London to Brighton Off-Road - September 23rd 2017

[river_rat]

Daveyraveygravey said:

I've moved away from energy gels etc. I always have one as an emergency bail out, but prefer flapjacks or fig rolls. Even a mini pork pie! Sometimes you just want savoury

Me too, I always used to have gels and energy drinks on long MTB rides and always felt hungry and stomach not too good.

Last long ride I did was 75 miles off road in the Chilterns, just ate peanut butter sandwiches and bananas (and drunk a lot of water) and felt fine throughout and much better after finishing.

[Landlord]

river_rat said:

Daveyraveygravey said:

I've moved away from energy gels etc. I always have one as an emergency bail out, but prefer flapjacks or fig rolls. Even a mini pork pie! Sometimes you just want savoury

Me too, I always used to have gels and energy drinks on long MTB rides and always felt hungry and stomach not too good.

Last long ride I did was 75 miles off road in the Chilterns, just ate peanut butter sandwiches and bananas (and drunk a lot of water) and felt fine throughout and much better after finishing.

That's interesting and you both make a good point. I imagine these gels are quite sweet and not at all filling. I think I'll go with the peanut butter sandwiches...

I live in the Chilterns - I imagine that 75 miles had quite a few tough climbs!

[yellowjack]

river_rat said:

Daveyraveygravey said:

I've moved away from energy gels etc. I always have one as an emergency bail out, but prefer flapjacks or fig rolls. Even a mini pork pie! Sometimes you just want savoury

Me too, I always used to have gels and energy drinks on long MTB rides and always felt hungry and stomach not too good.

Last long ride I did was 75 miles off road in the Chilterns, just ate peanut butter sandwiches and bananas (and drunk a lot of water) and felt fine throughout and much better after finishing.

I've never been one for energy gels/bars really.

They simply weren't "a thing" when I was growing up, out on my 'racer' all summer. I'd either take a pack of sandwiches or stop for a ropey old sausage roll at a cafe.

Roll forward to here and now, and last Friday I did a 150(+) mile ride from Farnborough to Bournemouth and back. I went off after a fairly normal breakfast, a large bowl of Special K and some toast with jam. I took two peanut butter sandwiches and a handful of mixed cereal/breakfast bars in jersey pockets.

I ate one of the sandwiches and a cereal bar (Kelloggs Nutri-Grain) on the way down, along with a handful of foraged blackberries in the New Forest. Down in Bournemouth, after a brief visit to the Air Festival on the seafront, I grabbed a Mince'n'Onion pie and large chips at a proper chip shop, followed by a large Bakewell from a local cafe. On the return trip I ate a cereal bar (Jordan's Frusli) or two, half a sandwich, and stopped for a coffee. Fluids were two full bottles of squash from the start, two cans of fizzy pop, a bottle of Oasis, and three x 500ml bottles of Lucozade sport when I stopped for coffee.

When I got home, I still had half a peanut butter sandwich, a couple of cereal bars, and a full bottle of Lucozade in my pockets.

This isn't meant as a boast or anything. It's likely that if I paid more attention to nutrition and ate more regularly on the bike I might well perform better over the course of the day (14.8 mph average for a fairly flat 150 miles). I just mean to point out that you don't need a scientifically developed feeding strategy to ride bikes. Not outside of racing anyway. The standard supermarket cereal bars aren't all that different from far more expensive sport-specific energy products if you read the labels closely, and I manage just fine on 'no added sugar' own brand squash from various supermarkets instead of sickly, sugary powdered preparations.

The only proprietary energy products I've used in the past three or so years have been freebie gels and chews handed out by sponsors at sign-on in races I've done. I'll happily use them, but I certainly won't buy them at retail prices. Not when Kelloggs/Jordans stuff can be got in pound shops for around 20 pence per bar, and there's squash in the cupboard at home that tastes good and is suitable for everyone to drink, unlike the powdered energy preparations that I used to use before I started questioning the whole "sports nutrition industry" thing.

Yes, by all means, if it works for you use the expensive stuff. I imagine it can give you an edge in races, etc, over not using it. But as an amateur, social rider, at least think about the less expensive alternatives and give them a try before the event. They're often tastier, easier to eat, and gentler on your stomach than the 'hard stuff' is, and far more affordable.

But most of all, wherever you ride, whatever you eat, please, please, please, make sure that all of the wrappers go securely into pockets to be properly binned at feed stations or better still when you get home. Please don't be one of those dheads wantonly throwing your gel wrappers into the wind. They hang about in hedgerows almost indefinitely, they get events a bad name from locals and environmental campaigners, and ruin the countryside for others who want to enjoy it. Please - if you carry it in, carry it back out again, whatever it is, from gel wrappers to a punctured innertube.
Thanks!

[river_rat]

Landlord said:

That's interesting and you both make a good point. I imagine these gels are quite sweet and not at all filling. I think I'll go with the peanut butter sandwiches...

I live in the Chilterns - I imagine that 75 miles had quite a few tough climbs!

Yes it was a tough ride and a long time in the saddle - good practice for the L2B!

[Dr Murdoch]

Just under a week to go, fingers crossed the weather sorts it self out.

Managed a 40miler off-road on Sunday, 10m on-road Monday and then 25 miles on-road yesterday. My shoulder blades are fairly painful now so I've decided to have a at least one days rest (today) maybe tomorrow as well depending how I feel tomorrow when I get up.

When do folk stop cycling before an event to ensure energy levels are peaking?

[Agent XXX]

Dr Murdoch said:

Just under a week to go, fingers crossed the weather sorts it self out.

Managed a 40miler off-road on Sunday, 10m on-road Monday and then 25 miles on-road yesterday. My shoulder blades are fairly painful now so I've decided to have a at least one days rest (today) maybe tomorrow as well depending how I feel tomorrow when I get up.

When do folk stop cycling before an event to ensure energy levels are peaking?

Shoulder blades or muscle just below?

If below it will be your upper traps. Had it last year after having done lots of riding, apparently quite a common complaint in cycling. Two sessions of deep tissue massage and accupuncture sorted it right out.

[Dr Murdoch]

Agent XXX said:

Shoulder blades or muscle just below?

If below it will be your upper traps. Had it last year after having done lots of riding, apparently quite a common complaint in cycling. Two sessions of deep tissue massage and accupuncture sorted it right out.

Right between my neck and shoulder (right side). Almost like a stiff neck, but its not (if you know what I mean?!)

[Daveyraveygravey]

Dr Murdoch said:

Just under a week to go, fingers crossed the weather sorts it self out.

Managed a 40miler off-road on Sunday, 10m on-road Monday and then 25 miles on-road yesterday. My shoulder blades are fairly painful now so I've decided to have a at least one days rest (today) maybe tomorrow as well depending how I feel tomorrow when I get up.

When do folk stop cycling before an event to ensure energy levels are peaking?

It depends on the individual and what you have done recently. I would say at least 5 days, maybe 7-9. Recovery is a big part of training; if you never stop pushing you won't get the real benefit of training.

[Dr Murdoch]

Daveyraveygravey said:

It depends on the individual and what you have done recently. I would say at least 5 days, maybe 7-9. Recovery is a big part of training; if you never stop pushing you won't get the real benefit of training.

Thanks

I've got a 50mile ride planned for Sunday, then after that I'll park the bike until the ride.

I'll try and walk in the evenings just to keep muscles working.

[breamster]

Dr Murdoch said:

Thanks

I've got a 50mile ride planned for Sunday, then after that I'll park the bike until the ride.

I'll try and walk in the evenings just to keep muscles working.

I've signed up for the ride and I'll be doing similar but I won't be parking up the bike completely. I plan to do a couple of gentle 5-10 miles mid-week.

My tally this week so far is Sunday 48. Tuesday 21. Wednesday 13. I'll probably go out again Friday and Saturday I'll do 30 miles or so.

Really looking forward to it.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Went up the last climb from Upper Beeding this morning on my way to work. It's pretty dry at the moment, not bone-dry, but almost. The rain gully down the middle is a pig though, big chunks of rock and flint, and the gully sides are smooth and very slippery. If you get in it, try and ride it until the sides aren't too deep, I found it very hard to get any grip on the really smooth stuff. There's a couple of manhole covers on the left that can catch you out too.

[Landlord]

Daveyraveygravey said:

Went up the last climb from Upper Beeding this morning on my way to work. It's pretty dry at the moment, not bone-dry, but almost. The rain gully down the middle is a pig though, big chunks of rock and flint, and the gully sides are smooth and very slippery. If you get in it, try and ride it until the sides aren't too deep, I found it very hard to get any grip on the really smooth stuff. There's a couple of manhole covers on the left that can catch you out too.

Thanks for the headsup

[Dr Murdoch]

Heads up

They've shifted the start (again) to Kempton Park race course.

Could be a pain those travelling by train, as its about 55mins from Waterloo

[river_rat]

Just seen that - they don't seem to mention if there is any parking available at the race course?

[Agent XXX]

river_rat said:

Just seen that - they don't seem to mention if there is any parking available at the race course?

Yep they do. It's available free ALL DAY

[Snubs]

Daveyraveygravey said:

Went up the last climb from Upper Beeding this morning on my way to work. It's pretty dry at the moment, not bone-dry, but almost. The rain gully down the middle is a pig though, big chunks of rock and flint, and the gully sides are smooth and very slippery. If you get in it, try and ride it until the sides aren't too deep, I found it very hard to get any grip on the really smooth stuff. There's a couple of manhole covers on the left that can catch you out too.

I was born and raised in Steyning, leaving at 18 to go to Uni. I was obsessed with mountain biking as a teenager and didn't realise how good i had it in Steyning with the range of paths available. I've since lived in Winchester, so the western end of the South Downs, and the paths there were nothing like as good. I currently live in the Cotswolds and again, Steyning was much better.

I still remeber well the climb up Newham Lane, which half way up joined the Bostal Road, to get on top of the hill and join the South Downs Way. Starting cycling that as a kid and could never make it in one go (used to have to stop about half way up where there's a face of explosed chalk on the right as you're climbing). I went back in my mid-20s at the peak of my cycling fitness and climbed it in 5mins20, a feat i'm still very chuffed with today!

To all of you doing this ride; all the best with it!

[Daveyraveygravey]

Snubs said:

I was born and raised in Steyning, leaving at 18 to go to Uni. I was obsessed with mountain biking as a teenager and didn't realise how good i had it in Steyning with the range of paths available. I've since lived in Winchester, so the western end of the South Downs, and the paths there were nothing like as good. I currently live in the Cotswolds and again, Steyning was much better.

I still remeber well the climb up Newham Lane, which half way up joined the Bostal Road, to get on top of the hill and join the South Downs Way. Starting cycling that as a kid and could never make it in one go (used to have to stop about half way up where there's a face of explosed chalk on the right as you're climbing). I went back in my mid-20s at the peak of my cycling fitness and climbed it in 5mins20, a feat i'm still very chuffed with today!

To all of you doing this ride; all the best with it!

I'm lucky to have lived in Steyning for nearly 20 years, sometimes you take it all for granted, and then you read something like this and wake up! Great time up the Bostal by the way, I've scraped in just under 6 mins but at the age of 51 I can live with that! Before we looked at houses here, we stopped on the Bostal by that quarry, had to feed the baby, and looking down on Steyning we thought we should try and find a house here!

[nickfrog]

Daveyraveygravey said:

we stopped on the Bostal by that quarry, had to feed the baby, and looking down on Steyning we thought we should try and find a house here!

You mean there ? I love that road - I had to stop last year that day and take a phone snap. Truleigh Hill opposite is another hell of a climb, particularly off-road!

[Daveyraveygravey]

nickfrog said:

You mean there ? I love that road - I had to stop last year that day and take a phone snap. Truleigh Hill opposite is another hell of a climb, particularly off-road!

Nice pic! Yes, but just down the road from there. There is a sort of layby where we stopped. I think nutters sometimes see how far up the chalk they can get in their Landies, at least it looks like there are tracks up the side!

Truleigh is hard - it doesn't look bad from the road, but it seems to ramp up imperceptibly until it is very difficult. I have been overtaken by joggers as I try to spin up it!

[Agent XXX]

Well that was fun!

Damn sight muddier than last year but thoroughly enjoyable and well chuffed with 7hrs 12 minutes.