I bonk to easy, help with fueling

NITR8s

As the title says I bonk to easy, even on a 30 mile ride I took 500ml of Torq energy drink and still ended up bonking at about the 25 mile mark. When ever I do sportives I can usually last up to about 40 miles but then I bonk and end up doing the remaining 20 to 60 miles bonked.

My current fueling is Torq energy drink plus a flapjack every 1 hour 20 mins, but obviously its not working. Does anyone had any advice that may help as it is not enjoyable bonking and a bit embarshing as I start off really strong and then completely lose everything. My friends use gels and dont seem to have a problem but I really wanted to avoid gels, however they are getting more and more tempting.

Any help or advice?

stephenlinden

If you are managing another 20 to 60 miles I would suggest it isn't bonking. It's only happened to me once and I couldn't move the pedals on the flat and just wanted to lie down. It took a giant mars and snickers (Marathon at the time) to get me the 5-10 miles home.

You might just be going out too fast and blowing up. Make sure you are fueled up first, don't rely on energy drinks (big bowl of porridge can help) and try eating (bananas, flap jacks, jam butties, malt loaf, fig rolls) while riding.

I always have carb drinks and some gels for a quick fix because I never want to bonk again. If I was on a long ride I'd have some of the foods I've listed too.

Mikey23

Sounds like your issue is judgement of effort

schweiz

You're not bonking. You've bonked when you can't pedal any more.

As Stephen and Mikey have said, I think your issue is more about you controlling your level of effort early on in a ride. Assuming you're not on a starvation diet, you should be able to ride 30 miles on stored energy alone. My regular training route is a lumpy (600 m / 2000 ft) 50 km which takes anything from 1 hr 25 min to 1 hr 50 min depending on how I'm feeling, the weather, the wind and what I want to achieve from the ride. I can ride that before breakfast with no more than one 500 ml bottle of water apart from in Summer where I'll drop a magnesium tablet in too.

Pross

Yep, it sounds more like fatigue and fitness levels not being up to the effort you are putting in. It is highly unlikely you would bonk within 20 miles, especially having drunk a 500ml bottle of energy drink.

ShutUpLegs

Buy some gels, see if it solves the problem

tiredofwhiners

Banana bread or Soreen when out on longer rides.

Not for 20 minute rides though !

styxd

Ride more, eat less. Your body will adapt to using more of your fat for fuel instead of flapjacks and torqs. This is a much more efficient way to ride.

TheSmithers

I always start with a big bowl of porridge and a banana about an hour before I start my ride (you don't really want to start your ride on a full stomach, so allow the porridge to go down a bit). 10 minutes before my ride, I then have a pint of water. Then throughout the ride, regularly take on fluids. This can be the hard bit as it's very easy while going along the flats unstressed to think you feel ok and don't need to take on fluids, but my rule is to take on fluids whenever you get the opportunity (i.e. not climbing or descending). Depending on the type of ride I do, i.e. long distance and/or very uphill intensive, I'll stop around half way and take on either an energy gel or a banana (both preferably).

Another thing, make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before. Also have a healthy, high carb meal the night before like wholemeal pasta or rice. Then you stand the best chance of giving your best performance.

None of this is gospel, but it usually works for me. Good luck!

team47b

bonking is low blood sugar caused by not enough carbs or too much insulin, you are getting enough carbs and assuming you don't inject insulin you are probably just tired.

An easy test...

10 to 15 minutes after eating some 'sugar' you will recover from a hypo, so eat for example a chocolate bar, or any simple carb, as a test and if you recover then you were bonking if you don't recover then you are just tired, need to get fitter or pace yourself better.

Do you get this when you ride alone or only in groups?

TakeTurns

Ride slower. Your body is using its glucose stores far too quick into the ride. You obviously are new to cycling so you need to learn to improve on your slow twitch muscles. Try to stay aerobic. Only go anaerobic if you're climbing.

diy

this

styxd wrote:

Ride more, eat less. Your body will adapt to using more of your fat for fuel instead of flapjacks and torqs. This is a much more efficient way to ride.

and this

TakeTurns wrote:

Ride slower. Your body is using its glucose stores far too quick into the ride. You obviously are new to cycling so you need to learn to improve on your slow twitch muscles. Try to stay aerobic. Only go anaerobic if you're climbing.

you could even try some zero carb training..

get up have a cup of coffee go out train for 60-70% of your normal or do a day fasting and do 30 min sprint on a turbo.

might also want to do a blood test too.. for things like diabetes.

Careca

As said by many above, go slower. It sounds like it really is as simple as that.

team47b

diy wrote:

this

styxd wrote:

Ride more, eat less. Your body will adapt to using more of your fat for fuel instead of flapjacks and torqs. This is a much more efficient way to ride.

might also want to do a blood test too.. for things like diabetes.

hyperglycemia would indicate diabetes he experienced hypoglycemia :roll:

Froomes Edgar

You bonk too easily? Sounds like daddy issues - I recommend therapy

swede54

Try half a flapjack every 40 minutes.

NITR8s

I defo feel that I am low on suger as I crave suger badly when it happens, I just think in my head about scoffing down a whole bag of jelly babies for the rest of the ride.

It happens if cycling on my own or in a group. If I cycled slower I wouldnt really feel like I am working hard, I only average between 16 to 18Mph which i wouldnt consider fast. Ive found some gel like stuff on Wiggle but comes in a 125ml bottle, which i like the sound of. Gonna order these and give these a try.

I need to sort it out cos its embarrshing doing a sportive with friends and doing fine upto the half way mark and then suddenly struggling to cycle above 11 mph and getting overtaken by people on mountain bikes.

thegodplato

I'm no expert but I do agree that you sound more tired than anything. I note there is no mention of your height and weight so we can't comment on whether its just a fitness issue. I've only started cycling again last April having had over 20 years non cycling and found the first couple of months quite tough building my fitness up to a reasonable level. In fact I found it was my backside that held me back at times - did take a while to get used to the saddle! Now I can quite easily do 70 to 80 miles with the local club and we will average maybe 15-16mph over that distance, sometimes quicker. I know that its not really quick. In August me and my mate did the Ride With Brad 100mile Sportive in 7 hours ( av 14mph ) and that was incredibly hilly ( 10,000ft ). The end of that ride ( miles 83 to 100 ) was really steep and hilly ( ask Bradley!! ) and I felt like I couldn't push the pedals round but managed to keep going although my calves were twitching like mad which I put down to lack of hydration/gels. Thats the worse I've felt. So maybe I nearly `bonked`?
If you are getting some gels, I would say stick to the pouches that you can put in your back pocket.

I believe sugar craving is all in your head.

How do you pedal? are you pushing a big gear rather than high cadence? Big gears can knacker you out quicker but again it all depends on your fitness.

cougie

You cant bonk at 25 miles in.

Not unless your diet is very wrong indeed. I dont think expensive gels are the way forwards - if you're just going too fast for your level of fitness then you need to train better. If it is an energy issue - then look at your diet before you ride.

Nick Cod

I've had days out on the bike when I just can't seem to turn the pedals the way I want and the whole ride can become laborious.

My best advise is to ensure you don't ride on empty, get a good nights sleep the night before and ensure you take on fluid before during and after the ride. All of which mentioned above

Also if you relax and try to adopt a simple rhythm when you're pedaling it may help

TheSmithers

NITR8s wrote:

I only average between 16 to 18Mph which i wouldnt consider fast.

It's hardly slow though is it? Maybe you're being too hard on yourself.

rich164h

As said above, there's a difference between being tired due to a lack of general fitness/strength, and bonking, and anyone that actually has experience bonking will know that it's a pretty unmistakable thing.

For me it's like a total change to the way I feel that can actually come on quite quickly. I feel incredibly weak, others have said that feel that they can't turn the pedals, and I'd agree with that. I also feel very light headed and dizzy and to be honest my judgement is impaired to a degree. Feeling the need to lie down and recover is dominant in your thoughts and hard to dismiss. It's not a nice feeling at all and it's also not something that most people would start to suffer from until at least 2 hours into a particularly strenuous activity and often longer than that For me I start to feel the effects at the end of a half marathon run as I don't eat when running normally, and on the bike I used to get it after perhaps a fast 40 miles or so, and once again only if I wasn't eating. Now I know all of this I make sure I fuel properly to what I plan to do (for really long rides, before I get on the bike) and I haven't had this problem for years now but that doesn't stop me having bad days where I know that I'm just not able to perform as I think I should be able to. Also as others have said, after stopping and eating something the recovery is normally quite quick though.

Only you know how you feel and whether what I've described is what you feel each time it happens, but for me at least, this is completely different from doing a ride and simply feeling weak or tired which is more than likely just down to having a bad day or a lack of sleep, or a general lack of fitness.

I describe this from my perspective and others may disagree, and it also is from someone that doesn't have any underlying conditions that might change all of this completely - diabetes was mentioned for example.

diy

couple of mates have bonked on big enduros.

One just dropped off and we waited at the top of the hill and waited and waited, went back down and he was laying on the bank having a total body cramp.

Another time the guy got off his bike and flopped to the floor.

some water, hydration stuff and caffeine/energy gel had them both fit again within 5 or 6 mins. In both cases it was after 3 hours riding.

team47b

Competitive bonking...

most people eat porridge drink coffee go out on the bike for a couple of hours then bonk.

this morning I got up and walked past my bike (it of course lives in the lounge) and bonked, then eat my porridge, then went out on the bike!

g00se

That's nothing - I bonked the night before - then went to bed, then got up and then had porridge.

NITR8s

Im 5 foot 5 and 57Kg, before I started cycling i did a lot running and used to run 10 miles at sub 8 min miles about 3 times a week before breakfast with no problems. I must admit that the day i bonked on the 25 mile ride I hadnt had anything to eat and i started the ride about 1pm. I do usually last to about the 2 1/2 to 3 hour mark before it kicks in.

Anyway I have ordered some gel stuff and i am gonna give that a go.

Strith

NITR8s wrote:

I must admit that the day i bonked on the 25 mile ride I hadnt had anything to eat and i started the ride about 1pm. I do usually last to about the 2 1/2 to 3 hour mark before it kicks in.

Lol dude what you expect. You don't need gels, you just need to apply a little common sense.

thegodplato

I agree, no food since the previous evening meal is just stupid.

diy

its not stupid if its planned.

however with a bmi of 20 - I'm not sure there is anything much to burn. I'm 4.5% more fat and I think I'd struggle beyond 2.5 hours without food for 18 hours. would probably bonk too

team47b

g00se wrote:

That's nothing - I bonked the night before - then went to bed, then got up and then had porridge.

I see your bonk and raise you...

I ate my breakfast at 11.15PM (normal for me) went to bed, slept, bonked in the night, got up and had porridge.

I see a pattern here, do you think there's something in the porridge

Stedman

On a serious note, if you are getting fatigued with only a moderate amount of exercise, then you ought to go and see your GP as this could be a sign of some other underlying condition!