Feeling dizzy after bike rides

ShaggyRS6

ShaggyRS6

ShaggyRS6

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11 Jan 2009
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Kent UK & New Jersey USA
Having not really excercised in 20 years and having just given up smoking I have just taken up cycling.I bought a mountain bike and have been putting in some miles.

I have been doing at least 4 miles a day for the last 5 days sometimes a bit more.

What I have noticed is that after a hard ride I feel dizzy. I am drinking on the ride and I do make sure I have eaten something before I go, I must admit, I have not eaten a lot.

I am wondering if this is normal to someone new to excercise? Or should I be eating more maybe taking something with me? Or drinking more or should I see the doc. After todays ride I got home and was swaying a big.

Any ideas?
 
I'd say it's completely normal.


If you haven't exercised in a long time your body wont be used to it. If I push myself really hard exercising I feel dizzy also.

It will happen less and less the more you keep it up.
 
Hah :) actually just called my physio mate, I forgot to mention that I am in day 13 if not smoking.

She said that that will do it. Where my body has been feeding off the nicotene and nicotene been taken away, that will make me feel dizzy :)

She did say take a mars bar and an isotonic drink with me in the short term
 
On a 4 mile ride you won't need anything, maybe just water if you feel you need it. Even unfit you'll have the glycogen stores in your muscles and liver to sustain you for that duration :) The dizzyness will be from the stopping smoking, but check with your doc if you're worried.

Don't eat too much or anything heavy immediately before riding.
 
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Can I ask a newb question.

What muscles can I expect to build up riding? Also what other areas is it good for?

I have a slight gut now ( a huge amount was lost to stress, the only good bi-product) I have some slight moons that need shifting, will they go? Etc etc

No pee taking Mr Spie
 
Depends on the type of riding. Road cycling is all about legs, agressive MTB needs strong legs and upper body. Both need a strong core. You can burn a lot of calories if you're riding at a suitable level for a long enough duration. I can easily burn a few thousand calories on a ride, but that's over several hours of sustained output.
 
Dizziness will typically be a lack of blood sugar, so just eat something as soon as you stop. When exercising you want to maintain a steady supply of carbs to enable efficient burning of fat. When you run out of carbs your body starts producing energy in different ways that dont burn fat as efficiently, and can also start to break down muscle.

Basically, eat something rich in carbs before and top up throughout a ride (eg a banana). For about 30-45mins after hard exercise your body is burning fat/carbs at an accelerated rate, so if you keep on top of the carb intake then you will burn more fat.
 
6thElement said:
You can burn a lot of calories if you're riding at a suitable level for a long enough duration. I can easily burn a few thousand calories on a ride, but that's over several hours of sustained output.
Click to expand...
Do you know any rough figures for this?
I cycle with a cycling club most saturdays, we usually do between 60-100 miles. I have a garmin forerunner to keep track of speed and distances and it gives an indication of calories burned but its designed for running so the reading is pretty much useless to me. Can anybody give me a rough idea of how much calories i might be burning? (average speeds are around 18-20mph in a pack taking turns on the front. Combined weight of me and my bike is 14.5 stone)
 
Only way you can have any level of accuracy is with a Powertap or similar hub so you can measure power output. Garmin units such as my 705 create grossly inflated figures, drafting in the pack, rolling down the hills etc isn't taken into account on them.

My first race this year is in a months time will have me racing for 12 hours off road, that needs some seriously fuelling considerations!
 
ShaggyRS6 said:
Can I ask a newb question.

What muscles can I expect to build up riding? Also what other areas is it good for?
Click to expand...


If you want to build muscles then you need to progressively work the muscles over a long period of time, eat lots and sleep well.

biking might do something for you, but once you meet the level you need to do the riding, you wont gain any more.
 
Make sure you eat before you go riding, leave it an hour before you do ride though. This happened to me on Saturday, I didn't have any dinner the night before and for breakfast I only had a couple rounds of toast. Towards the end of my ride I felt like I was going to pass out.
 
when i was cycling to work last year, used to have bread and jam before i set off and drink an isotonic/carb loaded drink on the way. Then ate when i got to work.
These people make good fuel for cycling and other sports.
Winter training fuel is nice, a 750ml bottle is enough for 2 hours ride.

As for calories burnt, looking at a ride home for me last year, 13.9miles in 43minutes at an average speed of 19.1mph burnt 747 calories according to my polar cs200. The ride in burnt 951, took 55mins @ 15mph. More uphills going to work
 
Sounds like your body is fuelling efficiently because you're a little unfit, you've given up smoking and your diet probably isn't perfect.

Isotonic drinks and a small sugary snack are indeed exactly what is needed. Keep it up, and make sure you're getting plenty of complex carbs 1-2 hours before exercise.

Ant :cool:
 
Well, I have been out for 4-5 miles a day since I got the bike, this evenings 4.7 miles was the hardest but felt the easiest.

I am still mainly on the road ATM but I am trying to take things slowly. So this evening was a mix of long climbs, shorts decents and a few level bits.

I noticed that the dizzyness us still there a bit but I have been getting this when not riding. I called the doc just to make sure but she said it is the lack of nicotene.

My back side is hurting less from the sadle, but the really good thing was my Qauds held out, yes they still felt tight after, but they do not hurt.

So the only thing holding me back from going further and harder is my general fitness which I assume will come in time .
 
Indeed - keep at it.

You should find you'll find the saddle does get comfier. Some saddles need breaking in a bit and your bottom should also get used to sitting on the saddle.
 
try not to push the big gears, spinning is a lot easier on your joints and on your whole system.

Good pair of cycling shorts with help with the saddle.
 
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