What does the bonk feel like?

Mister Paul · June 2007

I did 60 miles yesterday. I'd got to 50 this afternoon, and suddenly started to feel sick and felt like I was going to go dizzy and faint. My legs were fine, but I had to walk for 10 minutes before I felt able to get going again, and then still felt pretty rough.

Was it likely to be the heat, tiredness, or had I eaten too much 30 minutes before and not left it long enough before getting back on the bike?

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What we need is a new, national White Bicycle Plan

Unknown · June 2007

Thats the bonk [:D]

I use PSP22, which works fine for me. Its about keeping energy levels right ime

Mleh Mleh Mleh

The Bosscp · June 2007

I'm no fitness expert but could be a combination of all three. It was damn hot today, and digestion takes energy, also consider that different foods might take different amounts of energy to digest, and be digested at different rates?
Dehydration? Your body needs more water if it's losing more due to the heat, yet you might not get any more thirsty. I'd be interested to know if you build up a 'tolerance' to thirst? I went for a ride yesterday and just got one bottle of blue powerade, got a bit thirsty at the top of the moors but neither of us had any water left and the thirst seemed to subside till we got back down to town (was all downhill from there though [;)] ) In other words don't always trust your thirst, you might still need water if you're not thirsty.

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Eurostar · June 2007

Dizzy, sick and weak = bonk. Maybe you ate something slow to digest? There's lots of info about nutrition at ultracycling.com. Some of the 'rules' are quite surprising, e.g. refined, white bread makes better fuel than brown wholemeal bread because it's quick and easy to digest. Maybe your blood sugar level dipped?

freddered · June 2007

What does the bonk feel like? (Like cycling uphill on flat roads, your pet dog just died and the hedge on your left seems like a great place to sleep)

Your's was probably a combination of 'bonk' and dehydration.

The body can support high-energy output for about 2000 calories before it starts burning (painful) fat. That's normally about 2-3 hours of cycling.

On a very hot day you'll need to drink a litre of water an hour minimum (if you're pushing it). Dehydration can kick in very quickly on a hot, hilly day.

You hit the wall at 50 miles which is typical 'bonk' territory and, if you hadn't drunk 2 litres of water on a hot day, dehydration territory as well.

Eating before the ride wasn't your problem (you'd have felt bad at 1 mile not 50)

On hot days it's best to drink more than you think is normal because you sometimes don't even feel sweaty on a bike (it evaporates so quickly).

Tip. If you don't feel like a pee after 40 miles then you may not be drinking enough.

toontra · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fredderedTip. If you don't feel like a pee after 40 miles then you may not be drinking enough.
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I've just done a 4 x 150 mile per day tour. It was cold and wet for the majority of the time but I still drank about 6 litres per day.

Strangely, I didn't need to pee at all whilst riding on three of these days - we're talking 10 - 11 hour rides.

I've noticed this in the past - anything under 150 miles and I don't need to pee no matter how much I drink. Admittedly I'm not going at racing speeds but rather fast touring/Audax (i.e. 15 mph av.), but I've never felt anying like a bonk as described above.

Is this normal? [:0]

there's no such thing as steep hills - just the wrong gear

Asterixcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by toontra

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fredderedTip. If you don't feel like a pee after 40 miles then you may not be drinking enough.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've just done a 4 x 150 mile per day tour. It was cold and wet for the majority of the time but I still drank about 6 litres per day.

Strangely, I didn't need to pee at all whilst riding on three of these days - we're talking 10 - 11 hour rides.

I've noticed this in the past - anything under 150 miles and I don't need to pee no matter how much I drink. Admittedly I'm not going at racing speeds but rather fast touring/Audax (i.e. 15 mph av.), but I've never felt anying like a bonk as described above.

Is this normal? [:0]

there's no such thing as steep hills - just the wrong gear
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Yes that sounds very like my own experiences and I have never had the same as Mr Paul although I often run out of 'fuel' near the end of a ride if my distance overruns my plan (well you just want go on a little bit further, don't you?)

Pour vivre heureux, vivons le v‚lo..

What does the bonk feel like?

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