Cramping

Eponymous

Did a short spin last night, 24km on a relatively flat route along N11 to Kilcroney exit and back. Climb up to N11 from home along Farrenkelly road was fine but once up onto the N11 and the route flattened out I started cramping up in both calf muscles, something which continued for the rest of the route.

It eased off when I moved through the gears and had to work at pushing the pedals.

I don't know if it's because I wasn't sufficiently hydrated or if it's my position on the bike, but I was in absolute agony for the ride. I'll be bringing the bike back to LBS for a tune up in the next week or so anyway so I will probably ask him to put it back up on the rollers and get him to take a look, but in every other aspect I've been very comfortable on the bike.

Anything I can do during the cycle to stretch out the calf muscles or is it a case of getting off the bike and stretching them out?

Carawaystick

I stand up on the pedals, and drop one heel at a time to stretch.

Bloggsie

Eponymous wrote: »

Did a short spin last night, 24km on a relatively flat route along N11 to Kilcroney exit and back. Climb up to N11 from home along Farrenkelly road was fine but once up onto the N11 and the route flattened out I started cramping up in both calf muscles, something which continued for the rest of the route.

It eased off when I moved through the gears and had to work at pushing the pedals.

I don't know if it's because I wasn't sufficiently hydrated or if it's my position on the bike, but I was in absolute agony for the ride. I'll be bringing the bike back to LBS for a tune up in the next week or so anyway so I will probably ask him to put it back up on the rollers and get him to take a look, but in every other aspect I've been very comfortable on the bike.

Anything I can do during the cycle to stretch out the calf muscles or is it a case of getting off the bike and stretching them out?

Hydration really helps with cramping as does poatassium, so I eat a banana a day and on the day before I cycle to & from work, I take a High5 hydration tablet and maybe 2 on the days I cycle. My colleagues think its quite funny that I will spend about 25 mins each morning when I get into work stretching and the same in the evenings before I cycle home, but I'm happy that I cycle 60kms twice a week without cramping.

ironkiwi

Bloggsie wrote: »

Hydration really helps with cramping as does poatassium, so I eat a banana a day and on the day before I cycle to & from work, I take a High5 hydration tablet and maybe 2 on the days I cycle. My colleagues think its quite funny that I will spend about 25 mins each morning when I get into work stretching and the same in the evenings before I cycle home, but I'm happy that I cycle 60kms twice a week without cramping.

All of the above and plenty of foam rolling along the calf muscles.

Vincenzo Nibbly

Are you confident that your cleats are positioned correctly on your shoes? Not too far forward underfoot, toes pointed straight ahead when cleats engaged etc..

aworthycause

It seems that it could be any number of things. Personally I find it happens when my conditioning is not what it should be, and I am slightly dehydrated. Then when I go into the red I may suffer cramps after some time, especially if there are sudden surges or stop/starts.

I find on the bike dropping a few gears, I can often spin enough of the cramp out to keep going in some capacity.

rtmie

Vincenzo Nibbly wrote: »

Are you confident that your cleats are positioned correctly on your shoes? Not too far forward underfoot, toes pointed straight ahead when cleats engaged etc..

This. Only times I have experienced calf cramps on shortish spins it has been with new shoes or careless cleat replacement and has been fixed by adjusting cleat position.

kavanagh_h

I used to have this problem all the time in my feet on the bike and i used to get it at night in bed in my calfs. I noticed that when i started eating cashew nuts everyday it stopped but i may be getting fittter as well. Each to their own.

seanin4711

shoes too small/tight.
I am 43 in runners.
got 43 in shimanos and with thick sock toes cramp like a mother humper!

Eponymous

Thanks all... Won't be out for a spin again until tomorrow evening, but pretty sure the cleats are in a good position for me, they are straight and my shoes fit perfectly (spent a lot of time sorting that out when I put the SPD-SL pedals on).

I'll rule out the hydration and potassium levels first and failing that, I'll look to revise my cleat position, but up to Monday I had been super comfortable so I really don't think that's it.

@Seanin4711, I was advised to go a euro size up when getting shimano, I wear a 45 shoe so the 46 shimanos are excellent with thick socks (or thin ones, for that matter).

Eponymous

Didn't get out last night but did cycle into work this morning, 30km route. No cramping except for coming away from the lights in too high a gear once, remembered Carawaystick's advice which worked a treat.

I had a banana last night and another this morning when I woke and took on board plenty of water. Had a High5 last night and another in the water in my bidon too and sipped on that along the way this morning.

A lot more comfortable when you don't feel like the calf muscles are going to tear your bones apart!

Thanks all.

DKmac

Recent studies suggest that the main reason for cramping is simple muscle fatigue causing irregular or dysfunctional neuromuscular patterns i.e. the signal from your nerves to your muscle goes out of sync or effectively stuck in a contract state. The old school answer is more recently appearing to be the most appropriate solution - get fitter and get your muscles used to working at a higher intensity.

Zen0

DKmac wrote: »

Recent studies suggest that the main reason for cramping is simple muscle fatigue causing irregular or dysfunctional neuromuscular patterns i.e. the signal from your nerves to your muscle goes out of sync or effectively stuck in a contract state. The old school answer is more recently appearing to be the most appropriate solution - get fitter and get your muscles used to working at a higher intensity.

This makes a lot of sense. Unfortunately, it means I have no quick fixes to avoid cramp on the MB200 this Sunday. It's a bit late for extra training!