• WWW.BIKERADAR.COM
    It was horrific, so much diarrhoea eating 11kg of oats in a week was this ultra-cyclist's hardest challenge yet
    Cyclist Brennan King has completed an astonishing feat of gastric endurance, eating over 11kg of oats in a single week, suffering innumerable horrific bathroom breaks while cycling over 1,000km in a challenge that, by his own admission, offered no insight beyond what not to do. With almost 4 million views on his Instagram original post, King's videos have captivated and disgusted a huge audience over the past seven days. Posting on the final day, King said he set oat [sic] to answer a question absolutely nobody was asking. Speaking to BikeRadar, King explained his decision to undertake the brutal challenge: My family buys our oat supply in 25lbs (11kg) bags, and we go through them pretty quickly. So, naturally, I had to wonder how quickly I could make it through one on my own. King said he ran the numbers, weighed out the portions, and it seemed to me like it might (just might) be possible to do it in a week. If I had known how much of a challenge it would be, then I would probably have thought about it a little harder, he said, admitting he wouldnt be able to get the idea out of my head without giving it a go. A keen long-distance rider since 2019, King's latest two-month 10,000km adventure took him from his home in Vancouver, Canada, to Banff. He then tackled the legendary Tour Divide from Banff to the Mexico/US border, before riding back to Montreal for the start of the school year. Other challenges of epic proportions include riding for 24 hours straight on Zwift for his 23rd birthday, when he averaged 268W for 960km (he hopes to crack the 1,000km mark for his 25th birthday). However, all of these challenges pale in comparison to the gastric mountain he has just summited. Learn more: Cycling nutrition: everything you need to know, according to the latest science Brennan Kings 10kg week of oats challenge in 5 horrifying numbers 1.4kg (20 cups) of oats per day 6,000 calories per day 59,931 calories total consumed 36 hours cycling, 4 hours running, 4 hours hiking and 30 minutes swimming Innumerable trips to the toilet 20 cups of oats per day King consumed almost 53,000 calories throughout the challenge. Brennan King King says he calculated that a cup of dry oats contains about 300 calories, and to complete this challenge, he had to eat 20 cups each day. This means 1.4kg of oats per day, which equates to 6,000 calories or 42,000 calories for the week. For context, Tour de France pros burn in the region of 8,000 calories on the toughest stages. Read more: How many calories do Tour de France riders consume on the biggest mountain days? Mixing things up with a range of recipes pushed his overall calorific intake beyond oats alone. He says: I was also eating other foods that I was adding to the oat-based meals that I was making. My calculations say that I ate 59,931 calories over the course of the week. Though he peppered in a bit of running, hiking and swimming, King rode with a power meter throughout the week, and estimates he burned 52,979 calories. He adds that despite the roughly 7,000 calories in excess, I weighed 0.4lbs lighter at the end of the week. Having the bathroom close by was critical View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brennan King (@brennanking2.0) His weight loss can probably be attributed to the other obvious physical challenges the monotrophic diet presented. King is unflinching in his description of the trials he faced: It was horrific. So much diarrhoea. Falling behind his required schedule towards the end of the challenge forced King to up his intake on the final day: I had to up my consumption to 2.4kg of oats on the last day to finish the challenge." Waking at 4.30am, King said that to develop the appetite of a horse, Id need to exercise like a horse. Riding laps around a local park, King explains that he fell into an easy rhythm of stopping every 4 laps to eat my oats and shit my guts out Having the bathroom close by was critical to the mission I had to stop off at a bathroom nearly once per hour during my 12-hour ride. Though his resolve wobbled towards the end, King says there was only one thing for it: Keep on biking, and keep on eating oats. So, in a state of delirium and utter gut discomfort, King finished the challenge having cycled 335km and eating more oats than he cares to recount. King used a variety of recipes to make the challenge tolerable. Brennan King King admits the gastric challenge extended beyond the obvious: It was tricky to come up with tasty recipes because I was trying to use as many oats as possible without too many additives. The trick was to add as little as possible while still making it palatable Highlights included a banana oat loaf, classic oats paired with Greek yoghurt, and oat borscht. However, not every recipe was a hit: By far my most horrific creation was after a long day when I was tired and just wanted to get some hydration in, so I put a chicken bouillon cube in a bunch of hot water and added oats to that to make a soup. That was despicable. On the last day, he was also forced to pair a simple granola with Red Bull: This was a dark day for oat lovers everywhere. What did he learn? Oats are not on the menu for the foreseeable future. Brennan King So what did King learn from his monumental challenge? I cant say that I gained all that much insight from the challenge at least not anything valuable about what you should be doing," he admits. The on-bike nutrition was really the main hurdle. I think oats and their fibre content are great fuel for off the bike, but trying to ride for 12 hours by eating 2.4kg of them was never a good idea. Regardless, he says he still needed to give it a try, and that he expected to be in top form having come off possibly the craziest block of gut training that any cyclist has ever undergone. Looking ahead, although his expectations are modest, King is targeting the Canadian National road championships. While he admits hes come to racing late in life, his dream is to race on a WorldTour team, or on the American gravel circuit. And what about his taste for porridge, granola and other oaty delights? Ill need some time away from oats for a bit," he says. "I still love oats, but this past week has put some strain on our relationship, so I dont want to rush anything.
    0 Comments 0 Shares 373 Views
  • WWW.CYCLINGWEEKLY.COM
    'A radical ride experience' - Salsa launches 'industry-first' full-suspension gravel e-bike
    With XC-level suspension, wide bars, massice tyre clearance and electric assist, the Wanderosa stretches the definition of gravel to its breaking point
    0 Comments 0 Shares 455 Views
  • ROAD.CC
    When does a gravel bike become a mountain bike? As the genres continue to blur, here's how to define the gravel and MTB categories
    The line between gravel and MTB is blurring rapidly, but there are a few factors that still differentiate the two - here's our guide to identifying which one's which
    0 Comments 0 Shares 473 Views
  • CYCLINGUPTODATE.COM
    I waited quite a long time for this one Yannis Voisard finally breaks through on AlUla Tour summit finish
    Patience rather than panic proved decisive on the first real GC test of the 2026 AlUla Tour, as Yannis Voisard delivered a perfectly judged late effort to claim stage three and move into the race lead. After two sprint dominated opening days, the uphill finish at Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah finally s...
    0 Comments 0 Shares 369 Views
  • BIKEPACKING.COM
    Luke Hoetjes Wins Tour Te Waipounamu 2026, Sets New Record
    Luke Hoetjes was the first to finish the 2026 Tour Te Waipounamu, completing the 1,330-kilometer route in 4 days, 13 hours, and 20 minutes, setting a new course record. Find a detailed recap from Eileen Schwab with photos from Gavin Kaps here...The post Luke Hoetjes Wins Tour Te Waipounamu 2026, Sets New Record appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.
    0 Comments 0 Shares 408 Views
  • ROAD.CC
    Rad Power Bikes thrown a lifeline by US electric vehicle giant what does this mean for the company and its customers?
    Once the king of the US e-bike market, Rad Power Bikes looks to have been rescued thanks to a $13.2 million purchase by Life EV
    0 Comments 0 Shares 494 Views
  • CYCLINGUPTODATE.COM
    I want my team to be the best but I still smile when INEOS win Luke Rowe admits to Geraint Thomas lingering ties despite Decathlon role
    For Luke Rowe, the Tour Down Under did more than open the 2026 WorldTour season. It quietly underlined how difficult it is to ever fully detach from a team that shaped almost an entire professional life. Now working with Decathlon CMA CGM Team, Rowe joined long-time friend and former team-mate Gerai...
    0 Comments 0 Shares 380 Views
  • CYCLINGUPTODATE.COM
    Jonas Vingegaards property portfolio gathers more momentum Wife of two-time Tour winner launches real estate company
    Jonas Vingegaards expanding property portfolio is no longer just growing quietly in the background. It is now being formalised. According to a report by Ekstra Bladet, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike leaders wife, Trine Marie Hansen, has set up a company dedicated to real estate investment, marking...
    0 Comments 0 Shares 345 Views
  • WWW.STICKYBOTTLE.COM
    Liam OBrien (20) puts in strong climbing display on big finish | Video
    Liam OBrien (20) has put in his first notably climbing display on an uphill finish while riding for the Lidl Trek World Tour team. The Corkman finished just outside the top 10 when the road kicked up at the end of todays stage 3 at AlUla Tour (2.Pro) in Saudi Arabia.] Though it looked like []
    0 Comments 0 Shares 616 Views
  • IRISHCYCLE.COM
    Users of Ranelagh Village asked for feedback on interim active travel route to help us shape the design of the permanent works to follow
    Users of the Interim Ranelagh active travel route are being asked to provide their feedback to Dublin City Councils Active Travel Office. The scheme, which is focused on Ranelagh Village, mainly included plastic bollards protecting the existing cycle lanes and the removal.The now-protected cycle lanes are used by schoolchildren and commuters, but, as reported by this website last year, some people are unhappy, including a councillor who complained that taxis are now unable to pull into the cycle lanes and are instead blocking motor traffic rather than cycle track users.The project had been largely finished for months by the time Cllr David Coffey (Fine Gael) claimed the cycle tracks were stopping deliveries to businesses. However, it is understood that, a few months later, the village area remains active, with businesses still operating. At the time, Cllr Coffey who has repeatedly made the point that he cycles himself while objecting to or complaining about cycle routes said: Its great if youre cycling through, not so good if youre running a business, as cars and taxis cannot pull in anymore.Theres problems in relation to deliveries, theres nowhere for them to pull in. Theres a vibrant restaurant and bar trade in the area, people trying to get there by taxis, but taxis have nowhere to stop, only on the main road, so traffic is being affected, he said.This month, the council said that feedback from peoples experience is vital to help us shape the design of the permanent works to follow.The council said it was requesting that people please take a few moments to share your thoughts on what worked well and what could be improved in the village. Your input will ensure the final design meets the needs of the community is of paramount importance. Feedback can be given via ActiveTravelOffice@dublincity.ie.
    0 Comments 0 Shares 420 Views