepless, wouldn’t recommend it.

I’d have a crack at hgh. Maybe some trenbolone if I was sure I didn’t want any more kids.

Used to love taking Es and occasionally wonder what it would be like to neck one and then go mountain biking, not tried this particular experiment yet though. Probably best left alone I suppose.

Clearly I wouldn’t consider this performance enhancing.

Surprisingly some of my best road rides have been on a hangover or comedown, something about me feeling like crap must make me want to push harder

Yeah I agree tbh, better to try and sweat it out than sit in a dark room feeling shit

In a period of mis-spent youth I once cycled 10 miles on ketamine. Felt like I was flying. I got a flat front – couldn’t be bothered to stop – carried on – large downhill finish, tyre came off, inner tube next – rode those rims flat. Was stopped by the police. Not for breaking any laws but because he couldn’t beleive his eyes!

TimothyD – Member

I read how Duane Chambers injected synthetic insulin as one of the things he took when he was found to be cheating. It half makes me wonder if I might be benefiting in some way (from a short term cycling perspective) by injecting due to being type 1 diabetic. Obviously, given the choice I wouldn’t be diabetic.

I met a t1 a while back who was running a huge carb intake immediately before races, getting his bm through the roof, then injecting immediately before the start of the race- his idea was that he’s basically storing sugar in his bloodstream over time then releasing it fast with the injection. Sounded at least slightly possible though it made me wonder about ketoacidosis and whether his feet will drop off in 50 years.

I’d give this a shot

http://www.digitalepo.com

Last time i tried drugs and cycling a bike ended up at the top of a tree and i got chased by a spaghetti monster.

If you have any work done at the dentist, try riding home afterwards, it’s blast!! The injection they give you is adrenalin, gives you a real buzz on the bike 😀

I stopped at the pub between work and the station on the way home last night and had a pint of Guinness. When i got off the train at the other end i knocked a big chunk of time off the rest of the ride home.

Not very scientific as that was based on strava and phone gps, but maybe i should crack open a can before my next race 😆

Beer is good for you and a beer that’s heavy in carbs must be a good energy drink.