Bladder control in cold weather riding!
11-17-13 | 01:24 PM
#26
We've got a couple of local riders on randonneuring rides with similar issues. What they do is stop every 29 minutes or whatever it takes. Some are more discreet about it, some less so. It's part of life, you're not the only one. Riding in rural areas helps. If you're careful, you can stop and pee while still straddling the bike. And with those local riders, usually, it's a couple of stops near the first of the ride, then less often thereafter.
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11-17-13 | 05:18 PM
#28
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From: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
I wouldn't be overly concerned over either if frequent urination only happened outdoors in colder weather.
11-17-13 | 05:26 PM
#29
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11-17-13 | 08:56 PM
#30
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11-18-13 | 01:06 PM
#33
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Man, this is killing me. In the summer, I can easily crank two hours before having to relieve myself. When the weather is cold (less than 60 F, is cold for me), I can barely make it 30 minutes before being in pain.
I can only attribute this to not sweating it off. Problem is, I have to make sure I don't go further than my pit-stop allows. No way to go in the woods since I have to drop my drawers to go.
I hate this, I could still do more, if not for the pit stops.
The other problem is, once I pull those bike shorts down, it is darn near impossible to get them back up, not to mention all the layers of clothes I have on (bike shorts, long underwear, then regular shorts)
I have such an issue with muscle cramps that my trainer told me to drink a lot when riding, be even cutting back on the water doesn't help.
Sometimes I can barely get in the door after 30 minutes without...well you know.
Not ready for depends YET!
But I wish I had a solution.
Am I the only one with this problem?
I can only attribute this to not sweating it off. Problem is, I have to make sure I don't go further than my pit-stop allows. No way to go in the woods since I have to drop my drawers to go.
I hate this, I could still do more, if not for the pit stops.
The other problem is, once I pull those bike shorts down, it is darn near impossible to get them back up, not to mention all the layers of clothes I have on (bike shorts, long underwear, then regular shorts)
I have such an issue with muscle cramps that my trainer told me to drink a lot when riding, be even cutting back on the water doesn't help.
Sometimes I can barely get in the door after 30 minutes without...well you know.
Not ready for depends YET!
But I wish I had a solution.Am I the only one with this problem?
Fortunately, since where I ride consists of suburban/semi-rural/rural roads, there are plenty of places (usually wooded or partially wooded) that are easy enough to relieve myself with a modicum of privacy. I wear bib shorts on every ride in all four seasons, but I wear them as an outer layer; with either non-bib tights or non-bib knickers worn under the bibs. No problems I find with strecthing the fronts down of the bibs and tights enough "to hop the fence."I don't get the people who never have to pee, seemingly. I have company b/c there is at least 1 other guy I ride with that has to go as much or slightly more than I do.
I just accept it as a part of life as a water-drinker - just lucky i guess that I have plenty of places to pull off behind some trees and go, along all of my loops.
11-18-13 | 04:29 PM
#34
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Man, this is killing me. In the summer, I can easily crank two hours before having to relieve myself. When the weather is cold (less than 60 F, is cold for me), I can barely make it 30 minutes before being in pain.
I can only attribute this to not sweating it off. Problem is, I have to make sure I don't go further than my pit-stop allows. No way to go in the woods since I have to drop my drawers to go…
But I wish I had a solution.
Am I the only one with this problem?
I can only attribute this to not sweating it off. Problem is, I have to make sure I don't go further than my pit-stop allows. No way to go in the woods since I have to drop my drawers to go…
But I wish I had a solution.
Am I the only one with this problem?
Originally Posted by Outside Magazine
What you’re experiencing is called cold diuresis, a phenomenon that occurs for reasons that are not entirely clear. One theory that remains popular—though it has been contested—explains how it works like this: When your temperature starts to drop, your body will attempt to reduce heat loss by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the surface of the skin. When that happens, your blood pressure will rise, because the same volume of blood is flowing through less space in your body. In response, your kidneys will pull out excess fluid to reduce your blood pressure, making you have to pee. “A full bladder is a place for additional heat loss, so urinating will help conserve heat,” writes Rick Curtis, the director of Princeton University’s Outdoor Action Program.
There is no set temperature that will induce cold diuresis, as age, gender, body composition, diet, and even posture can influence whether or not it will occur. In an oft-cited study from more than 60 years ago, researchers found that exercising moderately while exposed to the cold can prevent cold diuresis.
As for cold-water induced urination, researchers believe that a different mechanism may also be at play. The 2006 edition of the book Hypothermia Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries: Prevention, Recognition, and Treatment says rather than—or in addition to—urinating because your body is trying to stay warm, it’s possible that the hydrostatic pressure of the water on the skin squeezes fluid from your limbs into your core, from which it is then excreted.
There is no set temperature that will induce cold diuresis, as age, gender, body composition, diet, and even posture can influence whether or not it will occur. In an oft-cited study from more than 60 years ago, researchers found that exercising moderately while exposed to the cold can prevent cold diuresis.
As for cold-water induced urination, researchers believe that a different mechanism may also be at play. The 2006 edition of the book Hypothermia Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries: Prevention, Recognition, and Treatment says rather than—or in addition to—urinating because your body is trying to stay warm, it’s possible that the hydrostatic pressure of the water on the skin squeezes fluid from your limbs into your core, from which it is then excreted.
Here in Massachusetts, there are stories (? urban legends) about scofflaws diuresing in public being tagged as Level I sex offenders. So one has to be careful. I live in downtown Boston, and after about 45-60 minutes riding, I'm out into suburbia where the car is king. So I'm pretty comfortable going into Dunkin Donuts or Burger King, etc. with my bike and quickly doing my business.
I don't ask permission, and I've never been refused. I have a very expensive bike and don’t carry a lock because I don't (usually) let it out of my sight. I know there are no guarantees, but I figure in suburbia, one would not abandon their car to leave with the bike, and it would take too much time to load it into an outside vehicle. Also a cyclist is conspicuous enough in such joints that taking a bike would be a blatant act. I suppose I could roll it into the bathroom. In any case, I would not stop at a fast food joint in an urban, pedestrian neighborhood.
Just last week at one of my favorite pit stops I offered a cash token in lieu of being a paying customer, but was waved off.
11-18-13 | 06:29 PM
#35
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That not-exactly-sexy device is a condom catheter, or external catheter. Can be connected directly or via a tube to a collection bag.
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Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
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11-18-13 | 07:16 PM
#36
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+1
It's the reason I switched from wearing bibs back to shorts for the longer winter rides (I can still do my commute in bibs, since it's less than an hour - just need to make sure to "empty the tank" before starting out)
It's the reason I switched from wearing bibs back to shorts for the longer winter rides (I can still do my commute in bibs, since it's less than an hour - just need to make sure to "empty the tank" before starting out)
11-18-13 | 07:43 PM
#37
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From: Watching all of you on O.B.I.T.
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Except for folks in the mid-west, who hasn't peed in the ocean, while on a family outing to the beach?
Back on topic: Yes, I have experienced the "Gotta Go" Problem. Aggravating, it is. (My best Yoda voice)
Solutions: If possible, try to know the locations of any porta-potties in the area. There are some behind the mini-stadium at Boston college
law school campus. They are there year round. I've made use of them. If they are locked, (sometimes) the woods further back do beckon.
Night riding: If you can find a nice quiet road after dark, do a quick traffic check. No traffic for the next minute or so? You're all set.
Warning here: Raccoons tend to become very upset when someone else uses their pee places.
I have noticed that as I age, the cold, say below 40, bothers me more than it once did. So, I keep my off-season rides short, usually
no more than 1.5 hours. I'm not a racer, so I'm not tied to any kind of training regimen.
11-18-13 | 09:00 PM
#38
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11-19-13 | 12:12 AM
#40
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If you're cold on the bike, try a little intensity to generate body heat, like sprints or hilling. It'll stave off having to go for a while longer but you'll still need to go frequently. It's not so much age but overhydration.
11-19-13 | 03:57 AM
#41
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11-19-13 | 07:22 AM
#42
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11-19-13 | 12:43 PM
#43
True, but what harm is a blood test to know what the cause is********************
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My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
11-19-13 | 02:40 PM
#44
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From: Vancouver, Canada
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My morning commute takes nearly an hour, no problem in the summer, but in the winter, I found I had to stop once, sometimes even twice, to relieve myself. As a result, I stopped drinking coffee before the ride and now just have coffee once I get to work. This has worked very well, and it does get cold in Vancouver in the winter.
What I've also found is that what you eat has a lot to do with need to urinate. If I just have carbs (granola & yogurt) for breakfast, I find I just stop way more often than if I have lots of fat & protein (eggs, hash browns, sausages).
Not sure if the issue has become any greater as I have aged. I am riding way more now than I used to when I was younger, but not as intensely. But I am finding that bladder control is starting to become more of an issue.
And a lot of this need is psychological. You could be absolutely dying for some hidden place to stop and take a leak, but then some car cuts you off, and you forget all about having to find a toilet.
Luis
What I've also found is that what you eat has a lot to do with need to urinate. If I just have carbs (granola & yogurt) for breakfast, I find I just stop way more often than if I have lots of fat & protein (eggs, hash browns, sausages).
Not sure if the issue has become any greater as I have aged. I am riding way more now than I used to when I was younger, but not as intensely. But I am finding that bladder control is starting to become more of an issue.
And a lot of this need is psychological. You could be absolutely dying for some hidden place to stop and take a leak, but then some car cuts you off, and you forget all about having to find a toilet.
Luis
11-19-13 | 03:41 PM
#45
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From: Cape Cod, Massachusetts
The earlier that diabetes is caught, and a person makes the right lifestyle/treatment changes, the less chance there will be of complications. The best way to determine if one is a diabetic is a full glucose tolerance/a1c test. One single blood test, even if fasting, may not be enough for an accurate diagnosis. Stress, for example, can raise glucose levels. I test higher when I'm undergoing something stressful in life. Most doctors would use a glucose level of greater than 200 mg/dl two hours after taking the glucose test liquid, combined with an a1c of greater than 7.0, as a threshold diagnosis. Or 7.5 depending on whether they follow the ADA or the AACE protocol. Not sure which one uses the higher standard.
11-20-13 | 05:47 AM
#47
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From: Newport News, VA USA
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The earlier that diabetes is caught, and a person makes the right lifestyle/treatment changes, the less chance there will be of complications. The best way to determine if one is a diabetic is a full glucose tolerance/a1c test. One single blood test, even if fasting, may not be enough for an accurate diagnosis. Stress, for example, can raise glucose levels. I test higher when I'm undergoing something stressful in life. Most doctors would use a glucose level of greater than 200 mg/dl two hours after taking the glucose test liquid, combined with an a1c of greater than 7.0, as a threshold diagnosis. Or 7.5 depending on whether they follow the ADA or the AACE protocol. Not sure which one uses the higher standard.
A blood test won't hurt and, if you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, it's best to find out early.
11-20-13 | 02:44 PM
#48
My morning commute takes nearly an hour, no problem in the summer, but in the winter, I found I had to stop once, sometimes even twice, to relieve myself. As a result, I stopped drinking coffee before the ride and now just have coffee once I get to work. This has worked very well, and it does get cold in Vancouver in the winter.
What I've also found is that what you eat has a lot to do with need to urinate. If I just have carbs (granola & yogurt) for breakfast, I find I just stop way more often than if I have lots of fat & protein (eggs, hash browns, sausages).
Not sure if the issue has become any greater as I have aged. I am riding way more now than I used to when I was younger, but not as intensely. But I am finding that bladder control is starting to become more of an issue.
And a lot of this need is psychological. You could be absolutely dying for some hidden place to stop and take a leak, but then some car cuts you off, and you forget all about having to find a toilet.
Luis
What I've also found is that what you eat has a lot to do with need to urinate. If I just have carbs (granola & yogurt) for breakfast, I find I just stop way more often than if I have lots of fat & protein (eggs, hash browns, sausages).
Not sure if the issue has become any greater as I have aged. I am riding way more now than I used to when I was younger, but not as intensely. But I am finding that bladder control is starting to become more of an issue.
And a lot of this need is psychological. You could be absolutely dying for some hidden place to stop and take a leak, but then some car cuts you off, and you forget all about having to find a toilet.
Luis
https://www.webmd.com/urinary-inconti...f-the-prostate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostate
__________________
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
My preferred bicycle brand is.......WORKSMAN CYCLES
I dislike clipless pedals on any city bike since I feel they are unsafe.
Originally Posted by krazygluon
Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred, which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?
11-20-13 | 08:04 PM
#49
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From: the wall
Nothing to add really, just once I made a point to ride to a local park where there was a portajohn because I reaaaaallllayyy had to go. I get there and the portajohn had disappeared. Lucky no one was there, but I was still supernervous. don't really need the sex offender thing on the resume.
12-10-13 | 01:11 AM
#50
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From: Toronto , Ontario , Canada
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I have to read the post twice regarding sex offender thing . SO , if you are caught pee behind a tree with your bike by the police you will be charge as a sex offender ? . Are you telling me the police can not see you in bike kit / bike and doing the nature call .