Afternoon all,

I am at a bit of a loss with this so wondered if anyone could help.

Basically, no matter what I do I seem to get to about 3.5 hours on the bike (road or MTB) and start to cramp up in my thighs. I have tried (in no particualr order) Nuun tablets, Elete water, Tonic water, energy drinks out of packets, home made energy drinks, just water, stretching before, streching during, etc. and nothing seems to spop it. I drink lots of water as normal practise (at least 2 litres per day, more if i’m out riding the next day) and always have a pint before I leave the house.

Anything else I should try before I just accept I need to MTFU or stop?

sachets of vinegar from cafes. seriously.

Train/get fitter.

HTH

I started to get it in muscle just above my right knee at about 3 hours on a ride on Saturday and I’v ento had it for a while.

I was on the road but did find that just keeping spinning and thinking at the muscle to relax whilst I did it seemed to work. It passed quite quickly and didn;t come back but that one muscle was the most tired the next day.

If it’s always the same muscles then maybe some specific exercises to strengthen just those?

clicky

The only thing that has ever worked for me.

put some salt back in your body

bananas…

potassium content IIRC

Think you’ll find, as I have, the fitter you are the less you suffer with cramp – I get it when my effort is way above norm FWIW – not much I can do about it if I’m going flat out?

I was thinking salt as well. You mention that your drinking lots of water generally and more the day before and just before a ride. You need the right balance of water and salt, perhaps your water intake is too high?

I get the same big time. Been building my fitness up but get it at the end of a ride. Im pretty convinced its salts loss from the body
^^^^ as stated above

I tried a electrolyte drink at the weekend and it worked a treat
Even tho I mixed it at low strength it still tasted yuck

Would prefer Hula Hoops, love hula hoops I do ….. now if you could get a powdered drink version :o)

I use Elete drops in my drinking bladder – seems to do the trick in reducing the chance of cramp occuring in the first place.

Only place I’ve seen them for sale is CRC – they look expensive but a medium bottle (270ml?) lasts me almost 6 months.

A friend of mine swears by a single paracetamol when you start to get that ‘slightly crampy’ feeling just before a full-on leg seize.

This worked for me in the past.
Don’t get crap so much lately ,maybe all that stretching is working 🙄

Stretches

I was getting a lot of cramping usually during my rides.

Stretching after each ride is very important. Also helps to build muscle.

Eat bananas – rich in potassium. Also hydrate with sugar free hydration tablets which include salt and magnesium.

Never get cramp now.

As usual lots of good differing advice on STW. So heres mine 🙂

You get more than enough salt in your normal diet, unless you make everything from scratch including butter etc… salt is only a problem if doing lots of endurance stuff.

Stretch after a ride and also on days not riding.

Drink till your pees clear.

Try not to stay in one position too long on the bike ie stand up for a bit etc.

Do the long rides, but take it a bit easier 🙂

From what I understand cramping is caused by dehydration and the loss of minerals through sweat, which would fit with this occuring 3.5 hours into a ride. Replace said fluid/minerals as they’re lost and you should see an improvement.

I use SIS Go Electrolyte while riding and Rego straight after, cramping is pretty much non-existent now – not that is was too much of an issue before hand but my legs are so much better for it the next day.

I thought I’d elaborate on my short post first with a link

http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2011/06/nutrition-and-muscle-cramps-%E2%80%93-what-does-the-science-say/

I experience cramp whenever I push myself. It’s normally worse at the start of the racing season where I set out like it was the end of the previous one but without the fitness. You can take all the “magic potions” you want but if you are pushing beyond what your body is comfortable doing then it is due to lack of fitness. This is not to say you are unfit, even the venerable Jens Voigt gets cramp. Infact maybe his advice is the best.

+1 for SIS GO & REGO. Without this stuff on longer rides I know I will wake up in the night with cramp in my legs…