What do you think you do that helps ride long distances.

I've been riding over 40 years and it doesnt bother me much physically to ride 400 miles or more in a day, provided I do certain things to assist me. For many years I rode distances I wondered why some days I felt great and so did the bike. On other days I felt every bump and felt lousy. Id heard that you need to drink liquids to keep hydrated but I thought that didn't apply to me as I seldom feel thirsty.

Not that many years ago I was racing with the Vintage Road Racing Association in Ontario. It was a particularly hot day in the summer and I'd just come off the track from practising. I felt like crap. I wasn't thirsty but I was hot. I mentioned I wasn't feeling my best to another racer. He told me I was dehydrated. I told him I wasn't but he insisted I was. I took his advice and drank plenty of water. The next day I felt great .

Ever since then whenever riding distances I continually drink water even though I don't feel thirsty. Last year I rode 900 miles in 13 hours from NC to Ontario on my 95 Vfr750 and the next day I didn't even have the slightest ache.

That's not to say that I only rely on water to help me. If I am going on a long trip, for at least 2 weeks before, i ride my bicycle regularly and go to the gym.

The above, combined with a Corbin on my bike, makes all the difference between an enjoyable trip and a so so trip.

 

I very quickly get sick from drinking water throughout the day. Then I recall that the body does not run on water, it runs on salt water. As we sweat profusely, salt pours out of us, creating a deficiency. I suggest to keep some salty snacks in your pocket. With every drink of water, have some salt as well.

I realize the heart-nuts out there keep telling us to reduce or eliminate additional salt intake. But again, on the hot summer day, if you drink down a tall glass of water, and immediately feel sick, your body is directly telling you, "You just diluted the remaining salt in your system by drinking water, and created a worse situation."

 

Pop a couple of Aleve before heading out ... a sports drink among water drinks during the day ... a beaded seat :biggrin: ...

ACE

 

The Aleve idea is terrible advice. As a chronic pain sufferer, who would do absolutely anything to be able to reduce my intake of pain medications, I would rail against popping pain medication for average daily muscle pains. Painkillers, number one, tend to dehydrate the body, thus would be counterproductive to any workout such as riding. Number two, pain is a signal that you need to receive to know what is wrong with your body. Please do not use these like candy to reduce the puny pains of daily life. From someone who sees a "10" on the pain scale regularly, I have earned the right to call you a total wimp if this is your habit. The leg burn that I get from squeezing the tank and pressuring the pegs is one of the greatest sensations I can feel, and screams "workout accomplished".

Sports drinks are a mixed bag. High sugar drinks dehydrate and leave no water for sweat, be your own judge on artificial sweeteners, and please run from the "energy" drinks.

Sorry to such a wet blanket. As I eat candy bars, drink alcohol, and love red meat, I am by no means a health nut. I just think people too quickly accept items on the supermarket shelf as beneficial just because they are readily available, when they may in fact be detrimental.

 

@Knight ... ok, I'll accept your railing out against daily use of NSAIDs considering your situation, however, I'll continue to do what works for me to maintain focus on long rides. Considering that my particular use of NSAIDs is not 'daily', I'm ok with it. If it is not for others, fine, that's for each to decide. Also, I did mention drinking during the ride, water being the majority with 'a' sports drink thrown in. Personally, I've found that Coconut water (not milk) also works for those who eschew the occasional sport drink, with less processed sugar.

As long as you mean well, you can throw whatever kind of blanket you want :smile:. I also eat candy bars & down 5hr energy during a ride if I feel like doing so, just depends. At least you didn't jump all over my beaded seat ... :biggrin: ...

ACE

 

Ear plugs! Tried them last weekend and what a difference, especially on the freeway.

Stress level dropped dramatically.

 

No, as a matter of fact you got me seriously thinking about beading my work chair, lounge chair, lawn chair, and bike as well.

 

Be careful where you put those beads.... lol

 

Water and stretching at fuel stops.

 

heli bars + airhawk combo

 

Snag a payday candy bar for the sugar, salt, and peanut carbs along with cold water, plugphones for music and outside sound reduction...going to hell in a bucket.

 

CAN I PLAY TOO?

I will jump on the band wagon about pain pills. They have been a fact of life for me since the early 80's. If you can do without, do so. But there is a place for them.

I've heard it said here a few times that if you wait until you are thirsty, you are very late. I have no expertise in this but it does make a lot of sense to me.

We need salt. I don't give a shit if you have high blood pressure or heart attacks, you need salt in some amount from somewhere. A source for this salt is sports drinks, but there is a whole pile of other shit in there that you may or may not need. Sports drinks are not a good choice at all for me. Diabetes and all. So. What I will sometimes do is put a few granules of sea salt into my bottle of water. Not enough to make it taste salty but "just" enough that you know it is there. Salt is salt, but with sea salt, you get those very much needed electrolytes to help you body make optimum use of your water intake. I have felt upset after drinking a lot of water over a short period of time. I wonder if that might be because I have not had enough salt with it. Never really thought about that until reading what was posted above by Knight.

I have done a couple Iron Butts, one actually registered. That is 1000 miles in 24 hours. Do I feel the aches and pains? Absofookenlutely. But I suggest when you get off your bike to re-fuel, do some simple stretches and do a short walk around the station to get the blood flowing.

When riding in very hot weather, like Arizona, breath with your mouth closed. You would be surprised how much water you loose breathing out your mouth instead of your nose. Your mouth is for eating and sticking your foot into.

Above all, if you have been riding for 40 years, I think you have a pretty good handle on what is needed to make the ride comphee. I have been riding only since 2006 and learned on the run. Keep on riding!

 

Throttle rocker/cramp buster/throttle lock. I was surprised at how sore my wrist was after 1500 miles on my first road trip. I bought a cramp buster on the last day and I have used it on every long trip since.

I've haven't used one yet, but my brother uses a Camelback with the mouth piece tucked into his helmet to stay hydrated while riding.

 

I take a bottle of Oral Rehydration Salts in a steel water bottle and have a good swig out of that every time I stop, I usually buy a bottle of water every time I gas up when traveling in hot weather

A shower and another pint of ORS when I reach the destination complete my returning to normal

I was in NorCal for the last 2 weeks of this September, so I was making up a bottle everyday, also my buddy did the same, we're both ex paratroopers and had avoiding dehydration drummed into us when we did desert training

The most important salts are sodium and potassium, so salted nuts and a banana would be a good alternative

For snacks avoid packets of crap and eat some fresh fruit, something like a peach is both satisfying and will raise your blood sugar level

 

Your advice may be a little late.. Kind of like monkeys and typewriters. All those chairs and all those beads? YIKES!

All pretty good advice. Nobody so far on oxy, beer and Jo jo's.

 

I've been able to carry a bottle of water either under my seat cowl or on my current bike under the seat. It's only 20oz but comes in very handy all the time. I now put a little salt in it for what Randy says. When traveling I always have at least 2-3 bottles of water. When they get empty I can refill them just about anywhere. If I get to hot I can pour one over my head and down the shirt.

The only sport drink is Gatorade/G8 drink in lemon-lime. I'll buy them when I can and keep the water for when out in the boonies. I stretch when I can, even on the bike when doing long distances in quick time. I got dehydrated once back in the 90's and came close to heat stroke. Never again if I can help it.

 

Doc told me by the time you feel thirsty, your to late...dehydrations already set in

 

The Gatorade concentrate at WalMart is good its a powder. Same stuff great price.

When the Gatorade first came out I was shooting football for one of my alma maters. The chemistry dept analyzed a sample of the stuff and then made their own.. Get pretty warm down on the field down Texas way.

Heat stroke is deadly...

Dumping some salt in some water can lead to more problems than dehydration

This one may be what works best:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_dehydration

Then there are salt tablets that dissolve fairly slowly.

 

Now I see how Randy can keep going, those funny little pills, I think I could use a few of those, but my trick is simply to take my car on long trips and leave the short trips for the bike. My short trips to add up. I got 10,000 miles now on my vfr, 10,000-4600=5,400 actual miles now in two years. I am still adj the bike and adding new headlights tomorrow-something the vfr does very well -light up the night.:lever:

 

Anybody want to light up SOW?