Fifty Plus (50+) - Minimizing Comfort Stops

I'm finding that on cold mornings (close to freezing) after having had a couple of cups of coffee and with a no-protein breakfast, I must stop three or four times in the first hour or two to relieve myself, and the intensity of the discomfort seems to be increasing as I get older.

Does anyone have experience with "incontinence pads for men?" I bring this up because I read recently that they did a study in Las Vegas and found that there were increasing amounts of incontinence pads being discarded in the casino washrooms (restroom to you Yanks), and that these came not from older men, but from young guys who were wearing them so they wouldn't have to leave a slot machine just as it was getting hot.

Have any of you geezers used these things? If so, I would like to know: how much output are they good for? Are they comfortable on a bike in the "down" position? Do they bulge under lycra shorts? Do they show stains on cycling shorts? Are they difficult to get rid o/dispose off? Are any brands recommended?

I see some potential advantage here, like on group rides where nobody wants to stop for a break in the first hour, and anyone who does is just left behind by the fast group. And even just commuting to work in the winter, where you're on public mostly-residential streets with no facilities and you like to have a cup of coffee or two before the ride.

Thanks! - Luis

An alternate title for this thread:
"How to tell if your cycling obsession has reached an unhealthy level". :eek:

I can hold it for 12 hours.

An alternate title for this thread:
"How to tell if your cycling obsession has reached an unhealthy level". :eek:

+1. Or maybe your coffee obsession?

Google "Texas Catheter".

In the motorcycle world, there used to be a thing called the "Easy Leaker!" It amounted to a rubber with a hose (long enuf to get beyond your shoe......)

Of course, you would have to stop pedalling for a bit, to keep your bike clean.......

Unfortunately- I have a similar problem- so I delay the ride by faffing around after the last coffee looking for the gloves- cleaning the glasses- putting the shoes on and filling the water bottle- Then there is the Garmin to synch and sort out the I-Pod. The incontinence problem is not improving but the length of time it takes me to sort the bike is--Hence problem solved.

It would probably easier to stop drinking coffee.:D

In the motorcycle world, there used to be a thing called the "Easy Leaker!" It amounted to a rubber with a hose (long enuf to get beyond your shoe......)

Of course, you would have to stop pedalling for a bit, to keep your bike clean.......

Small-aircraft pilots use these: http://sportys.com/PilotShop/product/13087

Why else would flying have such a glamorous reputation? :lol:

you need to work harder, sweat more, and get dehydrated, then you never have to stop...
Bud

you need to work harder, sweat more, and get dehydrated, then you never have to stop...
Bud


That's why I like hot weather so much, you can drink all day and never stop.


Seriously though, I would think that the pads + potential contents might lead to a serious chafe.

way TMI

I already feel enough like I'm wearing a diaper when I have my cycling shorts on -- no need to add a real diaper to the bulk!

An alternate title for this thread:
"How to tell if your cycling obsession has reached an unhealthy level". :eek:

I really don't think a cycling obsession could ever reach an unhealthy level.

Anyway, not many serious answers; I guess this isn't an issue for most of those on this list, who very likely never ride in freezing weather (3 deg C or lower), as I'm not getting a great deal of compassion here, and it's clear no one has ever tried these pads. I imagine there would be a stigma - particularly in this group - about wearing "adult diapers." But I am serious about this. I guess the topic is such that those with experience in this area would not divulge it, so perhaps it was not prudent to bring this up in the first place. I just thought it was a clever idea.

OK, sorry I asked!

Luis

Switch to espresso. More caffeine, less volume.

FWIW, I travel trails solo where there are lots and lots of formal pit stops - like every 1.5 - 3 miles. I know that, because I know where everyone is from expreience and need.

There are pills, I believe, available by Rx from your friendly doc, that can help. Not sure, because I never tried one, but I have read about them.

Perhaps this should be in the 65 - 85+ thread??

I would think that an adult diaper would give you a fair amount of "non-road" rash, and would be bulky and a bit smelly. ALso, psychologically, it would be difficult for me to "relax" enough to actually use one while riding.

The pads are for incontinence, not for intentional peeing-while-cycling.

I like the looks of the plastic urinal mentioned previously - are there bottle cages that would accommodate one of those?

Nobody has brought up the astronaut who (supposedly) wore adult diapers while driving a long distance to go attack her astronaut/lover's wife.

On group rides, I stop as needed. Love the corn fields of Central Indiana - but they aren't much good this time of year.

Cut your coffee to 1 cup before the ride.

I'm not a coffee drinker. My body's urine production peaks in the mornings. I've not actually measured, but if I had to guess, I'd say half my daily production occurs in the first three hours after I get up. I have to carefully plan my morning rides around porta-potty locations, or wait until the morning flow has subsided.

Unfortunately, around here porta-potties aren't put out until May 1st, and disappear at the end of October--and I'm a four seasons cyclist. Living in the city, there's a notable absence of corn fields.

Anyway, not many serious answers; I guess this isn't an issue for most of those on this list, who very likely never ride in freezing weather (3 deg C or lower), as I'm not getting a great deal of compassion here, and it's clear no one has ever tried these pads. I imagine there would be a stigma - particularly in this group - about wearing "adult diapers." But I am serious about this. I guess the topic is such that those with experience in this area would not divulge it, so perhaps it was not prudent to bring this up in the first place. I just thought it was a clever idea.

I have sympathy for your situation, but cannot imagine that any kind of absorbant undergarment would help much on a bike (though I have no experience with them). As someone else mentioned, chafing would almost certainly be an issue. Then there's the matter of comfort in the saddle -- essential for long rides -- that could only be compromised with additional layers.

My original joke was partly serious -- skip the coffee if it causes problems! If the urge is still too strong to ignore, you may want to consult your physician.

As an aside, personally I do plenty of long rides in sub-freezing temps, often in brisk winds. And I've had the uncomfortable experience of having to hold it for the last 20 miles in cold and rainy weather. It ain't fun, but nobody put a gun to my head to be out there in the first place.

Good luck!

Bring a "special" water bottle and find a secluded place. You may then empty it upon people/vehicles you don't like.

Don't ask what I do to cars parked in a bike lane.

Unfortunately, around here porta-potties aren't put out until May 1st, and disappear at the end of October--and I'm a four seasons cyclist.

Yep, I know only too well which parks have year-round loos and which ones are locked all winter.

At some parks near my house there are Port-O-Lets that remains open all winter, but I'm not certain they're ever emptied. They're pretty dicey about now.

I really don't think a cycling obsession could ever reach an unhealthy level.

Anyway, not many serious answers; I guess this isn't an issue for most of those on this list, who very likely never ride in freezing weather (3 deg C or lower), as I'm not getting a great deal of compassion here, and it's clear no one has ever tried these pads. I imagine there would be a stigma - particularly in this group - about wearing "adult diapers." But I am serious about this. I guess the topic is such that those with experience in this area would not divulge it, so perhaps it was not prudent to bring this up in the first place. I just thought it was a clever idea.

OK, sorry I asked!

Luis

In a way you are not alone.

Over the winter I had to make more frequent rest room stops on the MUP.
On the way to the trail we always stop at a Wawa. The wife gets a small cup of tea. If I drink a 20 ounce coffee on the way to the trail I must hit the rest room as soon as I start to unload the bikes. If I drink a 20 ounce cup of hot chocolate I do not need the rest room as quickly nor as frequently as with the coffee.

This past Winter I did try decaf several times. Which worked out as well as with the hot chocolate.

Caffeine acts as a diuretic and elevates the rate of urination. Different people have different levels of tolerance for it and the tolerance may change in an individual with age.

Bring a "special" water bottle and find a secluded place. You may then empty it upon people/vehicles you don't like.


You will only drink from the wrong bottle once

In a way you are not alone.

Over the winter I had to make more frequent rest room stops on the MUP.
On the way to the trail we always stop at a Wawa. The wife gets a small cup of tea. If I drink a 20 ounce coffee on the way to the trail I must hit the rest room as soon as I start to unload the bikes. If I drink a 20 ounce cup of hot chocolate I do not need the rest room as quickly nor as frequently as with the coffee.

This past Winter I did try decaf several times. Which worked out as well as with the hot chocolate.

Caffeine acts as a diuretic and elevates the rate of urination. Different people have different levels of tolerance for it and the tolerance may change in an individual with age.

Caffein is no longer considered to be a diuretic. But, it can exert a mild diuretic effect which some folks are more sensitive to. Drinking a glass or cup of anything can stimulate urine production.
If caffein were a real diuretic, hardcore coffee drinkers would end up in hospitals with dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalance. Never happens, that I am aware of.

Having lived in cold and hot climates it is just a quickie stop off the roadside. So if fellow cyclist won't wait, then give chase . . .
In the cold, if there is snow about, you will leave a telltale yellowish trail . . .
Living in the desert where there are damn few 'comfort stops' in a hundred miles, we locate a saguaro cactus with a flush handle . . .
Remember: U-r-in control! Pun intended.

Bring a "special" water bottle and find a secluded place. You may then empty it upon people/vehicles you don't like.

Don't ask what I do to cars parked in a bike lane.

Yeah, what could possibly go wrong?:roflmao2:

Well OK.

First, cut back on the caffeine. My internist tells me it can result in prostatosis independent of any diuretic effect it may or may not have.

Second, take it easy on the pre-ride hydration. As important as it is to drink along the way, you don't have to be sloshing before the ride. All you'll do is pee it out.

You can consider antispasmodics such as Enablex. However, they exert anti-cholinergic side effects which could predispose you to heat injury. I've found Enablex helpful but I would be very hesitant to try it on a ride on a hot day. When it's hot out I sweat so much my wee-wee is reduced to dust and ashes.

TMI, no doubt.

This information is for general information only. Unfortunately, Obama/Pelosi didn't see fit to include tort reform in the current healthcare law, so docs still are having to append anything we say on the interwebs so people won't sue us.

I'm finding that on cold mornings (close to freezing) after having had a couple of cups of coffee and with a no-protein breakfast, I must stop three or four times in the first hour or two to relieve myself, and the intensity of the discomfort seems to be increasing as I get older.

The idea of urinating in an adult diaper while cycling disgusts me but I'm not here to judge. An after-ride shower would be a good idea, seems to me. Someone should point out that frequent urination could be related to an enlarged prostate. Get that puppy checked out (request a glove) and have it removed if it's an issue. You'll pee like an ox, cycle lighter by a few grams, and support the U.S. health care system. Everyone wins.

If your in town, there's usually a facility somewhere (fast food joints), and if your in the boondocks, there's usually a tree. Or something.;)

maybe, the KKK. Jeeeeezzzz....
That is the ugliest thing I've read here bar none and I've reported you to the moderators.

I'm required to make that addendum for legal reasons and if you had any familiarity with medicolegal issues (ie, if you had a clue what you where talking about) you'd understand that.

As a gastroenterologist I'm perfectly capable of giving you instructions on where to take your comments.

I received a PM from someone saying that the forums had gotten a bit out of hand lately and he would be laying off this place. I think he's right.

Goodbye.

That is the ugliest thing I've read here bar none and I've reported you to the moderators.

I'm required to make that addendum for legal reasons and if you had any familiarity with medicolegal issues (ie, if you had a clue what you where talking about) you'd understand that.

As a gastroenterologist I'm perfectly capable of giving you instructions on where to take your comments.

I received a PM from someone saying that the forums had gotten a bit out of hand lately and he would be laying off this place. I think he's right.

Goodbye.

And, I sincerely hope you come back in a happier frame of mind.
Over the past year, your once joyfully twisted humor -which I really enjoyed- has become more and more bitter.

As for my comments: many many years ago, ancient man looked in the skies and saw stars.
The stars suggested figures to them... birds, hunters, bears, dogs... and the were so named.
Man was just connecting the dots he saw.
And, as the stars they saw were actually light years apart and not associated at all, Man was wrong.

So, maybe my dots are wrong too but I can only go by what I see and the perspective I have. Go in peace.

I can hold it for 12 hours.

But how long can you go between peeing?

I really don't think a cycling obsession could ever reach an unhealthy level.

Anyway, not many serious answers; I guess this isn't an issue for most of those on this list, who very likely never ride in freezing weather (3 deg C or lower), as I'm not getting a great deal of compassion here, and it's clear no one has ever tried these pads. I imagine there would be a stigma - particularly in this group - about wearing "adult diapers." But I am serious about this. I guess the topic is such that those with experience in this area would not divulge it, so perhaps it was not prudent to bring this up in the first place. I just thought it was a clever idea.

OK, sorry I asked!

Luis

My answer was serious. External catheters (also called Texas catheters) are popular with ultra distance racers.

how about waiting longer before you leave the house? the caffeine will still be in your system but not the fluids. can you get up an hour earlier?

If faced with this situation, I would be looking for ways to get the liquid away from me and the bike, not for a way to carry it with me and certainly not to sit in it. If a quick stop on the side of the road won't do it for you, something like the Texas catheter would seem to be the next best thing.

Sorry if you thought my first response was lacking compassion. I wasn't 100% sure you were serious at the time and I kept getting the image of that nutty astronaut lady driving across the country to get the woman who took her man.

I have to drink so much to keep my throat from drying out that I have to go frequently and sometimes urgently. I do have to stop and walk to the edge of the woods sometimes during a ride, but the thought of an adult diaper never crossed my mind.

http://www.forkandsaltshaker.com/content/?p=89
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gesualdo/461064454/
http://www.funnystuffblog.com/diaper-astronaut/

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/SavedbyTheCan.jpg///

But how long can you go between peeing?

I can actually hold it for 12 hours.
Once you get passed the first pain it is OK.

http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/portable-changing-room
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/stansport-cabana-privacy-shelter-changing-room-or-restroom-tent
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/jumbo-portable-cabana