deptfordmarmoset
Full time tea drinker
- Location
- Armonmy Way
If the cramps are worse now it's milder then I'd suspect it's to do with salt loss. I'd try the nuts/Marmite and see whether it helps.
Calf cramps (sigh)
- Thread starter Andrew_Culture
- Start date
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OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
I'll have a look when I pop out at lunch time. Even although I've had this Holux two years I couldn't tell you if it shows seconds!
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
Hmm, nuts.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Do you wear a watch with a second hand or a digital watch with seconds on it? Obviously a cycling computer with cadence sensor is the easiest way to get cadence data but since cadence is largely useless/limited use data, it tells you very little, if you don't want to spend money, you can do without spending, find something with a timer! If the Holux or your watch only gives minutes, start counting from the moment the minute changes until the next time it changes (i.e. count for a whole minute, no multiplication required, but it is a bit more tedius).
TBH though, I doubt your cadence is the reason for cramping!
Biscuit
Legendary Member
- Location
- Pentlow - the land of the free
I take it you've tried 'Nuun' I used to use that for calf cramps. Cured it straight away. It's just electrolyte.
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
I've not tried that brand, but I have tried High5 and Electrolyte powder mixed with fruit juice. They do seem to help.
Nearly there
Veteran
- Location
- Cumbria
No.3 on your bullet list must be tough 
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
Biscuit
Legendary Member
- Location
- Pentlow - the land of the free
Shouldn't that be Absinthe?
marzjennings
Guru
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
One thing often over looked and the simplest thing is drinking enough water. We had a great presentation from a local nutritionist a few weeks back and he mentioned that one of the main reasons people cramp is lack of water, either before, during and after exercise. How much water do you drink during a long ride?
Also from here... link
Are You Drinking Enough?
Studies on fluids and cramps have produced mixed results. Some studies find no associations, while other show that consuming fluids and electrolytes to avoid dehydration will prevent, or at least delay, muscle cramps. The benefits of avoiding dehydration are widespread, so even if it’s not 100 percent guaranteed that you won’t cramp, consuming adequate fluids during exercise will still improve performance.
How would dehydration cause muscle cramps? Fluids in the body are either inside the cell or outside of the cell. When we become dehydrated, the fluid outside of the cells decreases. Reductions in fluids cause nerve endings to be squished together, overexcited, and spontaneously discharge. That spontaneous discharge is a muscle twitch, which can lead to a muscle cramp. By maintaining proper hydration, you can prevent dramatic shifts in fluids that contribute to abnormal muscle contractions.
To prevent dehydration, start by drinking fluids according to your thirst. Weigh yourself before and immediately after exercise, preferably au natural. Any change in your weight is a change in fluid balance. Weight loss greater than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight increases your risk for muscle cramps. If drinking based on thirst prevents fluctuations in your weight during exercise, then you can rely on thirst to be your hydration guide. Otherwise, you need a hydration schedule to meet your fluid needs.
Also from here... link
Are You Drinking Enough?
Studies on fluids and cramps have produced mixed results. Some studies find no associations, while other show that consuming fluids and electrolytes to avoid dehydration will prevent, or at least delay, muscle cramps. The benefits of avoiding dehydration are widespread, so even if it’s not 100 percent guaranteed that you won’t cramp, consuming adequate fluids during exercise will still improve performance.
How would dehydration cause muscle cramps? Fluids in the body are either inside the cell or outside of the cell. When we become dehydrated, the fluid outside of the cells decreases. Reductions in fluids cause nerve endings to be squished together, overexcited, and spontaneously discharge. That spontaneous discharge is a muscle twitch, which can lead to a muscle cramp. By maintaining proper hydration, you can prevent dramatic shifts in fluids that contribute to abnormal muscle contractions.
To prevent dehydration, start by drinking fluids according to your thirst. Weigh yourself before and immediately after exercise, preferably au natural. Any change in your weight is a change in fluid balance. Weight loss greater than 2 to 3 percent of your body weight increases your risk for muscle cramps. If drinking based on thirst prevents fluctuations in your weight during exercise, then you can rely on thirst to be your hydration guide. Otherwise, you need a hydration schedule to meet your fluid needs.
Sadly not all the causes of cramp are known. I take electrolyte powder before and during a ride and also stretch before every ride and in exactly the same circumstances that you describe it happens to me especcially on flat roads. The only way that I have learnt to avoid it is to get some pressure on your legs about every 15 to 20 minutes or at the first twinge of cramp by getting into a high gear and standing to pedal for about 15 seconds, sit back down and get back into your usual gear and carry on riding as normal. Ideally its better if you have a small hill to just push up when your on the flat. When on hilly rides, I'm standing on a regular basis pushing hard so this form of cramp is not a problem.
Last night I did a fast club chain gang, forgot to have a little stand and about 30mins into it, my left calf started to cramp badly and before it got worse, banged the gears into the highest, stood up to pedal and it was instant relief as the pain went away, the cramp came back about 3 or 4 times, but eventually I cured it all together.
As for Nuun tablets, as good as they may be, look at the ingredients and quantities and you will see that they are a complete rip off. For a long time now, I just buy the ingredients, weigh them out on a small jewellers scale, and for far less than the price of a tube of Nuun tablets, I can make a batch of powder equivalent to 600 tablets. And my powder still fizzes when mixed with water.
Last night I did a fast club chain gang, forgot to have a little stand and about 30mins into it, my left calf started to cramp badly and before it got worse, banged the gears into the highest, stood up to pedal and it was instant relief as the pain went away, the cramp came back about 3 or 4 times, but eventually I cured it all together.
As for Nuun tablets, as good as they may be, look at the ingredients and quantities and you will see that they are a complete rip off. For a long time now, I just buy the ingredients, weigh them out on a small jewellers scale, and for far less than the price of a tube of Nuun tablets, I can make a batch of powder equivalent to 600 tablets. And my powder still fizzes when mixed with water.
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Maybe your issue is stretching cold muscle fibre before a ride or bike fit
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
