Riding Makes Me Sick

Seriously in need of some tips/advice here as i`m having big problems which is seriously affecting my desire to ride my bike.

Basically whilst riding I`m suffering really severe nausea to the point where I`m balking as i`m riding and I seriously think my last meal is going to end up inside my helmet I haven`t ridden for several months but did suffer a little bit with nausea towards the end of the last few rides I had. I don`t know if it`s a confidence issue as since poor Hovis` passing I am thinking a lot about my safety and mortality etc. I don`t dread getting on the bike and going for a ride but find I am being very cautious and a lot slower than I used to be.

Other causes i`m considering are my physical riding position.... As I`ve short arms i`m lying practically flat on the tank and I wonder if it`s vibration or maybe the heat of the tank on my stomach that could be causing it. My trousers are a bit tight but i`ve undone the button and this doesn`t seem to help much.

Another possibility is my eye sight? I know I need glasses for distance and close up work and I believe one eye is totally useless for distance so my semi good eye is overcompansating... I didn`t wear my specs whilst riding on Saturday as I just can`t get them on under my helmet so possibly the nausea is a result of some sort of balance problem to do with my eyesight?

I really don`t know what the cause is but would be interested in hearing if anyone else has had similar problems and any advice would be really appreciated.

Claire regarding your glasses, why don't you try and wear them under your helmet around the house, to make the gaps for them in the padding ready for when you next go out

I know what you mean about the bike I was always lieing on the tank in order to reach the bar. (I was told this was the pointy design and completely different on the curvy) could you maybe look at fitting high risers?

Whenever I am on the bike (riding or pillion) I eat very little as I can not stand the feeling of food sat there (makes me feel sick). So I eat not a lot but make sure I drink enough to compensate, for eating very little!

Some good tips there Lily and many thanks. I wore my specs for a short time whilst riding on Friday but found the arms were in totally the wrong place and wouldn`t locate my ears thus they were constantly slipping and they were digging in so hard it was really painful, your tip is a good one.

Re. the bars... I really am thinking of the comfort kit but was hoping that there might be a cheaper alternative to the nausea problem for now. The eating little is another useful suggestion and is worth trying.

I`m hoping that I can try any suggestions people have to see if that controls the nausea... if not then I might have to accept that it really is a confidence issue and it`s all in my mind

[fizzwheel]

Claire why cant you get your specs under your helmet ?, Edit just seen your post above. You need to find a different sort of frame then or try a different lid. The Arai I have has cutouts in the lining that the arms of my glasses slide into.

Is it a certain type of road / type of riding that makes you feel ill, or is it the same no matter what type of road you are riding.

Do you get car sick or anything like that. It might just be plain simple motion sickness.

[punyXpress]

as lily says, also ears affect balance in many ways & may not be noticeable when doing so, just a bad dizzy feeling. There seem to be fiercer colds around this year & often long-lasting. Hope this sorts soon.

[Bri w]

Sounds like you know what the problems are but need the confidence to confront your demons.

A question though, pre-Hovis' sad demise did you have the same problem? Your answer may further confirm it's a confidence thing.

Next question; do you want to ride again? If the answer is yes, then I guess you need to plan some short rides at a quiet time of day and, to be blunt, just go and do it.

I'm 600 miles into my return to bikes, and two rides back into it this year (15miles). The nervous tummy I can relate to but I must say the reality isn't as fierce as the real thing - gave me a right buzz to be honest.

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Claire why cant you get your specs under your helmet ?

Is it a certain type of road / type of riding that makes you feel ill, or is it the same no matter what type of road you are riding.

Do you get car sick or anything like that. It might just be plain simple motion sickness.

I think it`s the arms of my specs that are maybe just to thick to go on under my helmet, they`re also curved at the ends so as I`m pushing them on a) it really hurts as they`re digging in and b) they just won`t locate on my ears properly as my ears are quite squashed inside my helmet anyway. I did manage to get them on for a short time on Friday but had to stop riding and take them off cos they were pressing in by my temples and it was really painful.

I do suffer with terrible car sickness at times unless I`m driving... I usually have to have the window down for fresh air and there`s times when whoever is driving has had to pull over. There`s no way I can sit in the back of a car as I would definitely be sick

Claire do you feel sick when on the bike or just even thinking about the bike?! In any parts of riding does that feeling disappear?

Originally Posted by fizzwheel

Is it a certain type of road / type of riding that makes you feel ill, or is it the same no matter what type of road you are riding.

There are certain types of roads I don`t enjoy riding on Fizz ie. heights and also for some reason any road where there isn`t a clear marker of the side of the road ie. a wall etc. The nausea seems to be there on any type of road tho

[fizzwheel]

With regard to your glasses sounds like it is the arms. I always found the straighter the arm the better for going underneath a lid as then they dont dig in. Go back to the opticians and take your lid with you and try a few different styles on and see if you can find something more comfortable.

Are your eyes OK for driving / riding without your glasses ? Or do you need to wear the in order to see where you are going properly ?

If you suffer from travel sickness it might just be that when you are on the bike, but then I would have thought you would have always suffered from it.

Like the others have said I dont eat big meals when I am out on my bike, I find that they make me want to sleep and my concentration isnt what it shoudl be so I have a small light meal or snack and then eat a proper meal when I get home.