Any Cyclists On Here?

PaleoIsPossible

I just joined my college's cycling team about two months ago, and I'm looking to get more in shape for it, slim down, and stay motivated with it while I'm away from school for the next 3 months over summer.

If you road bike and have any tips for good pre- and post-ride meals, or anything really at all, let me know! :]

Funnydream

Hi there. I love my cycling, and go out on my bike whenever I can. No real tips - other than invest in a gel saddle (very important) and take water with you. I usually take some fruit to snack on as well. I had the most brilliant bike ride yesterday, high up in the Pennines (Peak District, Derbyshire, UK). Lovely sunny weather, nobody much about = fantastic!

Good Luck to you with your college cycling group. It's ways good to go out cycling with a group of friends. My son (he's 28), cycles as much as 100K with his friends at the weekend - all around London and the surrounding counties. He rides a fixed wheel bike (no gears or brakes) - which must be scary!!!

Add me as a friend if you want some support and motivation for your diet quest. I could also do with some, too.......

Best Wishes.

aareeyesee

Please dont buy a gel saddle we will make fun of you. Go to a real bike store if your saddle is a problem and they have seats for females different pelvic structure and they will measure the distance between your sit bones and get you the correct width. It may be mildly uncomfortable until the 2 patches of skin between the saddle and sit bones adapt but aside from that after a week or so you will be fine. I would suggest being fitted by a professional at a well known bike shop. You will be amazed how comfortable you can be on a bike for 3-4 hours when your hands and toes arnt going numb and the center of your back isnt 1 big cramp. I personally really like speedplay pedals. Here are some of the links I think are very valuable.

http://www.perfectcondition.ltd.uk/Articles/Pedalling/LFC ideas/LFC Notes.htm
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
http://www.bitrot.de/bbook_intro.html
http://www.bonktown.com/
http://www.speedplay.com/

benw

I agree with aareeyesee, don't get a gel seat get fitted to your bike and wear padded bike shorts.

I take cliff bars with me on my rides and also drink Gatorade.

Have fun during the ride

Make sure to stretch after.

brightlightkatie

Hey there,

I'm thinking about cycling to work.. although my bike is about 10 years old and probably in need of a new one, it will 'do' for now I think !!! Its around 8 miles.

How are you finding it?

After a workout or any kind of cardio I always have a can of tuna in spring water, drained. No mayo just vinegar. If you put it on crackers its actually pretty tasty and good for protein. Unless your vegetarian, then I would advice a banana.

questionablemethods

Please dont buy a gel saddle we will make fun of you. Go to a real bike store if your saddle is a problem and they have seats for females different pelvic structure and they will measure the distance between your sit bones and get you the correct width. It may be mildly uncomfortable until the 2 patches of skin between the saddle and sit bones adapt but aside from that after a week or so you will be fine. I would suggest being fitted by a professional at a well known bike shop. You will be amazed how comfortable you can be on a bike for 3-4 hours when your hands and toes arnt going numb and the center of your back isnt 1 big cramp. I personally really like speedplay pedals. Here are some of the links I think are very valuable.

http://www.perfectcondition.ltd.uk/Articles/Pedalling/LFC ideas/LFC Notes.htm
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
http://www.bitrot.de/bbook_intro.html
http://www.bonktown.com/
http://www.speedplay.com/

I agree. Gel saddles are only a bandaid to a problem of a bike not fitting right or not having the right seat. Also, they can actually making riding more uncomfortable if they make the seat wider thus causing more area for your legs to cause friction. I'm also a fan of Speedplay pedals, but they are the only clipless pedals I've really tried for an extended amount of time.

There is another thread around here talking about chocolate milk as a perfect recovery drink. That's one of my favorite post-ride meals.

PaleoIsPossible

Thanks guys!! :]

Funnydream

Gosh, I didn't realise that gel saddles are so universally hated! I'm amazed, mine is really comfy and I love it.

Funnydream

.................and isn't Gatorade full of sugar?

questionablemethods

I think it is just that gel saddles might be comfortable, but they are masking what might be bigger problems. A poorly adjusted saddle or a poorly fitting bike can mean a lot of pain later.

Gatorade is full of sugar and isn't a good idea when people just drink it to quench thirst. But after strenuous exercise, like a several-hour bike ride, is the one time that your body actually can use that sugar. That's also why chocolate milk is such a good recovery drink.

Funnydream

Thank you Kait - I cycle for miles and miles on my "gel" saddle, and have no bigger problems. For me, it is perfect. I have no pain after.

Personally, I try and avoid sugary drinks after exercise. Sugary isotonic drinks don't do anything helpful other than give you sugar - surely water is a much better option? I am very suspicious of sugary "health" drinks.

I don't think I could manage chocolate milk after a long bike ride either - but hey, we're all different.

Happy cycling, with or without a gel saddle!!!!

questionablemethods

Thank you Kait - I cycle for miles and miles on my "gel" saddle, and have no bigger problems. For me, it is perfect. I have no pain after.

Personally, I try and avoid sugary drinks after exercise. Sugary isotonic drinks don't do anything helpful other than give you sugar - surely water is a much better option? I am very suspicious of sugary "health" drinks.

I don't think I could manage chocolate milk after a long bike ride either - but hey, we're all different.

Happy cycling, with or without a gel saddle!!!!

Well, i don't drink Gatorade personally because I don't like the taste of it. But I don't think there is anything to be suspicious of when it comes to the idea that a good balance of fast-digesting protein and carbohydrate is optimal for a recovery meal after strenuous exercise. Here is just one article on the matter, something aaareeyesee linked to on another thread: http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/women/post_workout_interview.htm

I think drinks like Gatorade get a bad rap and make us suspicious because they are marketed to the average person (and especially children) who are typically NOT participating in strenuous exercise of over an hour in length so it is going to be just as bad as any other kind of sugary drink. For what it is worth, I've had a doctor tell me after I was queasy in the minutes following a triathlon to guzzle a Coke. Did the trick and I felt better almost instantly. I wouldn't touch the stuff any other time, though, and I'm pretty sure the doctor would agree.

Funnydream

Hi Kait - I'm sure those drinks do get a bad press and certainly the marketing is ruthless - which naturally makes me ultra cynical.

I'm not sure we are talking about the same type of strenuous exercise - I suppose it's a subjective experience. I've never done a triathlon and take my hat off to you - now that is seriously strenuous. At the most I cycle typically for about 4 hours, but never push myself beyond that which feels comfortable and never to the point where I need a recovery drink.

I've heard other people praise Coke, in particular flat Coke to alleviate nausea. Like you, I dislike the stuff under normal circumstances.

questionablemethods

"Recovery" here just means post-workort, since your muscles are recovering and repairing following exertion. I think four hours is a huge amount of exercise! That is longer than any triathlon I've done (they've been of the "sprint" type). But I can only speak from what works for me. It sounds like what you are doing is working well, too.

Partially, I just really like chocolate milk, so knowing that I can have some for "free" after a long workout helps motivate me to get out there and exercise. :happy:

Have fun biking! I actually haven't been in the saddle much yet this year.

Funnydream

Well, I have other things that motivate me - a little bar of Freddo Frog chocolate is my reward for a long bike ride (97 calories). Believe me, my bike rides are long - but they are very slow and relaxed and often punctuated by contemplative stops. I couldn't sprint if I wanted to and failed miserably when I recently tried a spinning class. I'm trying hard to cycle everywhere instead of driving, but again, there's never any urgency involved so perhaps I should try and push myself that bit harder - I might actually need a Gatorade afterwards then!

hill242

After a long trail ride, nothing hits the spot better than a pb and honey sandwich and chocolate milk.

xonophone

funnydream, enjoy your gel seat and don't feel one bit ashamed of it! Many years ago, a well-meaning old boyfriend surprised me with a Cannondale T700 road (touring) bike and I didn't have the heart to tell him he should have had me with him to ensure a perfect fit! So I found parts to retrofit and slapped a gel seat on it and have put thousands of miles on it. I have cycled through the Catskills, The Adirondacks, the White Mountains, and I've taken it to the West Coast and cycled PCH...and I don't give a damn who laughs at me! I'm riding my bike in the great outdoors and that's really all that matters. :bigsmile:

coronalime

Just stay hydrated. Take a long lots of water and if you drive there put some water in your car. Its easy to get dehydrated on a bike and not really notice it. I have to 2 holders and a aero bottle which sits in the front of the bike with a straw for really long rides and during tris.
DUring rides if over an hour I take a power bar or granola bar of some type. I tend to not eat alot. I sometimes take a bar and cut it in half and eat 1/2 right before and the other after depending on how long I am out there.

RunRideRay

Here are some great tips that have helped me out.

1) Ride with the best you can, and learn all you can from them. Play dumb, and ask all the dumb questions.
2) Keeping the ego in the pocket and lead with hard work and a willingness to suffer
3) Be patient, because it takes years to get strong cycling legs (but they do come)
4) Get good gear and equipment. I know prices have gone crazy, but there are plenty of ways to make it work on a budget.
5) Enjoy riding, and keep it fun.
6) Learn to draft, hold lines, and respect pack dynamics

I am well beyond an avid cyclist, so ask any questions you have.

bstamps12

If you are cycling vigorously, the "rule of thumb" is a drink of water and a bite of an energy bar every 10 minutes-total 1 bottle water and 1 bar per hour of vigorous cycling. If you are only doing moderate cycling, keep drinking the water, but you can skip the bar if you want or just eat half of a bar or so. I personally like the CLIF bars, but find one with under 350 cals and not too much sugar.

Get your seat fitted by your local bike shop! Also, make friends with the people who work there...they all have connections and somehow really do know everything you need to know about cycling!

singfree

On bike rides of up to 30 miles, I can get away with just carrying water. Be sure to get some carbs into your system about an hour before you begin your ride. Of course everyone is different and what works for some might not for others. As for post-workout nutrition, eat something that is carb-rich to replenish the depleted glycogen in your system.

I agree that you should consider getting a seat that is fitted to your own derriere. Bike shops are great. They have a lot of knowledge and experience in all things cycling. Good luck!