Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Richard Cranium
03-22-09, 09:46 AM
This thread requests discussion of the amazing variability of nutritional and hydration needs that result from weather. And how each cyclists own training experience cannot be used to predict other cyclists needs in the face of unknowable environmental variables.
Several aspects of discussing bicycle events, long-distance cycling, and long-distance cyclists' - is how remarkably unique each event is - and how unique each cyclist and each outcome or results can be.
Forums like these often list attempts by veteran cyclists to share and apply their experience and knowledge to situations described by other cyclists in need of advice or encouragement. The details of a recent 200k ride are a great example of why this kind of advice can go wrong.
The ride in question was 200K long, fairly flat and windy, lasting 7:00 hours. The temp at start was 40-45, the temp at finish was 52-56....... I dressed in a manner, that did not require changing for the entire ride. Because of the winds, and temps - I didn't notice much perspiration....
The "pre-ride" breakfast was a package of six "mini-donuts," and some coffee. The entire ride nutrition was about 500 calories of Cytomax, and two cans of "180 Energy Drink" - totaling less than 800 calories. I had several sandwiches and five or six Granola bars, but never felt the need to eat them.
As I mention, I rode 6:54 minutes out of 7:00 - managing an overall pace of 17.5 to 18.2mph. Using less than 100 calories and less than 16 ounces of fluids per hour. (100% liquid carb) I doubt this was an optimal fueling strategy, but I accomplished the ride exactly as I had planned.
I finished, with no cramping nor undo fatigue or signs of "bonking." That's part of the reason I am posting this, as reminder how variable these things can be.
Tell me about your unexpected rides, where you ate food that "shouldn't have worked" - drank half as much, or twice as much as you expected.
Several aspects of discussing bicycle events, long-distance cycling, and long-distance cyclists' - is how remarkably unique each event is - and how unique each cyclist and each outcome or results can be.
Forums like these often list attempts by veteran cyclists to share and apply their experience and knowledge to situations described by other cyclists in need of advice or encouragement. The details of a recent 200k ride are a great example of why this kind of advice can go wrong.
The ride in question was 200K long, fairly flat and windy, lasting 7:00 hours. The temp at start was 40-45, the temp at finish was 52-56....... I dressed in a manner, that did not require changing for the entire ride. Because of the winds, and temps - I didn't notice much perspiration....
The "pre-ride" breakfast was a package of six "mini-donuts," and some coffee. The entire ride nutrition was about 500 calories of Cytomax, and two cans of "180 Energy Drink" - totaling less than 800 calories. I had several sandwiches and five or six Granola bars, but never felt the need to eat them.
As I mention, I rode 6:54 minutes out of 7:00 - managing an overall pace of 17.5 to 18.2mph. Using less than 100 calories and less than 16 ounces of fluids per hour. (100% liquid carb) I doubt this was an optimal fueling strategy, but I accomplished the ride exactly as I had planned.
I finished, with no cramping nor undo fatigue or signs of "bonking." That's part of the reason I am posting this, as reminder how variable these things can be.
Tell me about your unexpected rides, where you ate food that "shouldn't have worked" - drank half as much, or twice as much as you expected.