I blew it! - Page 11 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-09-2004, 07:54 AM

The Real Bev wrote:

> I've long wondered what rocking back and forth does. Explanation
> please?

When standing, you need to counteract the torque that would
otherwise knock the bike over towards the downward pushing foot. You
can try to hold the bike upright, but that requires using
substantial arm muscle to counteract the torque. It's much easier to
lean the bike slightly away from the downard pushing foot, using the
lean to offset the torque, since this requires almost no arm muscle.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

08-09-2004, 08:21 AM

"Roger Zoul" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> R15757 wrote:
> || Roger Zoul wrote:
> ||
> || <snip tale of massive cramp>
> ||
> || Roger,
> ||
> || Water! That's all you needed there man. Of course by the time you
> || got the cramp it was too late. You need to drink more water, before,
> || after, during the ride.
> ||
> || Robert
>
> Perhaps. I didn't feel overly thirsty and I had drank before the ride and
> at the 15-mile point too. But who knows if I had enough. Interesting,
> when I got back to the start inthe sag wagon I noticed that I had even
> worked up my usual sweat -- I'm usually sweating down the front so badly
> that I look like someone spilled a lot of water on my belly. I think
> drinking more it something to try....

There's a decent article on leg cramps at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. To quote:
"Heat, dehydration and electrolyte depletion: Muscle cramps are more
likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your
body's fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and
calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

For potassium, a lot of cyclists eat bananas (hence the banana peels
which decorate the sides of popular bike routes) and some people eat
raisins. For salt/electrolytes, people tend to go for sports drinks.
You'll want to experiment, though, since everybody's tummy reacts to
exercise a bit differently.

-BC

08-09-2004, 08:21 AM

"Roger Zoul" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> R15757 wrote:
> || Roger Zoul wrote:
> ||
> || <snip tale of massive cramp>
> ||
> || Roger,
> ||
> || Water! That's all you needed there man. Of course by the time you
> || got the cramp it was too late. You need to drink more water, before,
> || after, during the ride.
> ||
> || Robert
>
> Perhaps. I didn't feel overly thirsty and I had drank before the ride and
> at the 15-mile point too. But who knows if I had enough. Interesting,
> when I got back to the start inthe sag wagon I noticed that I had even
> worked up my usual sweat -- I'm usually sweating down the front so badly
> that I look like someone spilled a lot of water on my belly. I think
> drinking more it something to try....

There's a decent article on leg cramps at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. To quote:
"Heat, dehydration and electrolyte depletion: Muscle cramps are more
likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your
body's fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and
calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

For potassium, a lot of cyclists eat bananas (hence the banana peels
which decorate the sides of popular bike routes) and some people eat
raisins. For salt/electrolytes, people tend to go for sports drinks.
You'll want to experiment, though, since everybody's tummy reacts to
exercise a bit differently.

-BC

08-09-2004, 08:21 AM

"Roger Zoul" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> R15757 wrote:
> || Roger Zoul wrote:
> ||
> || <snip tale of massive cramp>
> ||
> || Roger,
> ||
> || Water! That's all you needed there man. Of course by the time you
> || got the cramp it was too late. You need to drink more water, before,
> || after, during the ride.
> ||
> || Robert
>
> Perhaps. I didn't feel overly thirsty and I had drank before the ride and
> at the 15-mile point too. But who knows if I had enough. Interesting,
> when I got back to the start inthe sag wagon I noticed that I had even
> worked up my usual sweat -- I'm usually sweating down the front so badly
> that I look like someone spilled a lot of water on my belly. I think
> drinking more it something to try....

There's a decent article on leg cramps at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. To quote:
"Heat, dehydration and electrolyte depletion: Muscle cramps are more
likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your
body's fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and
calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

For potassium, a lot of cyclists eat bananas (hence the banana peels
which decorate the sides of popular bike routes) and some people eat
raisins. For salt/electrolytes, people tend to go for sports drinks.
You'll want to experiment, though, since everybody's tummy reacts to
exercise a bit differently.

-BC

08-09-2004, 08:21 AM

"Roger Zoul" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> R15757 wrote:
> || Roger Zoul wrote:
> ||
> || <snip tale of massive cramp>
> ||
> || Roger,
> ||
> || Water! That's all you needed there man. Of course by the time you
> || got the cramp it was too late. You need to drink more water, before,
> || after, during the ride.
> ||
> || Robert
>
> Perhaps. I didn't feel overly thirsty and I had drank before the ride and
> at the 15-mile point too. But who knows if I had enough. Interesting,
> when I got back to the start inthe sag wagon I noticed that I had even
> worked up my usual sweat -- I'm usually sweating down the front so badly
> that I look like someone spilled a lot of water on my belly. I think
> drinking more it something to try....

There's a decent article on leg cramps at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. To quote:
"Heat, dehydration and electrolyte depletion: Muscle cramps are more
likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your
body's fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and
calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

For potassium, a lot of cyclists eat bananas (hence the banana peels
which decorate the sides of popular bike routes) and some people eat
raisins. For salt/electrolytes, people tend to go for sports drinks.
You'll want to experiment, though, since everybody's tummy reacts to
exercise a bit differently.

-BC

08-09-2004, 08:21 AM

"Roger Zoul" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message news:<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>...
> R15757 wrote:
> || Roger Zoul wrote:
> ||
> || <snip tale of massive cramp>
> ||
> || Roger,
> ||
> || Water! That's all you needed there man. Of course by the time you
> || got the cramp it was too late. You need to drink more water, before,
> || after, during the ride.
> ||
> || Robert
>
> Perhaps. I didn't feel overly thirsty and I had drank before the ride and
> at the 15-mile point too. But who knows if I had enough. Interesting,
> when I got back to the start inthe sag wagon I noticed that I had even
> worked up my usual sweat -- I'm usually sweating down the front so badly
> that I look like someone spilled a lot of water on my belly. I think
> drinking more it something to try....

There's a decent article on leg cramps at
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. To quote:
"Heat, dehydration and electrolyte depletion: Muscle cramps are more
likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your
body's fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and
calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

For potassium, a lot of cyclists eat bananas (hence the banana peels
which decorate the sides of popular bike routes) and some people eat
raisins. For salt/electrolytes, people tend to go for sports drinks.
You'll want to experiment, though, since everybody's tummy reacts to
exercise a bit differently.

-BC

08-09-2004, 09:11 AM

"Terry Morse" wrote: (clip) lean the bike slightly away from the downard
pushing foot, using the lean to offset the torque, since this requires
almost no arm muscle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Draw a line through the wheel contacts with the ground. If the force
through the pedal goes through this line, there is no torque trying to tip
the bike. Tipping the bike aims the force toward this line.

The reason this is not an issue when you are seated is the torque is
absorbed through the contact of the seat with your butt, and you don't
notice it. When you are standing, the torque has to be balanced by an
upward pull on the handlebar, which naturally tends to tip the bike and
reduce the force.

08-09-2004, 09:11 AM

"Terry Morse" wrote: (clip) lean the bike slightly away from the downard
pushing foot, using the lean to offset the torque, since this requires
almost no arm muscle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Draw a line through the wheel contacts with the ground. If the force
through the pedal goes through this line, there is no torque trying to tip
the bike. Tipping the bike aims the force toward this line.

The reason this is not an issue when you are seated is the torque is
absorbed through the contact of the seat with your butt, and you don't
notice it. When you are standing, the torque has to be balanced by an
upward pull on the handlebar, which naturally tends to tip the bike and
reduce the force.

08-09-2004, 09:11 AM

"Terry Morse" wrote: (clip) lean the bike slightly away from the downard
pushing foot, using the lean to offset the torque, since this requires
almost no arm muscle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Draw a line through the wheel contacts with the ground. If the force
through the pedal goes through this line, there is no torque trying to tip
the bike. Tipping the bike aims the force toward this line.

The reason this is not an issue when you are seated is the torque is
absorbed through the contact of the seat with your butt, and you don't
notice it. When you are standing, the torque has to be balanced by an
upward pull on the handlebar, which naturally tends to tip the bike and
reduce the force.

08-09-2004, 09:11 AM

"Terry Morse" wrote: (clip) lean the bike slightly away from the downard
pushing foot, using the lean to offset the torque, since this requires
almost no arm muscle.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Draw a line through the wheel contacts with the ground. If the force
through the pedal goes through this line, there is no torque trying to tip
the bike. Tipping the bike aims the force toward this line.

The reason this is not an issue when you are seated is the torque is
absorbed through the contact of the seat with your butt, and you don't
notice it. When you are standing, the torque has to be balanced by an
upward pull on the handlebar, which naturally tends to tip the bike and
reduce the force.