Recently I had a couple of long rides where I experience quad/calf cramping around mile 50-60 on the climbs. But I was able to recover once I hit the flats again and using higher cadence and lower gearing for an extended period of time, maybe 30 minutes. By the end of the ride the performance was almost normal and I was able to get out of the saddle (which would have been difficult to control if the cramping was active)

Has this happened to you and was wondering what I actually did correctly to help.

It happens to me when I do rides in which my body isn't fully adapted to, whether it be intensities or distances. For instance if I do zone 6 work and haven't done it for a couple of weeks I usually get it near the end of my workout. I usually try to take the rest of the workout easy, or I just end my workout. Usually after a couple more closely aligned zone 6 workouts, the calf cramps dissipate.

Same here.
Cramps are simply a matter of not being fit enough to do the ride you are attempting.

Eating some swanky bananas helps, too.

I'm very prone to cramps, even though electrolite balance in the blood is normal (when off the race), i've found that Magne B6 (Magnese life, alike) work best for me. I alwas carry at least one doze in the race, for long marathons - 2. They recover my cramped muscles in just a few minutes. Recommended to try.

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weight concerned = good, weight obsessed = bad!

Do these work at preventing cramp to start with? Or do they just work if you are actually cramping?

not sure, I use these only if i feel that cramps approach and start happening. Logic tells me that such treatment should as well prevent cramps, but that only an assumption, I don't have enough experience to comment, sorry.

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weight concerned = good, weight obsessed = bad!

Stretching is the only thing that relieves cramps when you're getting them. Sure a bit more salt (at the point Magnesium seems to work best) will help but nothing will alleviate them like stretching. I cramped only halfway into a long sportive last year and got off and stretched for 2-3 minutes thinking I was completely screwed. I didn't even start eating or drinking any more than usual.

Also, 90% of cramps are from lack of specific fitness in those muscles.

Can the saddle affect likelyhood of cramps?
I am riding a fairly hard saddle without much padding at all but I do not really cramp using that saddle. I can't say that the saddle disappears because I always feel it which isn't a good thing but I never have any numbness or cramps when I use this saddle.

On my other bike with a bit more padding (not alot, prologo) I get cramps.. but could be just the bike setup is different.

A saddle can have an effect in regards to cramps. This could be from slightly altering position which may call on muscles which have not been as conditioned as other and/or restricting blood flow.

The actual causes of cramps are varied and sometimes overlapping which makes their precise diagnosis difficult and accordingly the treatment. Search the forum for a more protected discussion on cramping.

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"Physiology is all just propaganda and lies... all waiting to be disproven by the next study."
"I'm not a real doctor; But I am a real worm; I am an actual worm." - TMBG

Try to set both bikes to identical contact point measurements.
Get better fit at doing hills when in the 50-60 mile range. <-- This is key
Remain hydrated for the length of the ride.

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I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

Try to swin

I had a cramps episode just yesterday about 90 miles into a 116 mile ride.
I know it is a "systemic" think because a lot of muscles in both legs lock up almost simultaneously. For me, ingestion of a large amount of plain water seems to relieve them (I had gotten dehydrated up to that point, because I was drinking sparingly to conserve my dwindling water supply).

I hear that Tums helps due to it's anti acid properties. Never tried it though.

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Cramps a , never had it.