Look at me, I am a Vegan! Can I persuade you to become one too?

[Polyarmour]

These are my commuting tips.

I have 5 shirts and 2 pairs of pants at work which I get dry cleaned and ironed. I see some people carrying their business clothes in their backpacks but they get creased. I also keep about 10 pairs of socks in a drawer.

I have a small oil heater in my office to dry out shoes and gloves when it rains. I keep dry socks to cycle home in if I get wet in the morning. I have a good raincoat. Keeping dry is a big one. I've got the waterproof overboots which keep most but not all of the water out. I ride every day no matter what the weather, invest some time in getting your clothing right and you won't mind riding in the rain so much.

I keep two locks at work. One to lock the back wheel to the frame to the bike rack and another to lock the front wheel to the bike frame. I see too many stolen front or back wheels with the rest of the bike just left there.

I have the panniers because in the commuting situation there is always something I am carrying to or from work.

Try to wear something flouro to be seen.

Never put earplugs in.

Try to obey all the road rules.

Ride as hard as you can, redline it all the way, don't let anyone overtake you without a fight ;-)

 

[craig1985]

Yeah I never wear earplugs. I just prefer the insane thoughts in my head just to rumble on.

 

[oldborn]

Well?

Hey durianrider, did you ever ride in Tasmania? I am just curious

Here is some tips (apply in my country only)

Well, be alert of trucks, they can be nasty, horn especialy and they have a will to kill you.
Always smile when someone show you a midle finger coz you are riding 25 km/h and he 95 km/h
Police can ticket you if you are riding slowly and tourists in car are waiting in trafic jam
Never, i said never ride in aero when car is 5 km near of your location
Be aware of dogs, they can train you to be like Cav, but they bite too
Avoid if you can nasty roads (this is inpossible) so always cary a 2 extra inner tubes, couple of spokes etc
Always cary a cell phone coz above issues
When you hear something like "venga, venga" that is mean Italian tourists are close to you and cheer them back

I can not remember anything else which might help you to stay alive

Is that like in Tasmania?

 

[craig1985]

I believe in listening to your body, if you have a hard week of work/training etc., and you are feeling a bit tired, then a flat recovery ride might be a good idea then doing a really hard ride.

 

[eljimberino]

Rode from Perth to Geradlton last weekend and started riding toward the city (after a few days rest) when I came upon a 71 year old who was finishing his cycling trip from Darwin to Perth. !!
Had thought about it before but now Im def. going to do it.
He was stressing about riding from Midland to Perth, so I piloted him along the river
to the city. Interesting fella.

My tip: you're never too old. He started when he was 69.

Anyone ever toured with a backpack? One of those fancy Vaude ones?

 

[Aapjes]

Anyone ever toured with a backpack? One of those fancy Vaude ones?

I've got a Vaude Aquarius 7+3. It's got a hard frame that keeps your back well-ventilated and straps that keep it in place. For a long ride in hot weather I can put two liters of water in it and have plenty of room left for gear & food. The water reservoir is a bit of a ***** to clean though.

All in all I'm very happy with it. The comfort is excellent.

 

[eljimberino]

Awesome. What about a heavier load? The 30+5 packs ? Any experience? Or at that weight do you push into pannier/trailer territory?

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... first of all, don't look out the window and, even though it's obviously very overcast and dark, think "No... it's not gonna rain..." chances are it will! (Linned shoes are not water proof...)

I just wear my normal clothes when riding my bike... it's only about 15 minutes for me to get to school... and I don't really have changing opportunities...
I normally dress in accordance to the weather though...

 

[Polyarmour]

Last big touring trip I did, I loaded the bike up with panniers. However next time I think I'll take a trailer.

 

[the student]

Last big touring trip I did, I loaded the bike up with panniers. However next time I think I'll take a trailer.

rofl that will be a pain uphill.... with some nasty heas wind you will find out your bike has a reverse

 

[Aapjes]

Awesome. What about a heavier load? The 30+5 packs ? Any experience? Or at that weight do you push into pannier/trailer territory?

No experience with those. The main limit is weight. Too much weight on the back is a pain. I would certainly try to keep the weight at only a few kilo's. 0-3 kilo's is fine. 4-5 is pretty irritating. At 5+ kilo's I would always go for panniers or a trailer.

 

[straydog]

Ok, I have got to wade in here now in my size 12s.

Firstly, Durian, I honestly admire your commitment to your vegan life style. However, in your original post you said you weighed 65kgs give or take 10%. Seriously? You are 6 ft and sometimes you go down to 58.5 kilos? Ok, if you are racing 200 days a year, and your livelyhood depends on it I can understand jeopardising your long term health somewhat, but as an amateur that is pretty crazy.

I think a lot of us can get pretty obsessive about our weight as cyclists, myself included, I am 6 ft 3 and 71.5 to 73.5 kgs with 6-7% body fat. There is research actually, that suggests that as many as 20% percent of professional cylists display symptoms of anorexia.

Also, I would suggest to everyone that they research eating to their blood type. Everyone metabolises fats and sugars (carbs) at different rates. Just suggesting eating loads of Carbs and drinking loads of water to everyone isn't actually based on anything other than a hunch. And drinking just water without replacing electrolytes can lead to a nasty thing called hyponatraemia, if you aren't careful.

Boeing, my suggestion to your question about losing lean mass, taking into account the above caveat about blood types is this:

Cut down/ out processed sugars. Cut down/ out animal fats. Lean meat only. Cut completely hydrogenated fats. Cut down on carb heavy meals after training. Increase your protein ratio in meals generally. Eat more low GI carbs than high GI. Aproximately 10% of your daily diet can include "good" fats (olive oil, oily fish, peanuts and other pulses etc).

As for the really important bit, the training, I would say if you have time to ride in the mornings, you should introduce some fasted zone 2-3 rides. And most importantly increase your time in the saddle significantly. I mean a lot. And don't cross train at all, for at least two months. Your body will only continue to rebuild muscle that is being damaged (trained). If you leave your upper body out of exercise, your pecs and biceps will start to atrophy, and if continued for long enough you will end up with that teenage boy chest that a lot of pros are "wearing" this season. Mine is coming on nicely, I haven't looked this "weak" sine i was 15.

Essentially, there aren't real shortcuts to losing weight or mass, other than certain PEDS, and I really don't think that is what you were asking about. It takes patience and discpline. And please watch your body fat. If you hover under 6 for too long you will start to significantly affect your power output as your body breaks down muscle for fuel.

Hope this is somewhat helpful

 

[eljimberino]

Question about touring in Europe

I'm going to Europe for while (at least 6 months) and had decided to take my bike, but now I'm having second thoughts. The main reason is it will be a bit of a hassle lugging it around when not riding. Flying should be ok with excess luggage, it is mainly getting to and from airports I'm worried about. Cut a long story short these are the options (the small backpack is used in each option):

A) Take the bike, a large backpack and a small backpack. Have the large backpack and bike bag sent on to a known destination that I will later pick up probably two months or more down the track.

B) Forego the large backpack and just stuff all the clothes in the bike bag meaning less to send on but also less to wear when not riding.

C) Leave the bike at home. Hope to pick up an ok, but clearly not as good second hand bike. Send on the large backpack when I go touring.


I should add I plan on meeting my cousin in Montpelier in May and then riding to Italy via Mt Ventoux to watch the Giro, so a good bike is desired. Should also add that the a large portion of the first six months will be spent in Denmark. What is the second hand road bike market like?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Boeing]

Here are some Ive typed out on my blog, feel free to add yours.


Ive cycled all over 170 000 as a vegan, have cycled all over the globe and am currently racing Div 1 and my advise is:

*Drink a litre of water before breakfast each morning.

*Drink enough water during the day so our urine is clear and at least 10times a day. If its yellow or straw, we need to drink more.

*Eat unlimited amounts of your fav carb sources. Be it rice, potatoe, corn, millet,pasta etc. Snack every hour or 2 on something high carb, low fat like butter/marg free jam sandwichs, dried fruit, fresh fruit. Carb up to keep up. Many people undereat carbs and get heaps of fatty stuff and then wonder why motivation drops. Its all about keeping daily glycogen stocks high. Real high! I find that fruit is the ultimate fuel before, during and after exercise so thats my staple everyday of the year.

*Eat 10g of carbs per kg of bodyweight as a daily minimum. Even on recovery days. When exercising for over 1hr, eat 1g of carbs per kg of bodyweight per hour.

*Keep fatty greasy food away and keep high carb meals in bucket sized bowls to stay.
High carb,low fat vegan/fruit based raw vegan diets best serve athletic function.

*Set up camp before sundown so you can make sure your not camping on an ants nest and get a wake in fright response at 2am. I like to sleep in really natural settings away from drunks. Ive talked with Heinz Stucke in Belgium 2003 and in 23 years of cycle touring he has never had one issue camping out. He says 'I camp where nobody goes..'.

*Mark your seat post and handle bars to make sure they dont slip over time and give you knee/back issues. Use a white out pen.

*Get fitted up before you go by a good bike fitter. Use the white out pen again. Mark your cleats too if your using clip less pedals.

*If your riding a mountain bike, get some 'ergon grips'.

* Slap a mirror your bike. I use my uber light race bike with a bob trailer or carradice 'slim' depending on the trip. Mirrors are handy when you are wearing ear phones and listening to tony robbins over and over. It aint aero but its safe.

*Get out the saddle every few minutes for a few seconds to let blood flow be proper. I learnt this riding from Adelaide to Perth. Its 2800km and virtually flat for 2100km of it.

Your gonna have moments when you want to scream. 99% of the time this is cos we are undercarbed/dehydrated/underslept. So when we want to freak out, just carb/drink and rest up for an hour. Cry if you have too, but dont let it get in the way of eating more carbs, drinking more water or having a nap.

*Remember that they call head winds head winds cos its just in your head how you decide to feel about them. I see a stiff head wind as a fitness builder vs a day wrecker . Its just a choice in the moment.

*Remember that the journey is the gift, not the destination.

*Remember that happieness is ONLY experienced in the present moment. Not when you get some food, not when the rain stops, not when stop for the day..happieness is just a choice in the moment and only experienced NOW!

*Get heaps of rest. Eat lots of carbs before your hungry, drink water before your thirsty. Take lots of photos. Talk to lots of people. Make days to remember the rest of your life. Be in the moment. Be nowhere on the road to nowhere.

I didn't know there was any water between Adelaide and Perth?

 

[durianrider]

There is a gas station every 200km you can buy water from. There is rainwater tanks that would keep you alive. There is big cliffs you could jump off if you crave salt water. I took the gas station option.

 

[durianrider]

Ok, I have got to wade in here now in my size 12s.

Firstly, Durian, I honestly admire your commitment to your vegan life style. However, in your original post you said you weighed 65kgs give or take 10%. Seriously? You are 6 ft and sometimes you go down to 58.5 kilos? Ok, if you are racing 200 days a year, and your livelyhood depends on it I can understand jeopardising your long term health somewhat, but as an amateur that is pretty crazy.

I think a lot of us can get pretty obsessive about our weight as cyclists, myself included, I am 6 ft 3 and 71.5 to 73.5 kgs with 6-7% body fat. There is research actually, that suggests that as many as 20% percent of professional cylists display symptoms of anorexia.

Also, I would suggest to everyone that they research eating to their blood type. Everyone metabolises fats and sugars (carbs) at different rates. Just suggesting eating loads of Carbs and drinking loads of water to everyone isn't actually based on anything other than a hunch. And drinking just water without replacing electrolytes can lead to a nasty thing called hyponatraemia, if you aren't careful.

Boeing, my suggestion to your question about losing lean mass, taking into account the above caveat about blood types is this:

Cut down/ out processed sugars. Cut down/ out animal fats. Lean meat only. Cut completely hydrogenated fats. Cut down on carb heavy meals after training. Increase your protein ratio in meals generally. Eat more low GI carbs than high GI. Aproximately 10% of your daily diet can include "good" fats (olive oil, oily fish, peanuts and other pulses etc).

As for the really important bit, the training, I would say if you have time to ride in the mornings, you should introduce some fasted zone 2-3 rides. And most importantly increase your time in the saddle significantly. I mean a lot. And don't cross train at all, for at least two months. Your body will only continue to rebuild muscle that is being damaged (trained). If you leave your upper body out of exercise, your pecs and biceps will start to atrophy, and if continued for long enough you will end up with that teenage boy chest that a lot of pros are "wearing" this season. Mine is coming on nicely, I haven't looked this "weak" sine i was 15.

Essentially, there aren't real shortcuts to losing weight or mass, other than certain PEDS, and I really don't think that is what you were asking about. It takes patience and discpline. And please watch your body fat. If you hover under 6 for too long you will start to significantly affect your power output as your body breaks down muscle for fuel.

Hope this is somewhat helpful

#In all respect Straydog, are you serious when you recommend humans eat according to their blood type? Are you citing the book 'eat right for your blood type' by Peter Adamo? If so, here is a great link debunking that theory.

http://www.vegsource.com/klaper/diet5.htm

Eating for our blood type is like eating for our hair colour type or zodiac sign. It sells books and makes a lot of dollars but it makes zero sense.

#You say "10% of your diet can come from good fats..' but you dont specify if that is weight, volume or % of calories. Thats like saying 'Do 10% of your best time for 10% of your training'. aka real subjective.

10% of our calories coming from fat? Yeah thats good and is supported by many heart and cancer specialists. I personally advise a low fat diet cos the fat we eat is the fat we wear and the carbs we eat is the carbs we get to live with. Cutting back on carbs is like cutting back on petrol in a car. It makes no sense. People are so carb phobic that they fill up on fat and become even more enervated.

#Regarding bodyweight flucuations I said 10% but to be honest its more like 8% but when you use exact details like that, you lose people to exact details. Its like saying 'I rode 247.89km' vs 'Did 250km'. Make sense?

The difference between me and other mainstream athletes that get that lean is that Im eating all I want, not taking stuff & can emotionally function outside of cycling life.

 

[eljimberino]

Perth to Adelaide is not flat all the way. More rolling.

 

[durianrider]

Last time I cycled it, it had a big ring rollers and then about 1200km flat till you hit madura pass which is a bit of a mozzie bite hill wise.

Maybe its changed now with global warming n stuff though.

Here is a good site with photos every 100km
http://ramblingsdc.net/Australia/Nullarbor.html

 

[Fieldsprint]

Eating for our blood type is like eating for our hair colour type or zodiac sign. It sells books and makes a lot of dollars but it makes zero sense.

About as much sense as avoiding animal protein/fat.

 

[Polyarmour]

I'm going to Europe for while (at least 6 months) and had decided to take my bike, but now I'm having second thoughts. The main reason is it will be a bit of a hassle lugging it around when not riding. Flying should be ok with excess luggage, it is mainly getting to and from airports I'm worried about. Cut a long story short these are the options (the small backpack is used in each option):

A) Take the bike, a large backpack and a small backpack. Have the large backpack and bike bag sent on to a known destination that I will later pick up probably two months or more down the track.

B) Forego the large backpack and just stuff all the clothes in the bike bag meaning less to send on but also less to wear when not riding.

C) Leave the bike at home. Hope to pick up an ok, but clearly not as good second hand bike. Send on the large backpack when I go touring.


I should add I plan on meeting my cousin in Montpelier in May and then riding to Italy via Mt Ventoux to watch the Giro, so a good bike is desired. Should also add that the a large portion of the first six months will be spent in Denmark. What is the second hand road bike market like?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Ok I did a lengthy European trip when I was younger. My thoughts are;
Can you cycle to and from the airport? I think it's possible. That way you keep your own bike and you ride everywhere.
Alternatively you get the wagon type taxi, take your wheels off and put the bike in the back. Takes a bit more organising but better than buying a 2nd hand bike IMO. If you buy a 2nd hand bike, at some point you will be stuck with a taxi issue anyway.
Keep a small backpack. I kept minimal cycle clothing which I washed out each night. But most importantly my other set of clothes were decent casual clothes for dining out in. Worked really well.
Send on your bigger backpack later or alternatively buy one over there at the end of your trip while stocking up on a few new clothes.
Have fun

 

[durianrider]

 

[durianrider]

I was out training one morning up and we hit the Hogans Road climb and I looked down at my powertap and then said to the chick next to me 'You compete at olympic level dont you?' She said 'How did you know?' I said 'Watts dont lie'.

The 'girl' was Kiyomi Niwata.

Average speed doesnt really say much. You could have a tail wind, head wind, be on the front, on the back, going up hill, down hill..but power is power.

Its great to see how sleep, hydration and carbs affects your power output too.

Training without power is like going to a gym without numbers on the weights. Sure you can get super fit but you aint ever got get your best out of your training potential/time.

 

[durianrider]

Hydration: How much is enough?

Ive cycled every km from Perth to the Tip of Cape York and learnt a few hydration lessons for sure. My housemate in Magill last year died from dehydration complications and Ive another mate collapse in front of me and another end up in Emergency ward. Getting red in the face is a SOLID sign of dehydration as is refusal to drink/puffing of cheeks when drinking. What do I mean when I say 'puffing of cheeks'? Look at pro athletes drink water vs non athletes and youll see what I mean. You cant be super fit if your dehydrated constantly. Do you puff your cheeks or does the water slip straight down with no pain/nausea?

#Drink enough water so your urine is clear and frequent and at least 10 times a day. If its yellow or straw, you need to drink more. Urinate at least a few times a night. Ive trained with all the big names in the last decade and asked the same questions and gotten the same answers funnily enough when it comes to hydration, sleep and carbs (get lots daily!)

#Most people cant absorb more than 1 litre per hour so there isnt much point in drinking more. Drink a litre per hour when your out training.

#If you really want to be on top of it, do what the pro's do. Weigh yourself before and after training and aim to come home weighing a bit more. If you weigh less, thats water weight lost and you must drink the deficiet before you start eat'n. This discipline only takes 20 seconds and can be the difference between just doing training and actually absorbing it.

#Room temp is best as it doesnt shock the stomach like ice water does. Humans are equatorial creatures and prefer stable temps.

#Drink before meals instead of after. I start the day with 1 litre of water. Unless Ive got a 5km running race starting at 6am and then its just a couple of mouthfuls and drink the 1 litre plus straight after the finish.

#Number 1 way to get overtrained is to get dehydrated.
Number 2 way is to get undercarbed.
Number 3 way is not enough sleep.

#NEVER wait for thIrst, otherwise youve waited too long. NEVER wait for hunger, otherwise youve waited too long.

#It can literally take months to hydrate properly. Riding with Lance last year I learnt that he monitors his hydration in March for the TDF in July so ensure he stays on top of recovery, absorption and adaption of training.

#The more fat we have, the less hydrated we are as muscle is around 70% water by weight and fat only around 20% by weight. So the more excess body blubber we have, the more we must be even more diligent about hydration and keeping up with clear and frequent urine production.

#Today I went out with the local road bunch here in Davao City/Philippines and my hydration strategies keep me enjoying the ride vs getting dehydrated and hating it.

 

[Polyarmour]

Good advice Durian. Another aspect relevant to race preparation is to ease off on the hydration just before the race starts. There is nothing worse than feeling the need to pee 20 minutes into a race. Once you're in the race and sweating, start drinking as it takes time to get the fluids to where they need to be.

BTW somebody wrote "got fat? go vegan" all over the road at Mt Coot-tha. Any idea who?

 

[Tapeworm]

Actually there is some research that is looking at the "drink to thirst" rationale and have found it to be quite a reliable method of rehydration.

Also the instances of (hypovolememic and hypervolememic) hyponatremia in endurance races is on the increase so you CAN ingest too much water.

Sports drinks can be a good thing, but not always. Its a tricky thing.

The Sport Scientists dudes have done a bit in this field, here are their links:-

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/10/fluid-intake-dehydration-and-exercise_26.html

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/11/sports-drinks-sweat-and-electrolytes_27.html