Cramps

Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So i've
started cycling.

Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set of
lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of pressure to
get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles crap up. What are
you meant to do in this situation?

The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Steve, Cronulla



--

gospeedracergo wrote:
Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So i've
started cycling.
Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set of
lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of pressure to
get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles crap up. What are
you meant to do in this situation?
The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.
Is there a better way to relieve the strain?
Steve, Cronulla



something aint right if your cramping on a bike

not enough fluids, not enough food or poor riding position seat too high
perhaps? have seat just high enough so you can put heal on centre of
pedal with straight leg



--

It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.

Steve



--

gospeedracergo wrote:
It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.
Steve



The only thing I can suggest to relieve the cramp (other than drinking
fluids) is to stretch your calf muscle by dipping your heel. Do this
at the bottom of you pedal stoke and hold it there for a while. It
should fix it.



--

gospeedracergo wrote:
It only happened when i got out of my seat to accelerate.
Steve



Amongst other things, including gradually building up your fitness,
please check if you're correctly fitted to your bike, look at these
links for tips,

How to Fit a Bicycle, http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm or
http://tinyurl.com/2u3wc

How to Fit a Mountain Bike,
http://mountainbike.about.com/library/weekly/aa100102a.htm or
http://tinyurl.com/2qfkg

Bicycle Victoria - Safety & Skills, http://www.bv.com.au/Content/Navig-
ationMenu/Cycling_Q_and_A/Safety_and_Skills/Default268.htm or
http://tinyurl.com/3dhjr

Didn't quite get cramps today, but cycling up Lennox St, Richmond into a
delightful headwind made me stop & rest for a few moments.

Cheers, hopefully other people will have advice & tips too.



--

Originally posted by gospeedracergo
Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Not really. Stretching them out is about all you can do.

But, preventing them is in the FAQ:
http://www.thehippy.net/Cycling/a_b_faq.htm#Sect2.6.3

hippy



--

"hippy" wrote in message
.. .
Originally posted by gospeedracergo
Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Not really. Stretching them out is about all you can do.

But, preventing them is in the FAQ:
http://www.thehippy.net/Cycling/a_b_faq.htm#Sect2.6.3

hippy


You can also slap the muscle which sometimes works.

Kevin

K&C Russell wrote:

You can also slap the muscle which sometimes works.

Kevin

Man, I'm not touching that one! :P

- Munk3y (no spanking references either please)

"gospeedracergo" wrote in message
.. .
Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So i've
started cycling.

Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set of
lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of pressure to
get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles crap up. What are
you meant to do in this situation?

The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Steve, Cronulla

Cramping can be a sign you don't have enough potassium in your system.

Fraser

"gospeedracergo" wrote in message

Just started up riding recently, after a bad accident with my ankle
during a soccer game i have been told i can't run on it anymore. So
i've started cycling.

Riding back from kurnell this afternoon, i was slowing down for a set
of lights when they decided to change. I applied a fair bit of
pressure to get back up to speed only to have my two calf muscles
crap up. What are you meant to do in this situation?

The best i could do was to drop my gears and just keep riding with no
pressure, after a half a minute it went away.

Is there a better way to relieve the strain?

Causes of cramps:

Dehydration - drink more water
Cold - wear tights
Inadequete magnesium - Gatorade or similar
Inadequate sodium - Gatorade or similar
Inadequate potassium -Gatorade or similar
Inadequate quinine - tonic water or prescription tablets

Or it could be simple muscle fatigue in which case you just have to butch up
and work through it until your body adapts. Since you've not been cycling
long this is the most likely.

--

A: Top-posters.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?