Conference noted::bicycle

    
    I would say that you were dehydrated which caused the dizziness.  You 
    need to drink plunty of water.  Pushing yourself at this point and 
    not drinking fluids could possibly give you a heat stroke.  
    
    Don't push yourself if you are out of shape particularly on hot/humid days.
    
    The leg cramps are caused by latic acid buildup.  This was caused by 
    inefficient burning of you fuels.  Again you were pushing yourself
    too much and too soon.
    
    Since your are overweight you have to slowly work up to a regular
    workout.
    
    KJ

    It sounds like overheating, dehydration, and/or trying to ride and lose
    weight at the same time.  But you said you were eating and drinking.
    Was it enough?
    
    Were you pushing hard?  Big gears?  Or were you just pedaling along?
    
    ed

    RE:-1
    
    >    Were you pushing hard?  Big gears?  Or were you just pedaling
    >    along?
    
    This happened during a long gradual ascent.  I don't have the strengh
    to power my way up hills yet, so I tend to shift down to the "granny"
    gear and spin, but at this point I was doing good just to keep the
    bike moving.  My average speed for the ride (based on my computer) was 
    about 11 MPH.  So I wasn't pushing it.  I was careful to stop when I felt 
    that my pulse was getting too high and waited for it to drop to an 
    acceptable range (checking pulse in neck vs clock).

    Sounds like you came pretty close to getting what cyclists call
    'the bonk'.  It's analogous to what runners call 'hitting the wall'.
    I suspect the main cause of your problem was electrolyte & nutrition
    depletion. Next time you're at your local bike shop, ask the salesperson
    for some PowerBars.  Also, buy some Gatorade at the supermarket.  Then,
    when you plan your next long ride, have a PowerBar before and during
    the ride.  Take along a water bottle full of Gatorade.
    
    Believe me, it works.
    
    Steve_who_speaks_from_experience

    Hi Dave,
    
    	The leg locking thing has happend to me also.  I was finishing
    one of Ed's 30 mile rides, early in the season and hadn't established
    a very good mileage base, but none the less I thought a mere 30 miles
    would be a piece of cake.  Well the ride ended with a short but
    steep hill just before the finish (like all of Ed's rides :-) ).
    A friend who had finished the ride ahead of me was heading back
    down the hill in his car just as I rose out of the saddle to
    start the final kick.  I think I just didn't want to look like
    a wimp on this silly little hill in front of my friends and really
    pushed harder than my body was telling me I should.  Thats when it
    happened, just like someone reached out and put hand cuffs on my legs
    and locked them into position.  I literally fell off the bike and
    was writing in pain for several minutes while trying to work out
    the kinks.  I'd say your situation is probably similar to this.
    Your ego is telling you that your ready for longer and stronger
    rides but your muscles are fighting back :-).  Give it some time,
    drop back to 25 miles and only increase your mileage and intensity
    by 10% per week and I think you'll do fine.
    						_Jerry
    BTW - The articles I've read on this indicate that Lactic acid 
    build up is the culprit and you can reduce the build up by
    spining in lower gears for longer periods of time...keep them
    RPM's reving.

    Jerry,
    
    It's only .1 miles long.  That barely qualifies it as a speed bump.
    
    (For those of you who know the area around Spitbrook, it's Lamb Rd,
    the other end of Spitbrook just past the school.)
    
    ed
    

    By the way, if you're ever in England never say you had a "bonk" on a
    bike. Over there it means something quite different.

    "bonk"
    
    Hmmm.
    
    Again we are left to conjecture.  :-)
    
    ed

    I    H A T E   that hill!!!!!
    
    I call it a MMF
    
    MORE CONJECTURE ED :-)
    
    ERIC

    
    	Oh all right....I'll fess up....I bonked on the Lamb Rd.
    	Speed Bump :-)
    					_Jerry
    
    	BTW - Last time I was in San Antonemoo the definition
    	      of a Texas speed bump was an Armidillo :-) :-)

    O.K.   I give up....  just what does 'bonk' mean in England?
    
    Steve (who's_just_bonkers_to_find_out)

    Oh, wow.  How does one explain this in a public conference without
    wimping out ....
    
    Richard

    Get yourself a copy of any of the Pommy tabloids - News of the World,
    The Sun etc and you'll see "bonk" at least a couple of times -
    "Tory politician admits to bonking ...." etc.
    
                                                                    PG

    I'd say that the word bonk is going ever so slightly out of fashion; it
    was more current a couple of years ago. The activity, of course, isn't.
    However bonk *is* used in the UK cycling world in the same way as in
    the US; when you come over all weak and trembly and require immediate
    massive food transfusions.
    
    
    Rod

    
    RE: .14
     
    >>        when you come over all weak and trembly and require immediate
    >>massive food transfusions.
    
         Hmmm, this is exactly how I feel right *after* a "bonk". I've 
     felt this way on the bike only once however, and I didn't feel like
     having a cigarette and going to sleep.  8^)
    
         But I digress...
    
                                                     Steve
     

    RE: .0. First, congratulations on losing 40 pounds and having the
    courage and willpower to look to losing 60 more. Much success to you!
    Second, sounds like the dizziness, as stated in other replies, is due
    to dehydration. Always remember that if you drink when you're thirsty
    it's TOO LATE. You have to always be drinking. If you get thirsty, that
    means you're already dehydrating and you're never going to catch up
    with it. 
    
    						Thom...

    (From the other Dave in Minneapolis)
    
    I was with Dave on the ride.  I think he did pretty much things right
    as far as food and drink:
    
    Easy pace - my computer says we averaged around 12 mph or so.
    
    Rest stops - stopped at around 10, 16.5, and 22 miles.  The 16.5 was
    for bananas, oranges, granola bars, gatorade-type drink (the Shaklee -
    DISGUSTING, but that's another story), etc.
    
    Dave drank at least 20 oz of water and another 20+ ounces of Gatorade.  
    
    The only thing that comes to mind was that after the cool, drizzly
    morning, it got warm later on (not hot, but warm).  Perhaps overheating
    with poor air movement between the sweatband and the helmet?  It
    shouldn't have been dehydration, but anything is possible.  Y'all know
    a lot more about this than me!
    
    My question would be what are the early warning signs that you are in
    trouble?  And, what should you do about it?  I'm starting to go longer
    distances, so I'm looking for ways to avoid problems, and information
    about what to do when I start having trouble.  So, how do you know, and
    what do you do?

    First of all bring plenty of water, two water bottles at the start
    and drink every 10 mins. or so. When the first bottle runs dry move
    onto the second and start to look for a place to fill the empty
    one up (icecream stand, guy watering the lawn, ect...) And remember
    when you take that 10 min drink be generous.
    Second bring something to eat, you can make a small investment on
    a shirt that has pockets in the rear if you don't already have one.
    The food can be anything, but figbars, bananas, and other cookies
    or fruit seems to be the standard.
    And last but not least (and also my favorite) stash $10 bucks away
    on your bike somewhere. This will prove to be VERY handy once you
    start putting some distance between you and home base, it can buy
    food, liquid, phone call(s), transportation home, a inner tube, 
    and anything else that you would never thing of happening but 
    ALWAYS DOES sometime or another. 
    
    GREAT JOB on the weight loss keep up the work you'll be glad you
    did!
    
    ERIC

    Well, it sounds like I'm doing things CLOSE to right...
    
    I bought an underseat bag of reasonable size.  I ALWAYS take:
    
    derailleur cable
    brake cable
    spare tube
    patch kit
    tool kit with Rhode Gear tool with hex, phillips, and straight bits,
    spoke wrench, small adjustable wrench,  tire tools, tire gauge, etc. 
    In the past year I've needed EVERY one of these things with the
    exception of the derailleur cable.
    
    The bag also gives me a place to carry my wallet, car keys, and store
    the bike computer.  The whole thing can't weigh more than a couple
    pounds (without apple). In the zippered side pocket I always carry some
    change and several dollars.
    
    For any ride of ~20 miles or more (I'll be attempting 50 again tomorrow)
    I also carry an apple, a plastic bag with my own mix of
    granola-raisins-M&Ms, and a packable rain jacket. Everything goes
    right into the underseat bag.
    
    For drinking I carry one large frozen bottle (I HATE warm water), and
    start the ride with a small bottle with orange juice.  The juice works
    great for giving a little quick energy when I start to sag.  There are
    probably better things than orange juice, but I prefer the taste.
    
    Anything I should be doing differently?

    	RE: Lamb Rd.
    
    	Well, if you're a lamb, you'll probably need help riding
    	up it. I often ride DOWN Lamb Rd., but have never tried
    	to ride up it. Of course, if you want to ride up a real
    	hill, ask Ed to take you over to Mont Vernon. Now, that's
    	a hill (and a half).
    
    	Scott

>    I bought an underseat bag of reasonable size.  I ALWAYS take:   
>    derailleur cable
>    brake cable
>    spare tube
>    patch kit
>    tool kit with Rhode Gear tool with hex, phillips, and straight bits,
>    spoke wrench, small adjustable wrench,  tire tools, tire gauge, etc. 
>    In the past year I've needed EVERY one of these things with the
>    exception of the derailleur cable.

I usually skip the derailleur cable.  The brake cable could work
in it's place.  I also skip the tire tools; the back of my yogurt spoon
will work in it's place.

On longer and multiday trips it's nice to have:

    A few spare spokes stuck behind the frame of the panniers.
    One brake block.
    A few travellers checks stuffed in the handlebars.
    A freewheel remover for MY kind of freewheel.

If I'm in a group kind of trip, I add:
    A tube of contact cement and a boot made of an old sew-up.

>    I also carry an apple, a plastic bag with my own mix of
>    granola-raisins-M&Ms, and a packable rain jacket.

BANANAS are essential.

-Jeff Bell

re -.1:
    
>I usually skip the derailleur cable.  The brake cable could work
>in it's place.  I also skip the tire tools; the back of my yogurt spoon
>will work in it's place.

    I carry the tire tools because the new plastic ones are small, very
    light, and come in a little carrier that keeps them out of the way. 
    I've pulled tires off and put them back on with no tire tools at all,
    but it just isn't worth the sore hands.  Besides, I DON'T EAT YOGURT!
    
>    A few spare spokes stuck behind the frame of the panniers.
>    One brake block.
>    A few travellers checks stuffed in the handlebars.
>    A freewheel remover for MY kind of freewheel.

    I thought someone in here had talked about some kind of emergency
    spokes that are flexible - you don't even need to take the freewheel
    off to replace a freewheel side spoke.  I'd love to carry a couple if I
    could find them, but nobody I've talked to has ever heard of such a
    thing.
    
    The brake block sounds like a good idea.  I've also sometimes carried
    the freewheel tool and a small, portable chain break tool.  I never
    believed the chain tool would be useful until one of the people I was
    riding with broke a chain on a ride and had to wait 55 minutes for the
    sag wagon.
    
>BANANAS are essential.

    Sorry, I forgot the bananas...  You're right, I usually eat one on the
    way to the ride, and carry at least one - or eat them at the rest
    stops.  

>    I thought someone in here had talked about some kind of emergency
>    spokes that are flexible - you don't even need to take the freewheel
>    off to replace a freewheel side spoke.  I'd love to carry a couple if I
>    could find them, but nobody I've talked to has ever heard of such a
>    thing.

    I've heard of taking spokes that are way too long and cutting off
    the head.  To replace a broken freewheel side spoke, you put a
    little zig-zag in the spoke.  Supposedly, this enough for it to get
    a grip.

    Fortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to try this technique.
    Maybe if I were on a cross-tundra mountain bike trip I would take
    this kind of thing, but in the mean time I'll really on being able
    to borrow a wrench long enough to take off the freewheel.

    -Jeff Bell

    I carry  a  couple  of  spare  spokes  taped to my left chainstay,
    because  when  I  carried  them taped to the rear rack the paniers
    bent them. To remove the freewheel I use a "pocket vise", which is
    an aluminum piece that fits the freewheel tool on one side and has
    two  horns  on  the  other  that go around some large lever on the
    other.  I  found  that  corrugated metal sign posts work well, and
    many states supply them at convienent locations.

--David

         One of the benefits of owning a true touring bike (a dying
         breed for some reason) is that they typically put a small
         bracket on the left chain stay to hold extra spokes. Mine
         holds two. Kind of a nice feature. I check the spokes once
         a year to make sure that they aren't coming loose.

         JC

    
    The current issue (July) of Bicycling magazine has a helpful article 
    that talks about the various aches and pains you might get while
    cycling, and remedies for each.
    
    This weekend I was careful to take the precautions, many of which are 
    also mentioned in this note, and the article explained why my neck 
    hurt so much.

    Could you please share the info on neck PAIN that was in this article.
    
    
    John_who_has_a_sore_neck!

    My ATB has spokes on the right chainstay.  They serve a secondary
    purpose of protect the stay from chain scratches.
    
    ed

    I took the new bike out last evening and since I was intending to ride
    for only an hour, didn't take food nor map. Well, it was a nice
    evening, the bike felt great, and I went a lot further than I had
    intended. On the way back at about mile 35 with another 12 to go, I
    really began to suffer from bonk on a slight hill. Head down, I
    suddenly spied two peaches lying at the side of the road. Only one
    thing to do! I slammed on the brakes (as much as you can slam on the
    brakes at 10mph), stopped and picked them up, and gobbled them down. My
    one concession to hygiene was not to eat the skins.
    
    I made it back alright and although I had to raid the fridge pretty
    severely, I do believe those peaches saved the day for me.
    
    
    Rod

    Yeah, thank goodness for road fruit.  On last years BMB, I forgot to
    load my pockets at the start.  5 or 10 miles out the pack dropped me as
    usual, then my LOOK cleat broke.  I was soon dreaming of food.  Soon,
    just past the intersection of 27 & 225 I spied a banana.  And, like
    Rod, I didn't eat the skin out of concession to hygiene or whatever
    :-).
    
    By the time I was hungry again, stores were open.
    
    I had a replacement cleat by mile 80.
    
    ed

     I keep a constant lookout for "road muffins" especially if I'm in
    a rural farm area... Great source of protein and house flies :-)
    
     Chip

    
    	After a week's worth of riding, I seem to have leg "cramps" [maybe
    	not exactly cramps, per se, but my upper legs have been sore since
    	the 26-mile trip on Saturday].  And I've been riding every day
    	since then, so they haven't had too long to rest before being a-
    	bused some more.
    
    	Am I trying to do too much too soon, as some of these replies seem
    	to point out?  Or is this normal for strengthening muscles?  The
    	only exercise I get is playing softball during the summer, and then
    	nothing until the next summer, etc.  I play alot of pool, but that
    	doesn't exactly qualify as a physical sport.
    
    	Should I stop riding for a few days, or keep up the 10-mile pace
    	per day?  And if I keep at the 10-mile pace, should I split it
    	in half and take 2 5-mile rides instead of 1 10-mile?  This morn-
    	ing I took of for almost an hour and did 10 miles, but maybe it'd
    	be better to do 5 miles in the morning and 5 at night?
    
    	Thanks for any info.
    

If it's just muscle aches, then chances are good that it's just from getting
your muscles to do work that they aren't used to.  They'll adapt, and you'll be
able to ride further and faster.  An occaisional rest day may be beneficial, but
you should ride more days than you rest.

Make sure that you are drinking enough water, as dehydration can also cause
cramps/soreness, and the weather that we've been having is great for getting
dehydrated.

Rich

    
    	No, I don't think it's dehydration.  My throat got sore yesterday
    	afternoon when it got dry, but that was the only time it happened.
    	The legs have been sore right through, for the most part.
    

    I suspect it is a combination of both plain old getting in shape aches
    and lack of water.  Drink a bunch before you ride to insure you have
    enough to sweat out and drink frequently while you ride.  Check to make
    sure your seat is adjusted correctly as well.  Too low and you can put
    a lot of extra stress on your thighs and especially your knees.  

Hydrating and carbo loading the body BEFORE a ride can have a major impact
in your energy levels and how fast your body recovers from an endurance
workout.

My wife is 8+ months pregnant and is undergoing weekly non-stress tests. 
These tests monitor the baby's heartbeat and activity.  During tests performed
3+ hours after a meal, the baby sleeps and my wife is given Tang or lemonade
AND crackers.  Within 2 minutes the baby wakes and moves around - just as a 
good test subject should.  The nurse told us that carbos alone are not enough. 
Your blood sugar will rise and then fall.  The crackers are important to keep 
blood sugar levels up and your energy levels up.

We were amazed at how fast your body reacts to what you put in it.

    I would recommend that you plan on a couple of "rest" days per week. 
    These days are needed to allow your body to recover and gain from the
    exercise you are doing. 
    
    It is a good idea to alternate easy rides with more strenuous rides as
    well.  You will find that your weekly mileage will increase but rather
    than a continuous increase you should plan on establishing plateaus as
    you go along.  These allow your body to become accustomed to that level
    of exertion (which is what you seem to be doing now.)  My running
    advice even indicates an actual reduction in effort and distance every
    third week or so is beneficial to consolidating your gains.
    
    Rick
    

    
     My 2 cents worth...I have personally found that if you do a bit of
    stretching after each ride, the following day leg discomfort is quite a
    bit less... Some folks like to stretch before and after, I'm in too
    much of a hurry to get started..
    
     Y.M.M.V.
    
     pm

    There are so many variables involved. A workout schedule should always
    include "off" days or "on the bike" rest days. It is a little too early
    for you to be running hard days together, but you can alternate a hard
    effort day with an easy the following day. As someone mentioned earlier
    it is a good idea to get completely off a couple days out of the week.
    
    If you're fitted to the bike correctly you could just be experiencing
    soreness from use. Of course, you should be spinning small gears
    right now (for 500-1000 miles) and not mashing the big ring. That
    will definitely give you pain and will eventually cause damage. Don't
    concern yourself so much with average speed and distance right now.
    Listen to your body. If you feel good, go for it. If don't feel good
    just take it easy...
    
    Chip