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Any Road cyclists here on Reta?

22 replies9 peopleJan 25, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

How does retatrutide affect long road cycling training rides and performance while trying to lose weight?

Users report that retatrutide supports fat utilization during rides but requires careful fueling with carbs and electrolytes to sustain efforts of several hours. Some experience elevated heart rates that shift zone efforts higher or cause discomfort, leading one to pause use, while others note improved endurance outputs after weight loss and no major drop-off on long sessions when diet is tracked. Dosing is often kept low during training season, and one plans to skip a dose around a major event for better fueling confidence.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Whether elevated heart rate is a temporary adaptation or reason to stop the medication entirely

Still open

How performance holds on repeated multi-hour mountain efforts after 10+ kg loss while staying on the drug

Nothing here is advice.

22 replies · 9 people
SharpKettle13archiveopening postJan 25

Just wondering how others are managing retatrutide while doing road cycling. Has training become harder? Is there a point where longer efforts become impossible? Planning about 14 weeks to lose 10 kg before a big trip with lots of climbing and hundreds of miles. Worried the medication will limit rides lasting 2-6 hours. Anyone handling or struggling with long sessions? Planning to use a carb and electrolyte drink during rides and hoping that covers it.

ClearMeadow20archiveJan 25

You should be fine. Paying attention to fueling becomes even more important. It feels easier to use body fat as fuel with this medication. Currently doing base training but plan to reduce to a low weekly amount once the season starts. Base work has gone well except for a cold that dragged on.

SharpKettle13archiveJan 26
↳ replying to @ClearMeadow20

Thanks for the reply. Still doing base work here but moving into build phase soon. A carb-electrolyte drink has worked well for long efforts in the past so it would be helpful if the medication really does tap fat stores too. The medication should be wearing off by the time the big Sunday ride happens, which is also injection day, so fueling the night before and morning of should be straightforward. What dose are you on now and how much have you lost so far?

ClearMeadow20archiveJan 26

Currently 3 mg every five days. Fifteen weeks in and down 40 lb. Good results at low doses.

NorthMeadow96archiveJan 26
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13 (opening post)

Not outdoors but using an indoor trainer for challenging sessions. Long efforts there last 60-75 minutes and feel similar to outside. Lost over 50 lb on a similar medication and now see higher power numbers on repeated workouts. Endurance feels better and an hour on the trails feels easy. The weight loss also lets me ride my carbon road bike again.

SharpKettle13archiveJan 26
↳ replying to @ClearMeadow20

That kind of loss would be great. Nice work.

SharpKettle13archiveJan 26
↳ replying to @NorthMeadow96

Good to hear, thanks. Maybe try a three-hour session and report back. Joking aside, looking forward to the weight loss benefit on rides but still hope the longer four-hour efforts stay manageable.

NorthMeadow96archiveJan 26
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13 (opening post)

One more thing worth considering. These medications seem to improve endurance work because the body shifts toward using fat for fuel.

ClearMeadow20archiveJan 26

Success depends mostly on having a solid diet plan and tracking intake. The medication helps you stick with it and can add some extra effect.

PlainAnchor67archiveJan 27

Zone 2 rides now feel like zone 3 or 4 efforts.

SharpKettle13archiveJan 27
↳ replying to @PlainAnchor67

Do you mean the full zone 3-4 range or something in between?

GreyAlder96archiveJan 27

Mountain biker here. Was worried about a higher resting heart rate but the heart rate during hard efforts stayed normal. Felt like I was producing more power at the same heart rate, though hard to prove without power data. Still fueled without problems using candy and an electrolyte drink. The glucagon action of the medication seems helpful for endurance.

NorthMeadow96archiveJan 27
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13

Indoor efforts never let up the way outdoor rides do with coasting or downhills, so an hour inside is closer to twice that outside.

SharpKettle13archiveJan 28
↳ replying to @NorthMeadow96

Really hoping the endurance benefit holds up. I know indoor training is relentless; the longest I have done is two one-hour sessions back to back.

NorthMeadow96archiveJan 28
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13

Still fairly new to indoor training. Surprised how much work can be done in a single hour.

NorthMeadow96archiveJan 28
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13

Good luck with the May event. Let us know how it goes.

SlowLantern46archiveMar 26
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13 (opening post)

Glad this thread exists. Planning to start soon and do most of my riding from April through October, around 2500 miles a year. Was going to ask the same question about effects on rides. How did training go, how did you fuel, and did you notice any drop in strength or was it mainly about hydration and protein?

BrightMeadow15archiveMar 26

Lurking runner here. Some online communities for athletes using similar medications discuss fueling for long sessions. The challenges sound comparable even though the medications are not identical. Tried this one for a few weeks but stopped because of heart rate elevation on top of another medication that already raises it.

PlainAnchor67archiveMar 26
↳ replying to @SharpKettle13

Might just be out of shape but heart rate for what used to be zone two work now sits in the 3-4 range. Stopped the medication because of how high it went and had readings over 100 for 8-10 hours. Back on after a month off and following the trial escalation schedule. Still get occasional short spikes over 100. Just increased to 4 mg this week after previously being at 7.5 mg when I quit.

PlainPebble24archiveMar 26

If the goal weight is reached before the trip, could you pause or drop to a low maintenance dose to make fueling the rides easier?

SharpKettle13archiveMar 27
↳ replying to @SlowLantern46

Still eight weeks out. Weather has kept me mostly indoors but managed a hilly 40-mile group ride last weekend without issues. Fueled with porridge and two bottles of carb-electrolyte drink plus normal hydration and magnesium all week. Still eating around 2000 calories daily. Planning another 50-mile ride this weekend using the same approach.

SharpKettle13archiveMar 27
↳ replying to @PlainPebble24

Planning to skip the dose that week so fueling feels reliable and will resume the same amount afterward.

WryCompass65archiveApr 4

Active mountain biker doing several long rides a week plus lifting. The shift toward fat metabolism helps avoid hunger on long rides and gives steady energy but makes it easy to under-eat. Biggest change is higher max heart rate on hard efforts and higher resting heart rate. Have dialed back intensity as a result. Using a low dose twice weekly that still works well for appetite and other goals while on TRT and related support.

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Any Road cyclists here on Reta? · ZyraTrack Community