What does BONKING feel like?

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

There's absolutly nothing left. Engery bar wont cut it. Even flat ground is up hill. The idea of going any farther than you can see fills you with a sense of dread. all you want to do is walk. eveything anybody says to you no matter what it is, pisses you off. Your done period. Off road, everything no matter how small throws you off your line. On-road, you cant hold your head up, all you do is watch your front wheel. Your head pounds due to dehydration and lack of blood sugar. Overall its a bad day. Everybody does it, and if you ride enough you'll do it alot more than once.

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

For those of us who are Brits (and have a somewhat different definition of "bonk"😉 this a a very funny posting :-), especially the bit about not being sure if you have ever bonked and the "signs" one might expect. If you use our definition, I suspect you'd know :-)

Yeah, I know - it's a well establish cycling term but it still brings out my childish sense of British humour :-)

Mark

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

It's like that drugged-out, slow-motion character that Robin Williams sometimes comically conjures up...where the brain tfunctions, but the body is unwilling.

Or, if you're with my wife when she bonks, it's like conjuring up Linda Blairs character from the Excorcist. Irrational, ill-tempered, explosive and spewing venom. Not a pretty sight!

Feels like I could fall asleep on my bike, clipped in and not care about hitting the ground.

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

I've found that a pretty sure sign that I'm going to bonk soon is when I start to randomly think about what I'm going to eat after the ride. I start to go over various foods that I'd like to eat, each one sounding like the most delicious food ever. That's when I know that it's definately time to eat something cause I've only got a little bit of time left.

menglish6 said:

I've found that a pretty sure sign that I'm going to bonk soon is when I start to randomly think about what I'm going to eat after the ride. I start to go over various foods that I'd like to eat, each one sounding like the most delicious food ever. That's when I know that it's definately time to eat something cause I've only got a little bit of time left.

I do that on *every* ride

homeycheese said:

Or, if you're with my wife when she bonks, it's like conjuring up Linda Blairs character from the Excorcist. Irrational, ill-tempered, explosive and spewing venom. Not a pretty sight!

Wow, if you cross-reference that to the Brit version of bonk it's really not pretty. Maybe your doing it wrong :p

Salsa Rider said:

Wow, if you cross-reference that to the Brit version of bonk it's really not pretty. Maybe your doing it wrong :p

I was thinking the same thing about all the pre,during and post "ride" discussions of "eating"... :o

For me bonking feels very much like trying to ride with a hangover. I can usually ride about 3 good hours before hitting the wall then I'm done. No need to even try to continue. Time to strap on the feedbag and hit the shower.

Pre-bonk....going uphill is no big deal.

Bonk...going downhill is an effort.

Post-bonk...hello, honey....Can you come get me?

My first cycling related bonk was 45 miles into a 60 mile ride when I'd never ridden that far in my life. 3 legged dogs were passing me. And a turtle. Any slower and I would have fallen over. Seriously. I wanted to roll over and just lay in the ditch. My riding buddy literally was riding circles around me...

It sucks, and it can be very sudden. More than likely when you bonk you are dehydrated and your nutrition is hosed. Good time to get home via the shortest route possible...slowly.

HTH,

DallasBikr

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

I wont even say what I thought till I read snafu LOL

I just got the shock of my life.
I started reading the initial question about signs a guy might experience prior to bonking and what it felt like and I was stunned.
Let me clarify matters: In the U.K. "bonking" means the same as "laying or getting laid".
The next time I can't quite keep up with a lady during a casual fling I'll be sure to go out and buy some Gatorade - to hell with viagra.
Sorry, just couldn't resist injecting a little humour.

🙂

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

Are there different levels of bonking?
I have been on a ride where I have been in the 'bonking zone' for several hours. During this time I woud attempt to ride without success, and was forced to very slowly ppush my loaded tourer up the trail. During the three hours that I was out of it, we covered about 8 km's. This same section of track could have been covered in about 30 mins if we had been feeling fresh (or at least not totally wrecked), even with loaded bikes.
I think bonking is one of those sensations that is very difficult to describe, but you know when you have reached it.

Carrera said:

I just got the shock of my life.
I started reading the initial question about signs a guy might experience prior to bonking and what it felt like and I was stunned.
Let me clarify matters: In the U.K. "bonking" means the same as "laying or getting laid".
The next time I can't quite keep up with a lady during a casual fling I'll be sure to go out and buy some Gatorade - to hell with viagra.
Sorry, just couldn't resist injecting a little humour.

🙂

I think there is some pretty good humour in here as it is (generally, unintended). Here's some snippets which are hilarious in this context:

"So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?"

"Everybody does it, and if you ride enough you'll do it a lot more than once."

"Pre-bonk....going uphill is no big deal. Bonk...going downhill is an effort. Post-bonk...hello, honey....Can you come get me?"

"I think bonking is one of those sensations that is very difficult to describe, but you know when you have reached it."

and my favorite...

"Or, if you're with my wife when she bonks, it's like conjuring up Linda Blairs character from the Excorcist. Irrational, ill-tempered, explosive and spewing venom. Not a pretty sight!"

markwill said:

I think there is some pretty good humour in here as it is (generally, unintended). Here's some snippets which are hilarious in this context:

"So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?"

"Everybody does it, and if you ride enough you'll do it a lot more than once."

"Pre-bonk....going uphill is no big deal. Bonk...going downhill is an effort. Post-bonk...hello, honey....Can you come get me?"

"I think bonking is one of those sensations that is very difficult to describe, but you know when you have reached it."

and my favorite...

"Or, if you're with my wife when she bonks, it's like conjuring up Linda Blairs character from the Excorcist. Irrational, ill-tempered, explosive and spewing venom. Not a pretty sight!"

Absolutely hilarious... I am from Britain too, and this thread has had me cracking up for the last 30 minutes 😄

snafu said:

I'm interested in what signs you experience prior to bonking and when you did bonk what did if feel like?

I think I've bonked but I'm not really sure. For me it just seemed that I ran out of energy and stopped at a store and bought a bottle of Gatorade and then felt better. Even though I had been drinking water the whole time.

So lets hear it, how did you feel just prior to bonking, this may help others to get relieve before then bonk, and then during the bonk how did you feel?

Thanks,

if i bonk, i am climbing hills at 200watts, and doing 70 watts on the flats. so i am basically crawling. i have no energy and feel like falling asleep. that's bonking.

markwill said:

For those of us who are Brits (and have a somewhat different definition of "bonk"😉 this a a very funny posting :-), especially the bit about not being sure if you have ever bonked and the "signs" one might expect. If you use our definition, I suspect you'd know :-)

Yeah, I know - it's a well establish cycling term but it still brings out my childish sense of British humour :-)

Mark

lol too true....

Yesterday I had an appointment with a sports nutritionist. Apparently bonking and hitting the wall are slightly different. Bonking is when your liver runs out of stored fuel and it affects your brain, you get dizzy, sleepy, wonky etc. Hitting the wall is when your muscles run out of glycogen and you are just physically exhausted and can't do any more. They are both pretty awful from the sound of it!

markwill said:

For those of us who are Brits (and have a somewhat different definition of "bonk"😉 this a a very funny posting :-), especially the bit about not being sure if you have ever bonked and the "signs" one might expect. If you use our definition, I suspect you'd know :-)

Yeah, I know - it's a well establish cycling term but it still brings out my childish sense of British humour :-)

Mark

i know mark! i think i have bonked too, but i was to drunk at the time to remember. The durex at the side of the bed is usually an indication, a durex with a sperm count is a deffinate give away other signs are smelly genitals, if your unlucky some STD.... the list goes on.

i have on one occassion it was extremly hot, i felt light headed with little or no energy, but after 2 tins of spagetti bolognase purchased from a service station, eaten at the side of the road with a mars bar and fingers, after a few minutes i was ready to go again, another 30-40