Bonking on rides

suzyb

I pretty much always bonk when out on a ride and it's putting me off MTBing. So today I tried to make sure I wouldn't. As well as breakfast (2 slices of toast) I took some Quaker oat bars, one of which I ate before the ride and the other during the first half an hour. But I still bonked

Even though I'm unfit the pace of the ride was quite slow and with all the stopping and starting I'd like to think I could manage it without bonking.

So what could I try to prevent this, what should I be eating and when?

cooldad

Bonking obviously doesn't mean what I was expecting it to.

ojh

Bonked??

Anonymous

PMSL
I have to say, I'm quite relieved I wasn't bonked when I went for a ride with Sheepsteeth.


(Ahem, I do know what you mean though. All you can do really is build up fitness. Also, make sure you're hydrated enough, and try and eat some pasta the day before)

cooldad

In all seriousness though, two slices of toast isn't enough for serious riding or bonking.

The Northern Monkey

cooldad wrote:

In all seriousness though, two slices of toast isn't enough for serious riding or bonking.

I'll bonk yo....... hmm, never mind.

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

PMSL
I have to say, I'm quite relieved I wasn't bonked when I went for a ride with Sheepsteeth.

It's not the bonking you would have needed to worry about, it's the invitation to view his ditch afterwards that's the problem.

cooldad

The Northern Monkey wrote:

cooldad wrote:

In all seriousness though, two slices of toast isn't enough for serious riding or bonking.

I'll bonk yo....... hmm, never mind.

You don't have a good bo... just a pity this wasn't posted in crudcatcher.

Anonymous

cooldad wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

PMSL
I have to say, I'm quite relieved I wasn't bonked when I went for a ride with Sheepsteeth.

It's not the bonking you would have needed to worry about, it's the invitation to view his ditch afterwards that's the problem.

To be honest, I'd be dead at that point, so I couldn't care less!

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

cooldad wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

PMSL
I have to say, I'm quite relieved I wasn't bonked when I went for a ride with Sheepsteeth.

It's not the bonking you would have needed to worry about, it's the invitation to view his ditch afterwards that's the problem.

To be honest, I'd be dead at that point, so I couldn't care less!

As long as you go out with a bang and not a whimper.

FSR_XC

Suzyb - you don't say how long the ride is.

Porridge is a good start for breakfast.
Snacking every 30-45 min will help. Only a piece of oat bar, some dates etc.
Stay hydrated - using electrolyte or energy drinks are better than just water.
Energy gels are a last resort.

Have a look at the roadies section on here. Avoiding bonking is a question often asked.

Anonymous

cooldad wrote:

As long as you go out with a bang and not a whimper.

He's a big bloke. I don't think you'd have much say in the matter

Anonymous

FSR_XC wrote:

Have a look at the roadies section on here. Avoiding bonking is a question often asked.

I knew they were odd. The rest of us are trying to get as much of it as we can, and they're actively avoiding it.

cooldad

yeehaamcgee wrote:

FSR_XC wrote:

Have a look at the roadies section on here. Avoiding bonking is a question often asked.

I knew they were odd. The rest of us are trying to get as much of it as we can, and they're actively avoiding it.

It's a common side effect of lycra rubbing on freshly shaved calves.


That or the drugs.

suzyb

FSR_XC wrote:

Suzyb - you don't say how long the ride is.

Porridge is a good start for breakfast.
Snacking every 30-45 min will help. Only a piece of oat bar, some dates etc.
Stay hydrated - using electrolyte or energy drinks are better than just water.
Energy gels are a last resort.

Have a look at the roadies section on here. Avoiding bonking is a question often asked.

Reason I asked in here is I don't seem to bonk when on my road bike. I can do 2 or 3 times the distance on road eating the same but riding off road just sucks the energy right out of me

Atz

How long for you to run out of energy? I eat a decent breakfast (i.e. more than two bits of toast) and often have a cereal bar on the way out. Usually carries me for 3-4 hours without much problem and much longer than that we usually have a lunch stop anyway.

suzyb

I usually run out of energy after no more than an hour. Today I thought having the two oat bars would make up for not much breakfast but guess not.

getonyourbike

Are you sure you know what bonking really feels like. There's a difference betweeen feeling tired and bonking, when you can barely turn the pedals and just want to lie down and fall asleep where you're standing.

Atz

You really wouldn't be bonking after an hour unless you're undernourished in general. You're probably just really tired (I assume you're just starting riding?)

diy

I'm assuming bonking means hitting the endurance wall.

FSR - gave some perfect tips for energy maintenance. But I'd just add that off-road riding is equiv to 2 x the road distance as a rule of thumb. In muddy conditions with lots climbing its more like 3.

As an example - I do the brighton to london to brighton every year - its about 130 miles given a bit of riding too and from starts. I do it on a hard tail with slicks. When I compare to endurance on my FS, it feels equiv to a 50-60 miler.

At this time of year with mud etc and winter tyres, you can add another 20% to the effort.

a tea spoon of salt and one of sugar in your water bag (per litre) can help maintain the electrolytes, if you can't be bothered with expensive additives.

njee20

If it's happening after an hour something's wrong frankly, you shouldn't be able to deplete your energy stores that quickly, even eating nothing. If you don't struggle on the road are you sure it's not just a case of not being used to the extra exertion of MTBing?

Electrolyte drinks are unlikely to help hugely, as hydration isn't really the issue. A carb drink would be better, you can make your own with diluted fruit juice if you don't want to buy one. Most brands do 'tester packs' which are good, I'd see if they help. High 5 is excellent IMO.

suzyb

If it's not bonking I hope I don't ever get that far. I get to the point I can barely manage to pedal and just want to get home. And on Sunday's ride that was after walking most of it as I was pretty much wiped out after the first real climb.

lastwords

Sounds like your just not used to it yet, you make have to shorten your rides until you become accustomed to the level of excertion mtb requires.

It should not take long to improve though.

As someone else suggested have some pasta the night before and porridge is a good start i usually put some friut in the porridge aswell.

Atz

Legs not working isn't quite the same as bonking. I've had rides where my legs are dead and I can get back to the car, drive home and then I can carry on with my day.

mak3m

getonyourbike wrote:

Are you sure you know what bonking really feels like. There's a difference betweeen feeling tired and bonking, when you can barely turn the pedals and just want to lie down and fall asleep where you're standing.

this, im just a nub, but my common law ex brother in law is a serious mtber last summer he rode around france and spain, his fave story is doing two peaks in the alps, top of second one he 'blew out' (bonked) had to lie by the bike till some kind hill walker went past and kindly passed him his electrolyte from his rucksack

he lives on peanut butter and nuttella when hes in riding mode, never puts a lb on the twat

Turrican

Have boul of porrige oats for breaky or couple flapjacks, for super engery drink ( not the redbulls or other crap) take 3 bananas blend them up with pint or slightly more of milk add teaspoon honey and oats or a biscuits that give yer energy depends how make it can have it thick paste like or runny
Works for me and i burn energy very fast.

Anonymous

Atz wrote:

Legs not working isn't quite the same as bonking. I've had rides where my legs are dead and I can get back to the car, drive home and then I can carry on with my day.

After a bonking, I just want to go to sleep, and maybe have a ciggarette.

MrChuck

I couldn't do anything on 2 slices of toast! Is that what you have during the week as well?

Remember that stores aren't just built up in the morning or the evening before your ride. If you arrive at the weekend already under-fuelled you're not going to get very far on the saturday.

diy

for anyone who's interested..

http://tunedintocycling.wordpress.com/2 ... -the-bonk/

I don't think we are talking about bonking here. Must be a roady term btw never heard it called that before - I tend to call it hitting the wall or having a body cramp.

Suzyb

I'd say need to check your bike is properly adjusted (seat height to maximise stroke etc), make sure you pack some carb snacks, start with a decent breakfast (oats etc), drink plenty, checks your cadence on climbing (try to keep it above 60 subject to gearing). Don't be too worried about walking up the odd hill (it gives you a break).

Anonymous

Nah, Bonking was a common term in the nineties, and I think it's still used in the circles who are bothered by such things.
It's a horrible feeling (well, bonking is great, but in the context of the OP's topic, I mean ), it feels like your body's shutting down or dying. I've had it on a few occasions, most notably when I decided to race the bus to school years ago, without breakfast. I felt terrible. I was scared of closing my eyes, since it felt like they'd never open again if I did.

Chill out, ride a bit slower, and build up your speed over time.
(and eat pasta the night before, and I don't mean some poxy two tablespoon serving, I mean a plateful)

Arkady001

'Proper' MTB'ing is way more strenuous than road riding, where you can coast or draught other riders (sometimes without realising you're doing it).
Off road it's all your effort and you'll tire much faster.
When I went from competition road cycling and Time-trialling to mountain-biking in the '80's I found I was nowhere near as strong as the other riders in my peer group, but that i could cylce longer than they at a slower pace. Endurance I had in spades, but the 'legs' were wrong - it took the better part of a season of off-road riding to develop the brute strength to get up the steep bits. I hid my drawbacks during racing by deliberately 'resting' during singletrack sections where no-one could get past then use my cunning roadie stamina to ease ahead on shallow climbs.
I got sworn at a lot...lol