the way i see it, i’m in it for the fun, not the medals nor glory (well, maybe just a little).

can you buy EPO or some other performance drug/supplement to help on big days out?

You know these drugs are banned because they damage people, not just because they give a competitive advantage?

Internet. A journalist took some a few years back for a story, sounds brilliant (if expensive) 😃

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32983932

flippant response: lots of drugs are banned. never stopped me in the past….

considered response: other than full-on Dr. Ferrari style doping programme are there any supplements that will give me a boost for the weekend?

Was there not something in one of the papers (Guardian?) where someone started down that track but then ended up taking various other drugs to counteract the side effects of the first one etc.  Blood doping might be your easiest way…

get an ebike

other than full-on Dr. Ferrari style doping programme are there any supplements that will give me a boost for the weekend?

A recent week’s worth of prednisolone (steroid) for a chest infection felt awesome. Got to 50 miles on one of the days and felt fresh as a daisy.

Can only imagine just how good a triamcinolone jab would feel.

Check out Icarus on Netflix for an amateur trying to dope like a pro.

Ride more, so you’re fitter.
Or ebike.

Kouign amann and strong coffee.

Brilliant idea for a thread.

Creatin used to be a thing didn’t it? And I think you can that over the counter.

I recall someone else experimenting with a number of banned substances to see what improvements they made. At the end of it he concluded that the one thing he would like to be able to take was Human Growth Hormone. Once he started on that he was also able to stop using his reading glasses and didn’t feel any ill effects. Most of the other stuff had unpleasant side effects.

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-natural-evening-primrose-oil-capsules-1300mg-plus-vitamin-b6-60003231?skuid=003231&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&&gclid=CjwKCAjw5pPnBRBJEiwAULZKvoKJabm91VLZ0T-kp608mM7S-rc1B7gtdxRUyabqn5dzcC_E6OpysBoCJNkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I’ve been micro dosing on IPA, I feel awesome but I can’t ride in a straight line…

Can’t you just get an asthma inhaler?

Got a 30000iu subcutaneous epoetin beta syringe sitting in my fridge, but it’s mine….all mine…Mwarrr….Harrr…Harrrr…..Harrr (that was meant to be an evil superhero laugh), my blood counts were playing up last year due to ms related kidney infection problems and i self dosed with the stuff, i didn’t notice any difference in my cycling but then again i do ride a throttled ebike as peddling a normal bike is impossible so i’m prob the wrong person to comment on it’s effectiveness

I can get some right good base, it’ll feel like your going fsster, 😂😂

Creatin used to be a thing didn’t it? And I think you can that over the counter.

Creatin isn’t what he’s after, it also occurs naturally in muscle, so red meat etc. It gives your muscles the ability to work a bit harder, like a few percent.

Can be bought from any supplement shop, Holland and Barrett etc.

Drugs are bad, mkay?

If you’re going down the performance enhancing option for a weekend away then it’s probably far safer to your health if you borrow an Ebike and opt for a quiet post-ride bifta somewhere scenic to unwind afterward.

I used to go riding with a guy from work. He is 20yrs younger than me, and he could always leave me, especially on a hill.
One evening, i took two energy gels before we set off, complete with caffeine.
I didn’t really notice any difference, but he admitted to me later that he’d been trying to drop me for the whole ride.
So, energy gel with caffeine,
Or get fitter, or ebike . .

Drugs – A Cautionary Tale

Creatin used to be a thing didn’t it? And I think you can that over the counter.

It has well researched benefits but it won’t turn you into superman like drugs will.

I recall someone else experimenting with a number of banned substances to see what improvements they made. At the end of it he concluded that the one thing he would like to be able to take was Human Growth Hormone. Once he started on that he was also able to stop using his reading glasses and didn’t feel any ill effects. Most of the other stuff had unpleasant side effects.

Drugs – A Cautionary Tale

HGH does sound like the drug you’d want to take.

There’s other ways to maximise what nature gives you too though. If you believe Tim Ferris’s then there’s mileage in a high cholesterol diet as it’s required to synthesise testosterone in the body.

Then there’s the “I’m not sure if it’s illegal but it’s not natural” stuff like GABA, which IIRC results in increased HGH levels. Also gives you a nice tingly sensation and the best nights sleep ever!

My housemate used to do this stuff, he was always built like a brick shithouse so between the supplements and his gym routine something was working. Then he went all out with the drugs and the gains were an order of magnitude!

Stopping smoking, riding more, fueling your body with sports drinks whilst riding, caffeine, or getting n E-bike are probably more effective though. I don’t usually use carb drinks, so when I take one on a long ride it certainly feels like rocket fuel!

[edit] basically what they said while i was typing

Awesome 👍👍

Do it, post pics 🧟‍♂️😱🤯👍👍👍👍👍

Creatin isn’t what he’s after, it also occurs naturally in muscle, so red meat etc

or some other performance drug/supplement to help on big days out?

Here’s the original article from 2003 about impact of drugs

Caffeine energy drink…. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19403954

Ketone Ester drink….. https://hvmn.com/blog/exogenous-ketones/how-do-exogenous-ketones-affect-athletic-performance

No golden ticket or shortcut really though.

Watch Icarus, then have a good think. Possibly a new experience for you.

No ebikes…. I’ve got some dignity, thanks.

And not evening primrose oil, either.

Don’t want to change my lifestyle and get into a routine of gym and training.

Just a pick me up that I can pop before a ride.

Started watching Icarus, but got a bit bored with the whole Russian doctor so turned it off.

POM medicines are POM for a reason. Some of these have possible benefits for endurance comeptitive sport. That does not make their personal use for non-competitive sport illegal, perhaps ill-judged, but not illegal.

EPO may have some benefits, particularly with maintaining a high training load over longer periods. But if you want something for “a big day out”, I’d recommend caffeine gels. The half-life of caffeine is six hours, so taking 50-80 mg every two hours will lead to some accumulation, that will have metabolic benefits. A dose of 50 mg is a single tablet. The standard “double esspresso” dose is 80 mg (also one can of red bull).

A single dose of EPO will have no benefit whatsoever, but Ferrari was a decent Clinical Pharmacologist.

Just taking drugs won’t work unless you have a committed training plan for the body to soak them up and build them into muscle and/or strip the fat off you

also the side effects – short term and long term – need to be considered as well. Most people who do roids end up fat with a dodgy heart and reduced cognitive functions in later life.

ust a pick me up that I can pop before a ride.

That’s cocaine isn’t it?

No ebikes…. I’ve got some dignity, thanks.

Says the man who fancies doping.

That’s cocaine isn’t it?

I was thinking that. You probably won’t go any faster, it’ll just feel like you are.

How about researching what Froome did on last year’s Giro?

then have a good think. Possibly a new experience for you.

Bravo Meow!

Heres a complete list of supplements for endurance sports

https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/the-top-7-supplements-to-boost-endurance-performance.html

Amyl nitrate. I don’t think you’ll go any faster, but you won’t care

I was thinking that. You probably won’t go any faster, it’ll just feel like you are.

Seemed to work for a certain Italian, until it killed him.

Ask Amgen, they sponsor the tour of California and make epo, so they’re bound to be sympathetic to your needs…………..

No ebikes…. I’ve got some dignity, thanks.

Says the man who fancies doping.

I see this as alpin’s humourous take the pee out of ebikers thread. So that was entirely the point, no?

I was thinking that. You probably won’t go any faster, it’ll just feel like you are.

Nah… That’s cannabis. Don’t drink and drive, ride and fly.

Was having a smoke on just about every uplift whilst in Finale last month.
Was quite happy playing about at the back of the group rather than gunning it up front playing don’t-lose-sight-of-the-guide.

Oh, and riding on gak is just that, gak. Don’t bother imo. Puts you too much on edge.

I’m mainlining beetroot juice at the moment, i would recommend it as it turns yer pee a very funny colour.

I see this as alpin’s humourous take the pee out of ebikers thread. So that was entirely the point, no?

Nope.

Just wondered what there is or there that will give me a bit of pep for the long climbs.

As it is, I’m not in bad shape at the moment. Not snacking, riding 25km to and from work most days and have cut down on the smokes.

Ride an ebike by all means, but they’re not for me.