jjames1452 

(or I may be late to the party - maybe this is something that everyone knows)

I have terrible bouts with cramps.
Before a long ride, I make sure I am well hydrated.
I cannot eat bananas for potassium mid rice, as I am allergic to bananas.

I am going to start taking baby food sweet potatoes with me on over 30 mile trips.
Sweet potatoes have a bunch of potassium. The plastic aseptic package for the baby food should keep them good in my rear pack.
I usually carry dates, dried apricots and nuts to eat, coated with no-salt. Some rides that is enough. Some rides, my calves cramp.
I think a good supply of water, including hydrating the day before, the dried fruit and nuts, and BABY FOOD will keep me cramp free.

I do carry the electrolyte/salt tabs, and Gatorade powder for extreme emergencies....however, if I am far enough into cramps to take a salt tab, or all the salt in Gatorade, I am usually in trouble for the rest of the ride.

Silly, or Sound?

Looigi

You lose mainly soduim through sweat and very little potassium. If you're getting enough potasium in your diet, it's usually not necessary to need extra during a ride. What is needed is sodium to replace what's lost in sweat. The current recommendations are 500-700mg/hr if you're sweating a lot. FYI, a 32 oz bottle of Gatorade has 400 mg sodium.

sam21fire

REad the label first...most babyfood is high in fat and especially high in sugar.

rm -rf

Electrolytes work for some riders, but not at all for others. There seems to be multiple reasons for cramping.

1loosemoose

Sweet potatoes… I guess I'm darn glad I'm not allergic to bananas!

Good luck on your ride.

BluesDawg

Why not cook a sweet potato and put it in a zip lock bag in your jersey pocket?

qcpmsame 

This, also, try getting a copy of Allen Lim and Bijou Thomas book there are several recipes for carry along snacks. Potatoes, sweet potatoes and others. Cook your own up to the taste you like and what your allergies allow.

Bill

https://www.amazon.com/Feed-Zone-Cook...ords=allen+lim

BobbyG

Clever!

eay

My husband likes one water bottle with plain water and one with electrolyte replacement (nuun brand). He will get calf cramps if he drinks just plain water.

I don't cramp, but I do get quite hungry on long rides, but I also get side stitches easily. I suppose those are a sort of cramp.
So I take along a mixture of 1/4c brown rice syrup, tablespoon or so of cashew butter, heated and a scoop of whey powder and a pinch of salt mixed in. It goes in a squeeze tube and is easy on my stomach, gets me a little energy, and replaces some of the salt I lose sweating.

jjames1452 

Very interesting - I will try all the ideas. Thank you. I fight cramping all the time.
This food allergy sucks - but not as bad as some other allergies - Bananas, Avocado and Pineapple.

Gatorade makes my stomach turn if I drink too much.

I really struggle with cramps - I cramp normally just sitting at home at night. Hand and foot cramps - sitting watching TV or reading.

bikepro

I tend to agree. However, sweet potatoes are good because they burn slow and provide a steady supply of energy. But why baby food? Just bake one, cut it up and put it in a zip lock bag. I would suggest eating small pieces as you ride, rather that waiting. On the other hand, if you need a quick boost, try regular boiled potatoes. Use the tiny round ones, boiled with a little salt. Just as good as gels and better for you. I got the boiled potato info from the Allen Lim web site.

OldsCOOL

Waah.




(Hope it works for you )

jppe

I'm right there will you fella........and have tried lots and lots of remedies. Have you looked for products with Quinine by chance? There is an over the counter med call Leg Cramps you might give a try. It does wonders for me in the middle of the night when I wake up with cramps in muscles I never knew I had.

Do you take a diuretic for blood pressure or kidney stones by chance??? Are you eating any foods that might be natural diuretics???

dbg

I used to cramp fairly quickly. I take Hammer Nutrition Enduralytes and they have made a huge difference. My son and daughter (soccer players) also say they make a big difference for them as well.

I also dilute my gatorade approx 50-50 with water (don't like full strength)

Up North

Take sweet potaoe and slice like thick potatoe chips, cover in olive oil, sprinkle with cinamon and grill them on BBQ. Cook them 4-5 minutes each side or until still firm. Put in ziplocks great snack hot or cold. Much better than baby food!

ofgit 

Used to carry pancakes on longer rides.

linnefaulk

I have seen those squeeze packs of baby food in the grocery. It seems like a good idea.

jjames1452 

Interesting you should say that. I drink Tonic water before I ride for the Quinine. I try everything to minimize cramps when riding.
I also have kidney stones.
No meds of any kind though....
Natural diuretics - I drink water with lemon, water with cranberry juice, and drink way too much coffee - probably 6 cups a day at minimum.
That might be the diuretic. I do drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day - but nothing after 6 pm. For whatever reason I drink water all day, then don't even drink water with my dinner at night.

jjames1452 

That is the same type of Electrolyte tabs I take. I try to take them only when very necessary, as I have kidney stones.
I am not sure of the effect on kidney stones - so try to be careful.

jppe

Kidney stones here as well, hence the daily diuretic to keep the concentrated chemicals flushed to keep the stones away (calcium oxalate stones here). Between the daily diuretic and the lemon juice it has really helped with the stones but I have to stop taking the diuretic a day or two before a big ride to keep from being too dehydrated. You might want to check on the coffee & cranberry juice though. Caffeine might not be helping the situation either.

jjames1452 

I will try that. Thank you

BigAura

I'm just enjoying the fact that I have nothing to contribute here.

lhbernhardt

I notice that many of the top ultramarathon cyclists are going to liquid diets. Christoph Strasser typically starts on a liquid diet two days before his big events (like RAAM). I find that when I am doing longer events (> 400 km), I just don't feel hungry, at least for solid food. For the Hoodoo 500, I used a variety of liquid meal replacements, typically 250-400 Calories per bottle. In the middle of a long ride, I need something very wet. I tried eating a Subway ham sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes and mayonnaise on the second day of the ride, and I could not finish it, it was just too dry. My crew chief finished it for me and found it to be not dry at all. And after the ride, all I wanted was a bowl of soup. Denny's doesn't serve soup at 3 in the morning, so I had spaghetti with meat sauce, and couldn't finish it. I couldn't eat until breakfast the next day!

So I think you're likely on the right track with the baby food. Sounds kind of expensive, though, for the amounts you'll need (like three or four jars per serving?).

As for cramps, this is a problem I have on long rides on hot days. It's not good on a fixed gear spinning downhill (I've had cramped legs lock up in this situation, very painful!). I've been using the Endurolytes caps as well as the Hammer Fizz in my bottle, although you may want to dissolve the Fizz into an energy drink, as Fizz has 0 calories.

I've also read somewhere that it's not a good idea to dilute Gatorade (or whatever sports drink you use). To get the full benefit of the energy & electrolyte replacement, you need to drink it full strength. Diluting the stuff is false economy and lessens its effectiveness. As I recall, this message did not come from the manufacturer, but who knows what conflict of interest may exist?

Luis

rumrunn6

don't forget Magnesium!

Iride01 

Dredging up a 6 year old zombie thread isn't a great way to introduce yourself. I'll give you credit for not picking a controversial one. At least in it's day it didn't become one.

Welcome to BF