[mlin]

Today I bonked for the first time in years... mainly because I rode in 35 degree temp and took a longer route that lasted 2:30 and didn't account for it.

From history, I noticed by bonk occurs around 2 hours, with today's occurrence at around 2:15. Reading on the internet, an article says 90 minutes.

What are your known bonk-times? Anyone have a body that bonks at 3 hours?

 

[MN_Roadie]

The funny thing is, I heard all about bonking from this forum (started cycling last summer), but never thought I'd see the day. Fast forward to last fall after I had about 1800 miles in, I was doing my daily 30 mile route, and thought I should go for a much longer ride (I was sweating pretty good, being it was 94 degrees in MN, with humidity felt like 112 or something like that). Around 40 miles, around 2:15ish b/c I avg about 18.4-19 mph riding solo...I felt the bonk for the first time in my life.

I almost didn't even know what happened...I just couldn't pedal anymore and I was getting really dizzy. Then I just stopped the bike, got off, and couldn't even stand up. I sat down on the ground, ate a granola bar, and probably sat there for a good 3 min not doing anything. I got a second wind and finished the last 10 miles back in, but I had never experienced anything like it.

That day taught me that I really need to stay hydrated and keep food in me when going for longer rides (I'd never previously brought along any food on any rides).

 

[Peter P.]

One hour, fifty minutes. The dead giveaway that the party's over is, I'll feel my stomach juices churn as if they're looking for food to digest that isn't there. At that point it's shut down and twiddle home because it's only going to get ugly, fast.

I'm a small, skinny guy with a fast metabolism, if that's a contributing factor.

 

[looigi]

Kinda depends on how well "fueled" I start the ride, but between 2-3 hrs is where it hits me in the form of having little or no energy or power, and not feeling so good.

 

[rayej68]

Kinda depends on how well "fueled" I start the ride, but between 2-3 hrs is where it hits me in the form of having little or no energy or power, and not feeling so good.

Agreed, bonk times depend on how you start the ride and how you fuel during.

I bonked about after about an hour one morning with a buddy. I had gone out the night before and was pretty dehydrated from my Budweiser carbo loading.

Few months later I did a 4 hour 70 mile charity ride with lots of great rest stops and felt great the entire time.

 

[jswilson64]

I mis-read the thread title and thought it was "Boinking times." Then I realized this isn't teh Lounge...

 

[Mr Evil]

The title doesn't need to be misread - "bonk" means exactly what you thought you read.

 

[ratherBclimbing]

Kinda depends on how well "fueled" I start the ride, but between 2-3 hrs is where it hits me in the form of having little or no energy or power, and not feeling so good.

Pretty much sums it up for me too. I also get crotchety.

 

[ratherBclimbing]

I mis-read the thread title and thought it was "Boinking times." Then I realized this isn't teh Lounge...

Oh, well that's usually around 2.5 minutes... I mean, hours.

 

[BostonG]

I almost didn't even know what happened...I just couldn't pedal anymore and I was getting really dizzy. Then I just stopped the bike, got off, and couldn't even stand up. I sat down on the ground, ate a granola bar, and probably sat there for a good 3 min not doing anything. I got a second wind and finished the last 10 miles back in, but I had never experienced anything like it.

That day taught me that I really need to stay hydrated and keep food in me when going for longer rides (I'd never previously brought along any food on any rides).

Now that is a bonk. So many people say they bonked when all that happened is that they got very tired, more tired than usual and had to drag back home. People who've experienced it know a real bonk though, very different from just being very tired.

I've bonked twice in my cyclign career. Once due to inexperience (it was a bad one and I had to make the embarassing call to the wife to pick me up), the second time due to stupidity but was only maybe 3 miles from home.

Now aside from that, I've gotten very tired and had to drag home at 10mph a bunch of times.

 

[redondoaveb]

I mis-read the thread title and thought it was "Boinking times." Then I realized this isn't teh Lounge...

That's funny, I thought it read "bonging times". I was going to say 4:20.

 

[youcoming]

It's different for everyone, I have a built in warning system. If I start getting pissy, it's time for a Snickers.

 

[ClancyO]

I've been riding long enough that fueling when possible and as required just happens w/o thought.. That said, attempting too much, or going longer than the packed food supply still happens from time-to-time. Other times, I've intentionally gone out on a bonk ride. (early morning's, less than 25 miles, nothing but maybe some coffee in me..)

All that said, running is totally different. I can run an hour w/o food, but I'm starting to bonk by the :55 minute mark. If I plan on running longer than that, I need to start eating :40 minute mark, and thereafter, depending on heat/fluid/etc.

 

[ziscwg]

You guys ride without a gel or bar in your jersey????

 

[elburrito99]

When I first started cycling, it used to be about 2 hours no matter what. My times have changed dramatically over the past few years as I've started doing longer and longer endurance events. How long I can now go without bonking varies greatly and entirely depends upon (a) where I am in my training, (b) fuel I'm ingesting the day of the ride, (c) how hard the ride is (hills, heat, wind), and (d) how hard I ride (speed).

That said, if I take in no calories, I'm not going much longer than 2-3 hours without starting to feel fairly fatigued. But if I'm well trained and taking in fuel, then I can go for 100-200 miles. Last year I did an ironman, which required me to ride 112 miles and have enough in the tank to run 26 miles immediately off the bike. I never bonked during the race, though I went through some pretty intense mental and physical walls...

 

[ridefast84]

I keep a packet of emergen-c in my seat bag for times like these

 

[looigi]

FWIW: The usual recommendation from trainers and sport nutritionists is to eat ~100 cal of carbs every 1/2 hr starting a 1/2 hr into the ride for rides expected to last 1.5 hr or more. This can be in the form of bar, gel, fruit, sports drink, candy bar, fig newton, etc.. The reason you start only 1/2 hr in is to give time for digestion and adsorption.

 

[Springfield]

2 1/2 hours

 

[caramel]

if your riding at high temperatures like that you'll find you can go a lot further if you eat some sea salt, like kettle crisps or something, otherwise you can sweat out all the minerals in your body. this can make you 'bonk' out a lot faster