Getting started with long distance rides...

Good example - Contador leading Paris-Nice 2009, bonks and loses the jersey, and the race to Sanchez:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2__pXSC4ofQ#t=1m21s

He's still a wee bit faster than the average cyclist when we get the bonk. :)

Needs more EPO.

He's still a wee bit faster than the average cyclist when we get the bonk. :)

Speak for yourself Oliver, my agent is negotiating my contract with Saxo Bank for 2011.

OK maybe it wasn't a brilliant example, but it shows the effects of not properly fuelling yourself, even on an excellent stage rider as Contador. Taking him from a chasing a breakaway, to basically stopping and falling behind the groupetto...Meh

I've heard of the marzipan-ball method before, it makes sense; giving something for your stomach to do in small, concentrated doses not to mention marzipan is full of almonds and sugar - perfect anti-bonk.

As for water - like mentioned earlier, little and often.

He's still a wee bit faster than the average cyclist when we get the bonk. :)

He's still a wee, well a lot, faster than me without the bonk. It is scary that even when bonked he'd slaughter me even on my best day (that said I am shit).

So, I started today by getting the bike and riding from eastbourne to brighton. Awesome day!

Typical Brighton photo...

http://www.twitpic.com/mqchw

The cutting above is taken from ‘Sporting Cyclist’ for November 1961. These orders come from the then honorary *directeur sportif *of the Auto-Cycle Sottevillais (Sotteville is a suburb of Rouen) Andre Boucher.

Why should we pay any attention to his views? Well it was Boucher who, in 1953, first introduced a young *normand *to the larger cycling world – Jacques Anquetil. In 1961 he had just produced another successful young rider: Jean Jourden, who had won the world amateur road championship that year.

It’s hard to know how much of Anquetil’s success was due to Boucher’s advice since he had the reputation of a man who had no time at all for rules, especially those relating to sex, drugs and alcohol. Perhaps he was more pliable as a teenager, but it’s clear that he still respected Boucher at this time, and had come back to Rouen for a training session with his old task master pacing him on a Derny three days before his record breaking win in the Grand Prix des Nations that year.

Apparently Jourden was more inclined to obedience.

Forum readers will note the advice on gearing. I must admit I am surprised to see fixed wheel training bikes being recommended in France as late as 1961.

If you were confused by conflicting advice on food further up this column, you’re probably in a complete tizz by now. What is to be learnt here is that opinions tend to change with time, and so all ‘experts’ should only be listened to with a degree of scepticism.

But remember, don’t waste any alcohol by rubbing it on your legs.

Unless there was a surprising amount of cannibalism in old fashioned cycling clubs then I can't see why women might be considered forbidden food.

Greenbank, that's a great Brighton shot. Was tempted to call it nice first ... probably not the best word.

On a long ride, follow your appetite - it will tell you much more accurately than any nutritional plans what you should be eating and drinking. Eat real food little and often - nutritional products are pure marketing, nothing else. The trick is to make sure you have the right range of foods with you, but personally I have never gone wrong with bananas, marmite sandwiches, rice cakes, chocolate and water.

I used to take a tupperware box of jugged hare, but it made me throw up after twenty yards or so...

@ clubman - dover or lemon?

Forbidden -- all dishes NOT cooked in butter or sauces?? Now that's a diet I could do.

hmm jugged hare

my dad does that amazingly well, so rich and gamey, possibly not the best cycling food, but magnficent after a cold day in the country

Unless there was a surprising amount of cannibalism in old fashioned cycling clubs then I can't see why women might be considered forbidden food.

Yes, this is one of the oddities here. I don't really know the answer, but I can make a guess.

The best explanation I can offer is that there is a connection in the French mind between sensual pleasure and food. The English, traditionally, famously lack this. Although there a many literary examples of this idea, I'll offer just one: from the aphorisms of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) 'A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman who lacks a eye.'

@ clubman - dover or lemon?

Your guess is as good as mine. Most of the list doesn't make much sense to me, but there are some things that do still seem right. Fatty food is discouraged and carbohydrates listed under the 'very good' section.

Self massage (nothing to do with sex) after training is, I'm sure, highly beneficial, especially if you intend to ride the next day. The object here is to help to remove the lactic acid from the muscles and it is quite possible to massage one's own legs - if you've still got enough energy, that is.

There is a wikipedia article on Andre Boucher which adds some detail.

'Sporting Cyclist'
Originally called 'Coureur' this was published from the mid '50's until 1968 and was editied by Jock Wadley. All riders of my age group (ancient) will know about this magazine which I think was the best cycling periodical ever published in English. For me, the genius of Coureur was that it put continental professional racing and the English club scene next to each other, as if one might lead to the other. And in a few cases it did.
Because of the quality of Coureur, both in content and production, many copies still exist - if you get a chance to look at one, do so!

Finally, I'm surprised no one complained about the ban on caviare - I'm going to cut it out completely and substitute pigeon. With this dietary tweak and my new woolly undervest I'm certain to be a sensation in the 2010 season.

recommend the following for breakfast to avoid 'the bonk'
porridge oats c/w treacle or honey, one boiled egg, one peanut butter on toast..
this keeps me on the bike from 8.00am - 11.00am (brief bacon sardnie stop) home by 2.00pm
+80 miles from north london via brixton, crystal palace, bromley, biggin hill, toy's hill, ide's hill, chiddington, sevenoaks, star hill, orpington, blackheath, city....

I see you have noticed that women are forbidden food.

How Spartan a diet was this ?

shameless spamming

http://www.lfgss.com/thread38700.html

if only because i went out there last year after a couple of months of doing long rides and had a great time

If anyone is keen, around 45 of us are meeting at Richmond Green opposite Richmond Underground Station next Saturday 27th March at 9.30am to cycle 45 miles to Reading along the Thames Valley. There are free t-shirts up for everyone taking part - will post details tomorrow. The route will be signposted all the way.

I am by no means a long distance expert, having only done a handful of 60odd mile rides last year, but i found that dried fruit and nuts and enough water really helped me keep going.

If anyone is keen, around 45 of us are meeting at Richmond Green opposite Richmond Underground Station next Saturday 27th March at 9.30am to cycle 45 miles to Reading along the Thames Valley. There are free t-shirts up for everyone taking part - will post details tomorrow. The route will be signposted all the way.
This looks ideal! Is there a thread in rides & races? Where do I sign?

another big ride last saturday in the pissing rain in south wales.. from Llanharan, Talbot Green, Llantrisant, Clawddoch, Cowbridge, Llantrithyd, Barry (home of Gavin and Stacey.. or is it Tracey?), Llantwit Major, Wick (home of Nicole Cooke) Ogmore, Bridgend, Pencoed, Brynna.. basically a tour of the vale of glamorgan.. back just in time for six nations rugby... good cycle route with quiet roads, shame about the weather..

i am planning 84 mile trek across the hills of the cotwolds (from banbury) for easter sunday.. PM me if you are interested..

Just starting getting back into longer rides on a geared bike-some useful advice here. I'm finding a hilly 33 miles (best local ride) is taking me about 2 hours, and to be honest the hills are killing me-granny cogging it the whole way up for the big climb, which leaves my legs pretty melted after.

Any good techniques for improving climbing performance? (a pint of guiness on a wee electric train might do the trick) I really wish I'd bought a turbo before christmas instead of being lazy and holding out for the better weather! ;/

Ride more. The more you do the hills the better you'll get at climbing them. I spent the winter doing pretty much no riding apart from my flat commute, just moved house and now have a longer commute (30 miles with somewhere around 1000ft of climbing). The first time I did it I felt pretty drained, but after a few weeks and a lot of food I don't find it an issue to cycle to work, and with the weather picking up I actually look forward to it!