CRAMP!

Teece

Requesting ways to prevent cramp on 50+ mile rides. It spoiled the last sportive I did, and I don't want it to spoil my first century ride.

Thanks in advance!

Grill

Hydrate! Make sure you take on enough water and electrolytes dehydration and loss of salt is the main cause of cramps.

adm1

What he said - make sure to add some electrolytic powder to your drinks bottles. You can buy tablets and powder (High 5, Nuun etc.....) with or without carbs that you can just drop in. Apparently you can also make your own through adding sugar and salt to your bottles, butI don't know the details.

charlie_potatoes

As above

I use high5 zero electrolyte tablets as I don't like sugary drinks when I am riding.
About £6 for 20 tablets. As a sufferer myself I can definitely recommend you try them.

Berry flavour is my favourite

Teece

So I can get tablets to drop in my water that contain stuff that will stop me cramping AND it's got carbs in?
Sounds great. I'll get googling.

Many thanks guys.

charlie_potatoes

Teece wrote:

So I can get tablets to drop in my water that contain stuff that will stop me cramping AND it's got carbs in?

Many thanks guys.

Some have carbs and some don't.
The High5 Zero tablets are calorie free

t.m.h.n.e.t

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

Teece wrote:

So I can get tablets to drop in my water that contain stuff that will stop me cramping AND it's got carbs in?

Many thanks guys.

Some have carbs and some don't.
The High5 Zero tablets are calorie free

And High5 Energy source has both carbs and electroytes

Grill

Yup, I ride with 1 bottle w/ a zero tab and 1 bottle with a 2:1 (4:1 for 100+ milers) carb drink.

alihisgreat

-Hydration
-Nutrition
-Training

I generally get cramp with a combination of higher exertion than normal and poor hydration.


I find that when I feel I'm starting to go, that a lower cadence in a harder gear is the way to suppress it.

izza

I found that for longer ( > 80 mile) sportives or multi day events (L2P) I needed to start the hydration process a day or two before the ride.

So I'd agree with the above and add Boots hydration treatment sachets for the two days beforehand.

navrig

Some prescribed medications can bring on cramp.

FunBus

Read this; http://highfive.co.uk/high5-faster-and-further/cramp

graeme_s-2

I've generally found that hard exertion is what gives me cramp. Training at higher intensities closer to the intensity I work at during an "event" has drastically reduced my susceptibility to cramp.

siamon

Could try getting out of the saddle every five minutes or so, hips towards the bars + stretch the calf at the bottom of the stroke, switch legs and stretch the other. During the Vuelta I saw a couple of them unclip one leg & pull their heel up to their glutes to stretch the quads!!! Sitting in the same position, doing exactly the same repetitive movement for hours on end doesn't do me any favours, do a bit of stretching (on a gentle downslope) and I'm fine!

Alex_Simmons/RST

Teece wrote:

Requesting ways to prevent cramp on 50+ mile rides. It spoiled the last sportive I did, and I don't want it to spoil my first century ride.

By far the best means to prevent cramp is to improve your cycling fitness through training.