Fifty Plus (50+) - Fighting Leg Cramps

Looking for advice with an ongoing nagging issue. Seems after I hit the 40 - 50 mile mark, my hammies start to cramp up. Yesterday I did a 70 mile cookie ride and had to stop and walk every mile the last 10 miles, to stretch my legs. I'm drinking plenty of fluids (gatorade), taking GU and cliff bar, and have even tried salt tablets. It's becoming frustrating because I'm moving at a pretty good clip and then WHAM!, the muscles start to cramp.

Any ideas

Hi Freerunner,

E-Caps (Electrolyte Replacement Supplement) from Hammer Products are the solution. Not just salt but also other chemicals that you need (but sweat out). Take one every hour and no more cramps (well, you need to be hydrating too, but you seem to have that covered).

On the double centuries I ride the ride organizations that put on the rides have E-Caps at every checkpoint (30- 40 mies apart depending the climbing from one to the next). I take two at each checkpoint and since I've started doing that, no more troubles with cramps!

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes.elt.html?navcat=fuels-energy-drinks

Rick / OCRR

If your hamstrings are cramping perhaps you are overusing them. If your seat is too far back that will emphasize the back of the leg. You might consider moving the saddle forward a tad and see what that does.

V-8 veggie juice

I find that I experience muscle cramps when I start to become dehydrated. That may not be what is causing your cramps, but be carefull to stay hydrated. (I know you probably don't need to hear this but I thought I would mention it just in case.)

Quads are really used a lot and hamstrings are not in bicycling = strong quads, weak hams. They get very tight. There are a variety of exercises and stretches to loosen and strengthen the hamstrings. This phenomenon is noted frequently in bicycle mags such as Bicycling, and by my physical therapist(s).

You might try hydrating well and taking ecaps starting 3-4 days before the ride.

Bananas for potasium.

All of the above. Good luck

I consider myself the leg cramp king. I cramp every century and sometimes on shorter rides. However, if there is one cramp I can deal with is the hamstring cramp. After a very difficult set of hamstring cramps I found that standing would keep this from occurring. I have learned, especially on a long climb, to stand on a fairly regular rate. I learned to walk around during a rest stop if the ride has not hills to stand. Works very well for me. Now, if only the other cramps were that easy.

V-8 veggie juice

Correct-V8 Fusion has potassium+ and other helpful anti-cramping stuff

Dealing with leg cramps since 12 years old. All the common wisdom may help but medical science does not yet have the answer. Get a solution and you will be a gizillionair! The only thing I have found that helps after you start cramping is to try to spin your legs on the pedals with as little pressure as possible.

Yogurt, dried figs, dates, tomato juice and V8 juice have more potassium than bananas. You can also add Lite salt (http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/foodsalts/Lite_Salt.htm) to your diet. Its 50% potassium chloride. Regular table salt has no potassium.

My leg cramps seem closely associated with exceeding my fitness level - they are more common in Spring, after the Winter laziness. Haven't suffered any recently(knock on head), including this past Saturday's hilly and hot 50 mile ride.
I'm betting that if I had tried the 160 mile RAIN, my calves would have started complaining after, say, 75 miles or so.

Dealing with leg cramps since 12 years old. All the common wisdom may help but medical science does not yet have the answer. Get a solution and you will be a gizillionair! The only thing I have found that helps after you start cramping is to try to spin your legs on the pedals with as little pressure as possible.

I agree with the spinning with little pressure. It has gotten me home a number of times.

Yesterday was the worst leg cramps I have ever had. My planned ride was 45 miles but at mile 35 I was reduced to walking a half mile and the trying to ride as far as I could. I don't ever want to experience that amount of pain again. I have tried Potassium pills ... didn't work tried magnesium pills... didn't work. I eat what I think are more than my share of bananas... don't help. Tomorrow I am going to try E-caps. I have also heard that Quinine water works well... Anyone have any knowledge about this?

Yesterday was the worst leg cramps I have ever had. My planned ride was 45 miles but at mile 35 I was reduced to walking a half mile and the trying to ride as far as I could. I don't ever want to experience that amount of pain again. I have tried Potassium pills ... didn't work tried magnesium pills... didn't work. I eat what I think are more than my share of bananas... don't help. Tomorrow I am going to try E-caps. I have also heard that Quinine water works well... Anyone have any knowledge about this?

I can report that after 3 or more gin and tonics I have never had a cramp I can remember.

I have tried Potassium pills ... didn't work...
That's because potassium pills are limited (by law) to 99 mg per capsule. The items I mentioned above all have 500+ mg per serving and taste much better than a capsule. :)

Gin and tonic ... good idea

At 99 mg per capsule I guess I would have to take about a half a bottle at a time.

Good info from both of you...

PLease be aware of potassium high dosage dangers. Don't know how much you plan on taking . . .

http://www.nutrient-world.com/mineral-resource/dangers-of-high-potassium-levels.html (http://www.nutrient-world.com/mineral-resource/dangers-of-high-potassium-levels.html)

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/11/21/dangers-of-pota/

The OP hasn't come back so I don't know if this is a troll. But, in case this is serious, the answer for me and for everyone I know is to increase leg strength through excercise and use. Unless your diet is really attrocious that usually isn't the cause. If cramps are a routine thing the cause is usually lack of leg strength and total body fitness for the exercise regimen.

I had severe leg cramps after riding, so much so I couldn't walk or would wake up at night with cramps in my ham strings. I tried eating bananas taking pills etc etc. Three things I did that really helped, one was getting my bike fit. Proper seat hight and cleat position I payed $80 bucks here in San Francisco for a Specialized trained fitter to fit my bike. Second I discovered GookinAide now called VitaLite. Developed by a doctor that was an Olympic contender and couldn't tolerate Gatorade. I have a friend that is a tennis pro that turned me on to it. So I drink that before, during and after I ride. No more cramps for me. Third I started stretching there are any number of stretching routines I stretch every morning as soon as I am out of bed. No more cramps for me. Hope that helps you.

The OP hasn't come back so I don't know if this is a troll. But, in case this is serious, the answer for me and for everyone I know is to increase leg strength through excercise and use. Unless your diet is really attrocious that usually isn't the cause. If cramps are a routine thing the cause is usually lack of leg strength and total body fitness for the exercise regimen.

Gosh-I'd hate to think of how much more exercise I'd have to do if that were the case. I kinda think the high humidiy and the significant loss of electrolytes while exercising is a significant factor-at least in the area I'm accustomed to riding in.

Gosh-I'd hate to think of how much more exercise I'd have to do if that were the case. I kinda think the high humidiy and the significant loss of electrolytes while exercising is a significant factor-at least in the area I'm accustomed to riding in.


If you "kinds think" I'd hate to go against that. But, unless there are other symptoms than just leg cramps it is unlikely there is a serious electrolyte deficiency. Check it out with your medical provider.

Today was my third day to use the E-caps that Rick recommended. My legs have never felt better. This morning I took 2 before I left the house and 2 more about an hour into my ride and 2 more before I got home. I feel like I can leap tall buildings in a single bound after my rides now.

Does anyone have a capsule that can make me faster than a speeding bullet.:lol::lol:

Do a good long warm-up for each ride. Drink recovery drinks like powerbar recovery after a long ride rides and do quad, calf and hamstring stretches after every ride.

Weigh yourself before and after each ride to see if you are taking in enough fluids. It may seem like you are but you may not be (a recent ride I thought I had taken in a lot of fluid but I dropped about 3.5 lbs)

Med-tent studies show that none of these things have much to do with cramping: warmup, cooldown, electrolytes, or hydration. We know that most cramping is a result of insufficient training for what's being attempted. To have an easy, cramp-free 80 mile ride, just ride an average of 160 miles per week, including some effort level which you will see on the long ride, or a little above. After a couple of months, or even mush less, of that exercise volume and cramps during the ride will stop.

If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.

Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.

Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.

Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.

1) take a rolling pin to your legs both before and after your rides.

2) i mix my own sport drink (3/4 scoop gatorade powder, 1/2 scoop (12g) protein powder, 1/4 tsp lite salt) protein helps with endurance, and the lite salt / potassium helps with cramping.

3) i change to water or gatorade or whatever is available once my first bottles are empty. drink plenty. when you feel a twinge of a cramp, drink a full bottle as fast as you reasonably can.

4a) ride a steady pace if possible... surge at 300w and coast at 0w all day will take a lot more out of your legs than a steady 200w will.

4b) stay out of zone 5 if possible. you'll pay later. of course your mates might enjoy making you pay ;-)

5) sometimes gels miraculously seem to help once cramps start.

Med-tent studies show that none of these things have much to do with cramping: warmup, cooldown, electrolytes, or hydration. We know that most cramping is a result of insufficient training for what's being attempted. To have an easy, cramp-free 80 mile ride, just ride an average of 160 miles per week, including some effort level which you will see on the long ride, or a little above. After a couple of months, or even mush less, of that exercise volume and cramps during the ride will stop.

If you get cramps, eat a Tums immediately. I have no idea why that works, but it does. If they come back, eat another.

Standing is a good idea. I try to stand for 30 seconds or so every 10 minutes, by the clock.

Hydration and Endurolytes will make you feel much better on the bike, will make you faster and more comfortable. But they won't completely prevent cramps.

Night cramps are another story. No one knows where they come from or where they go. Walk around and take a Tums. That will let you go back to sleep.

I think many medical professionals might disagree. Google "heat cramp hamstring".