i went to a bad, bad place!

daveclow

after putting my new shimano R086 shoes on and my Look easy clip pedals i went for a quick 10 miler to 'test' them all out. They're my first clip ins so i was quite excited. on the way back i very randomly bumped into 2 mates who'd just set off so i tagged along with them for an impromptu training session.

anyway at 20 miles in, i VERY quickly started to feel iffy, i ran out of water as i wasn't expecting the ride, and it was hot. My legs just stopped working. 2 minutes later i couldn't even lift my head or stand up as i collapsed on the side of the road in the middle of no where. i'd only had 2 slices of toast that day (very unlike me!!) what a plonka.

one of the lads had to tear off to the closest village with a shop and pick up a lucazade and a bag of jelly tots. 5 minutes after eating/drinking that lot i felt better than ever - and did the next 20 miles no probs. could have done 20 more.

anyone else had this before? it taught me a lesson, ill NEVER go out unprepared again.

Woodchip

Welcome to the world of bonking. Never had it that bad before, but have had the whole dizzy, can't concentrate thing. Once time was just before a technical, wet, chalky descent on the MTB. I got to the bottom, eventually, met up with the guys, went straight in the pub (already planned) and ordered two pints of OJ and lemonade and a mars bar.

It'll only happy to you once or twice before you learn.

daveclow

sweet, so i can tell the mrs that i went out bonking at the weekend?

FlamingTberto

daveclow wrote:

sweet, so i can tell the mrs that i went out bonking at the weekend?

And you were ready to go again after 5 mins recovery! Happy days.

I've never felt as bad as you described, but I did start to bonk on a 10 mile sprint on Saturday morning. I simply knew I did not have the fuel in me so cut short the ride home.

I've played a lot of team sports too in my time, used to play basketball, volleyball and football. I would always be better off having eaten a load of food before a match. Some people used to say to me, I shouldn't eat before exercising. I would say, whatever works for each individual but clearly cycling is one of those sports where you need to eat or have eaten beforehand.

bompington

I don't know what it says about me, apart from chronic overnourishment, but I find I can always go at least 30 miles before I even feel like I need water. Doubtless I'm not working as hard as fitter guys, but I always go as fast as I can.
The closest I've ever got to the notorious bonk would have to be this year's Etape Cal: despite packing 2 water bottles & a lot of gels, sweets & bananas, I was starting to feel very bad by the end. Could have been the effort required fixing all those punctures though...

teagar

Bonking gets more easy to manage more often you do it, it would seem. At least, that's my experience.


Not worth finding that out to be honest. Really not much fun.

daveclow

yes your right there, ill be loading up before future rides.

my first sport is rowing, and before racing i am usually too nervous to eat, so just manage a bit, then eat more once ive raced.
i guess im getting used to the hours of exercise on a bike, compared to the 6 minutes of hell im used to.

hoolio

I've only hit that low once before. I'd cycled ten miles home from work and went for a run (had a half marathon coming up). I'd been managing ten mile runs without too much trouble, but on this occasion managed about two before having to sit down with my head in my hands. After about fifteen minutes I was able to get up and start walking home, but even that was hard!
It's a horrible place to be.

Woodchip

Ironically, the bonk I mentioned earlier happened in a place called Juggs Lane.

daveclow

Woodchip wrote:

Ironically, the bonk I mentioned earlier happened in a place called Juggs Lane.

lol quality, my first bonk was in a field on the side of the road.

dilemna

Yup happened to me for first time on a club ride week for last. I wrote about it here.
Fail to prepare and prepare to fail. You won't do that again.

Plus also if you're not that an experienced rider you're going to bonk or cramp pretty soon I would have thought.

My reason was little to eat the night before after being on the turbo trainer. Got up late so skipped breakfast, then fast ride 12-13 miles so as not to miss start of club ride. Result bonked and got dropped at 40 miles, five or so miles before cafe stop.

crabstix

I don't mean to be alarmist, but this severe reaction could have an underlying cause. I would suggest you at least discuss this with your GP. Just to be on the safe side.

Woodchip

crabstix wrote:

I don't mean to be alarmist, but this severe reaction could have an underlying cause. I would suggest you at least discuss this with your GP. Just to be on the safe side.

30 miles on two slices of toast and not much fluid. I'd say 99% of the population of this forum would bonk under those circumstances.

If it happens again then there may be cause for concern. Until then, remember those jelly beans.

MrChuck

Yep, easily done and pretty unpleasant. I often think the foundations for a good bonk are laid several days in advance, not just when you (don't) have your breakfast that morning. Dunno if there's anything in it but when I get it I've often had an uneven few days beforehand- maybe an event or bif ride the weekend before, followed by a long drive and not eating until hours afterwards, that sort of thing.

geoff_ss

I always carry a tiny tin opener in my wallet so that, in a personal energy crisis, I can buy a tin of rice pudding and scoff the lot. It works for me better than anything ... and I love cold rice pudding

Geoff

FlamingTberto

MrChuck wrote:

Yep, easily done and pretty unpleasant. I often think the foundations for a good bonk are laid several days in advance, not just when you (don't) have your breakfast that morning. Dunno if there's anything in it but when I get it I've often had an uneven few days beforehand- maybe an event or bif ride the weekend before, followed by a long drive and not eating until hours afterwards, that sort of thing.

Agree, I need good sleep else just feel tired regardless of how much fuel I put into the tank.

jrduquemin

I bonked during a MTB race a few years back in Devon. The first aider that saw me collapse on the side of the trail almost called an ambulance for me. I rested a few minutes and ate a banana and was ok after that but it scared the crap out of me....

fungus_the_muffin_man

Yeah I know exactly what you felt like. My bonk was the day after finishing a run of 8 night shifts. I drove to llandeglla to go MTB'in with my mates. I was tired got up late and then drove the 1 and 1/2 hours there with no brekkie as I was going to be late. On getting there we were straight out on the trail. I bonked big time. That badly that by the time we got to the black run i was that tired and trembling that I broke off from them and went down the easier red. They beat me to the end by half an hour!
I llearnt a valuable lesson that day.
1. Don't go out with the lads doing strenuous biking the day after finishing nights
2. Don't ever go out without some decent scran in your stomach
3. Buy a road bike its soooo much easier and your nearer to home if you bonk

hopper1

Am I missing something?.........

How were the shoes and pedals? :roll:

daveclow

lol yes of course. well these are the shoes:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Shima ... 360038802/

but i paid £90 for them from my LBS - showing my support from local businesses of course!

and pedals:

http://www.bicyclebuys.com/productimages/0486667.jpg

also from LBS.


they perform perfectly. its my first clipless setup and it is incredibly easy to use. plus i love the look of the shoes. they have a bit of a storm trooper look going on, but with a slight pearlesant effect to them. but not in a gay way.
the top strap is a buckle (not Velcro) so holds tight, and should do consistently for as long as i have them. they're a great shoe.

i could spend £££'s on bits and bobs for the bike (and have already!)

Wheels next! the ones on my allez aren't supposed to be fantastic.
any recommendations for sub £250?

maybe they'll take me a bit further this time before i bonk

balthazar

I bonked, pulled into a shop to refuel, bike got nicked. I quickly unbonked, in fact it was hours before I ate, what with all the waiting in a queue at the Police station, and getting home, and generally being really angry.

Every now and again you see someone on the tube in full cycling gear, in their socks, holding their shoes in one hand. That was me...

AGNI

So this thread is not about Wolverhampton then?

iain_j

I've only bonked once or twice in all the years but I found it quite amazing. How was I able to keep on riding, keep moving, keep upright for so long (although very slowly), and then the second I "give up" and put my foot down I crumple in a heap and not have the energy to untangle myself from the bike?

Not that I want to go back "there" to investigate it.

Garz

Our fellow forumite anorak had this happen to him recently, I hear he's great at bonking!

AGNI

daveclow wrote:

anyway at 20 miles in, i VERY quickly started to feel iffy, i ran out of water as i wasn't expecting the ride, and it was hot. My legs just stopped working. 2 minutes later i couldn't even lift my head or stand up as i collapsed on the side of the road in the middle of no where. i'd only had 2 slices of toast that day (very unlike me!!) what a plonka.

Quite surprised to hear that this happened after just 20 miles. Is this normal?

geoff_ss

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

..
.
.

3. Buy a road bike its soooo much easier and your nearer to home if you bonk

Why would that be? I ride MUCH farther from home on my road bike: perhaps it's because it's easier?

I did once come close to bonking on my ATB. I was riding up a track near Sheffield, felt bad, then realised I was 30 miles from home. Somehow I made it back but that part of the ride wasn't fun.

Geoff

fungus_the_muffin_man

Geoff_SS wrote:

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

..
.
.

3. Buy a road bike its soooo much easier and your nearer to home if you bonk

Why would that be? I ride MUCH farther from home on my road bike: perhaps it's because it's easier?

I did once come close to bonking on my ATB. I was riding up a track near Sheffield, felt bad, then realised I was 30 miles from home. Somehow I made it back but that part of the ride wasn't fun.

Geoff

It's easier for me because if I'm out on the MTB then it means I've got to drive back from wales, cumbria etc... I don't use the mtb on the roads. Where as if I'm on the roadie I'm always a manageable ride from home distance. It wouldn't be fun but i'd be able to do it.

mask of sanity

I bonked yesterday which really p1ssed me off as I was soo close to doing a sub three hour 60 mile!! Cos I was so knackered I fumbled my water bottle and dropped it which then got run over! Had to stop at a shop to get my other one refilled and she was rather worried because apparently I was really shaking! Haha.

It's amazing how quickly you can recover though with a bit of time out and some food!

daveclow

AGNI wrote:

daveclow wrote:

anyway at 20 miles in, i VERY quickly started to feel iffy, i ran out of water as i wasn't expecting the ride, and it was hot. My legs just stopped working. 2 minutes later i couldn't even lift my head or stand up as i collapsed on the side of the road in the middle of no where. i'd only had 2 slices of toast that day (very unlike me!!) what a plonka.

Quite surprised to hear that this happened after just 20 miles. Is this normal?

depends on the conditions of the bonk i guess, id barely eaten or drank and was at a much higher tempo than id usually ride, due to going out with some impressive cyclists!

AGNI

daveclow wrote:

depends on the conditions of the bonk i guess, id barely eaten or drank and was at a much higher tempo than id usually ride, due to going out with some impressive cyclists!

Well thats sweet sweet music to a fatman like me. Ride your bike but make sure you have a facefull of nosh before you set off. I am so glad I found this place