How to Keep Cramps from Ruining Your Ride

Our Coach’s Corner series is your chance to have your biggest cycling questions answered — right from longtime cycling coach Darryl MacKenzie. In these short Q&As, Coach Darryl speaks from his 35+ years of cycling and coaching experience to help you become a stronger, smarter cyclist.

Irritated Cyclist:

Coach, I get leg cramps on longer or harder rides. How can I deal with these so I can enjoy my ride like I normally do? 

Coach Darryl:

Leg cramps are one of the most frustrating interruptions a cyclist can face. One moment you’re cruising along, the next you’re frozen with pain, unsure if you can keep pedaling. The good news? Cramps are usually avoidable, and once you understand their causes, you can fix them when they show up mid-ride.

From what I’ve seen in over 35 years of cycling and coaching, cramps almost always come down to three root causes, in order of likelihood:

• Insufficient conditioning: This is the most common culprit. Maybe you tried to keep up with a faster group than usual or stretched your mileage farther than your body was ready for. Push too hard beyond your recent training, and cramps can be your body’s way of saying “enough.”
• Dehydration: Not drinking enough fluids — especially on hot days — sets you up for cramping. Once you’re behind on hydration, it’s very difficult to catch up mid-ride.
• Electrolyte imbalance: For some riders, low sodium is the issue; for others, it’s potassium. Either way, if your body is short on electrolytes, your muscles may fire out of rhythm and seize up.

So what’s the Thinking Cyclist to do? It depends on the issue:

• If it’s a lack of conditioning: Slow down, ride with an easier group, or even take a shortcut back to the start. Sometimes the best call is to end the ride early and build back up gradually.
• If it’s dehydration: Drink fluids right away, ideally cold ones with electrolytes. But be realistic — once dehydration sets in, your ride may be over. Requesting a pickup or taking the short route home may be the smartest option.
• If it’s electrolytes: Take them in quickly. Pills and electrolyte drinks are best; carbonated drinks are absorbed fastest, followed by non-carbonated fluids, and lastly, solid food.

Dealing with a cramp in progress

When the cramp strikes, stretching the muscle immediately is the fastest way to get relief. For a calf cramp, straighten your knee and pull your toes upward. For hamstrings, extend the leg and stretch the back of it. Experienced cyclists sometimes manage this on the bike while coasting, but many prefer to stop. Just be sure to unclip with the leg that isn’t cramping — otherwise you risk tipping over!

Want a surprising bonus tip? Tums. Chewing one or two and keeping them in your mouth as long as possible often makes cramps disappear quickly. But remember, they only work on cramps in progress, not for prevention.

Tums or no, your best bet is to know your limits, stay hydrated, and keep electrolytes handy. With the right preparation, cramps don’t have to cut your ride short.