Wested

I went vegan a while ago during a lull in my cycling; now I'm biking every day again. I was wondering if any other plant-eaters out there made the switch while cycling routinely and noticed a change in performance—either positive or negative? Did anyone find a specific food (maybe something protein-rich like quinoa?) in general that gives them a boost?

Corbin

Cyclist for 9 months, Plant strict diet for 6 years.
So I can't answer you question directly but since I started cycling my legs have never recovered. As of last month I started a protein shake but still lacking in recovery. I am in the process of upping my carb intake as this might be the main problem from the reading I've been doing. I might eat a plant based diet but it doesn't mean I eat healthy. The latter I am changing.

RPK79

Not that I know of and if popular culture has taught me anything it's that if I did know any they would have been certain to let me know they were vegan at any opportunity.

eric1971

Have you already checked out his guy?

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpn...I_hK9WuHcdvQGA

Corbin

Well you'd be wrong. I don't call myself a vegan because people think a certain thing. Usually that people are vegan because they love peta and save the whale etc. And so that is the majority of them but there are also vegans that are it strictly for health reason and other who are for religious reasons.

For example I raise domestic pigeons and long story short sometimes the neck meets the garden shears. How many "vegans" would cringe at that? =] I also wear leather. But I must read the label of any foreign product to make sure there is no dairy derivatives in it.

Hermes1

I made the switch after already a cyclist and have noticed an increase in my energy level. Lots of good sources for protein and carbs, quinoa being one, no reason for a cyclist or any other athlete who chooses to become vegan to see a drop in energy and performance.

Seattle Forrest

I don't think it will hurt you. The lady who holds the fastest known time on the PCT and AT is a vegan, clearly it's a diet that can fuel athletic excellence. You need carbs and protein, might have to supplement the protein. Mix it the blender with some frozen raspberries and peanut butter.

TexMac

I know a CAT1 vegan and a CAT3 vegan. The CAT3 has had issues with cramps on long road races esp in heat. Started taking vitamin B supplment, solved his cramps. I'm not a vegan but i believe in mixing plants and meat is the best way to go. A good read below on vegan
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan | No Meat Athlete

JohnDThompson 

The Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club formed in 1888 and is still around today, making it one of the oldest cycling clubs in the world. Not all members are vegans, but many are:

Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club | Feed Well ~ Speed Well!

PepeM

Pretty sure there is someone in the racing forum who is vegan.

cthenn

durian rider.

Hermes1

Yes B-12 is key, not only for energy but without it some adverse neurological changes can occur. It is the only component of a healthy diet that is not found in effective quantities in plants, so all vegans and vegetarians should be taking a B-12 supplement.

birru

I see people making comments like this everywhere and I just don't get it. Where is everyone meeting these apparently terrible vegans? I often would see the opposite; my wife and I would be dining out with folks and she'd try to find vegan options on the menu/ask the waiter a few questions. Next thing you know, a couple of people would start interrogating her about her dietary choices and play armchair nutritionist.

Anyway, I did give it a shot for a few years but I just missed dairy and seafood too damn much. I think one can do just fine CWV (cycling while vegan), but I think it's less about that specific dietary choice and more about paying attention to general nutrition and making sure you eat enough of what your body needs to be properly fueled and to recover. Eating less junk, relying less on convenience food and making some time to cook proper meals has made a bigger impact for me.

Seattle Forrest

Somebody makes that joke every time the word vegan appears in a forum. It's really pretty knee-jerk at this point.

Ironic, huh?

KD5NRH

Most of the animals I eat are vegan; does that count?

(If a plant has been fertilized by any animal product, wouldn't that make it unsuitable as vegan food?)

Wested

Oh, right. I've seen some of his wacky YouTube videos.

Maelochs

Never could manage vegan ... never saw any real benefits. I am about 97% vegetarian but not really because I do dairy and occasionally eggs, but rice, quinoa, bread, peanut butter, chick peas, spinach, fruits are my staples ... and coffee with non-dairy creamer because all the unpronounceable chemicals are vegan.

I won't take supplements so I tend to be low in B12, but it seems to me that taking supplements is the same as saying my basic diet is insufficient. I still get by ... maybe I am .0037 percent less energetic, but I am sure I would perkier if I used cocaine, too. Forgoing meat and adding pills seems odd to me ... just one man's opinion.

The real problem is road food. Sometimes you have to eat what's there, because if you are touring, skipping a meal really isn't an option. Last year I had to eat a hamburger from a take-out burger place .... and it was even worse than I feared. It really was. But I couldn't tell everyone else on the tour, "Hey, let's go half speed today because I valued my own diet decisions more than the lives and life experiences of all of the rest of you ... Yay, team, except when it demands that I sacrifice." If we all hadn't made it to the next night's lodgings until midnight because I couldn't keep up, and as a result the whole team was tired for the rest of the trip ... well,

Anyway, the point is that you can get plenty of protein from non-animal sources. You do have to learn about protein combination because it isn't grams of protein that count, is the right mix of amino acids to make Human protein. The necessary amino acid in least supply determines the amount of protein you can use, so if you eat forty pounds of the wrong stuff you might only get one gram of usable protein.

I haven't checked but there are probably some protein powders out there that don't contain whey. You might want to carry some ... I have also been in a situation where our hosts said, "Who needs a vegetarian meal?" and got a plate of vegetables ... hard to explain to those folks, who really thought they were trying, that all the roughage in the world won't make up for the 3000 calories and dozens of grams of protein you burned getting there.

Emperor Ryker

Are you on gear, mate?

Corbin

There is a guy out here who is I think 42. He rode 17,000 miles last year which works out to 60 a day. He regularly averages 19-23 miles on rides up to 100 long. He is insane. I only know him from strava. I know he's a vegan because of a interview Vegan Body Building did. His wife said he did about 200 a week. I checked at the time and it was 398 avg.
My dad got curious one day when he saw him sweep a whole road of KOMs (15 mph winds) and looked him up.

I now stalk his account trying figure out where he replaced his legs with titanium rodes and his heart with a turbo.
He misses about 20 days a year it looks like mainly around the holidays.

He did a ride a couple weeks back where he said he had to bonk his way to 100 miles. I think he avg 19. He took a day off and come back and did a 23 avg on 100.

I use him as my measuring stick. I strive to PR as much as he KOM's (seriously)

rmfnla

tmi..?

c0lnago

Eat your greens and watch your protein intake and you have nothing to worry about.

eastbay71

+1 Durian Rider. His videos are pure entertainment. I loved his vegan for < $2/ day series. Durian recommends eating 30 bananas a day and eats like a whole bag of sugar along with a box of cereal before a 200K ride in 1 of the videos.

silversx80

Not a vegan here, but I really changed my diet to be almost vegan. I still get dairy in my cappuccino (can't stand non-dairy options and I've tried them all). I'll also eat some meats a few times a year… it's just a special occasion thing for me.

Anyway, I really like The Vegan Cyclist's channel. Durianrider, on the other hand, well… he's the Donald Trump of vegans.

Wested

Corbin

Durian Rider.. Man no doubt a unique cat. Sometimes He makes me cringe other times I love him. One thing I like about him is he doesn't try to be someone he's not.

Another vegan on YT is CyclingMaven. Also in Australia. He's more vlog style, actually there all vlogs. He is a cat A recer there and films crits with a drone which is neat.

Also another in US is The Vegan Cyclist I think cat 1 or 2 racer. His videos are from a strict race perspective.

Another difference between vegans is some that are for health reason do not use a lot of products animal cruelty vegan do use. Like caffeine, chocolate. artificial flavors etc. There are religious vegans which consume honey. Though many argue they aren't really vegan.

The strangest question I've got being a vegan my short time. And seeing to it that I am no out spoken and about it is: Do you eat fish?
I never understood how people consider fish not meat? No doubt different but just as different as chicken is to beef eh