# Re-fueling whilst cycling



## Poppyman (21 Apr 2017)

As a new member this thread must have been covered before but as a novice i was wondering what people snack on to keep up energy levels whislt cycling. Is it a quick sugar boost like jelly-babies or like peanut butter sandwiches or does it depend on whether it melts or sticks together on hot days.


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## S-Express (21 Apr 2017)

Depends on the distance/duration of the ride. Anything under 90mins/2hrs can generally be ridden on just fluids.


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## ianrauk (21 Apr 2017)

Anything I can get my hands on. Sweet or savoury.


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## k_green (21 Apr 2017)

Up to 30 miles, just water.
Up to 60 miles, cake stop and some fruit & nuts as well as water.
Beyond that I usually add peanut butter flapjack, maybe some lunch (beans or cheese on toast/jacket potato), plus squash and a pinch of salt in my water bottle.


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## mjr (21 Apr 2017)

Flapjacks as basic fuel from 15 miles after a start or restart and then every ten, dextrose tabs if I don't eat enough and need a quick response, proper food at lunch stops with lots of protein. Little and often water, with more when it's hot.


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## rugby bloke (21 Apr 2017)

Lots of water, a jelly baby every 5 miles (not that I need them but i feel I should mark the achievement), anything beyond 30 miles is going to require a food stop for me - something along the line of flap jack or malt loaf.


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## Rooster1 (21 Apr 2017)

ianrauk said:


> Anything I can get my hands on. Sweet or savoury.



Sausage?


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## ianrauk (21 Apr 2017)

Rooster1 said:


> Sausage?




Is there a sweet sausage?


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## Poppyman (21 Apr 2017)

Thanks for your replies and different ideas.


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## Mo1959 (21 Apr 2017)

User13710 said:


> There are sweet cigarettes, so why not?


Oh, I remember them. They even had red colouring at the end to look like they were lit. Lol


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## mjr (21 Apr 2017)

ianrauk said:


> Is there a sweet sausage?


Yes but it's not what you think http://honest-food.net/sweet-italian-sausage-recipe/


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## theloafer (21 Apr 2017)

this work great for me  

*More delicious than shop bought malt loaf and so easy to fling together
a child can do it. This must be one of the only cake mixtures that looks and tastes
pretty revolting in the bowl, but honestly, the end result is well worth the complete lack of effort... *

*Best sliced thinly and eaten with butter or jam. *


*1 mug of Kellogg's All-Bran
1 mug of either currants, mixed dried fruit or sultanas
1 mug of milk
1 mug of self-raising flour
A generous half-mug of caster or soft brown sugar *


*Method *

*1. Put everything except the flour in a large bowl and leave the mixture to stand for about an hour. *

*2. Grease and long-strip-line a standard size loaf tin and pre-heat the oven to approximately Gas Mark 3 (160 C) *

*3. Sift the flour into the soggy mixture, stir it in well and pour the whole lot into the loaf tin, spreading it evenly up to the sides. *

*4. Bake in a cool oven for about an hour and a half, until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.*


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## Alan O (21 Apr 2017)

Sausage butties and Kendal Mint Cake.

Slightly more serious addendum: Unless you're in a serious sporting event, it probably won't matter much what you eat as long as you eat little and often.


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## Dogtrousers (21 Apr 2017)

Peanut butter and marmite sandwiches. Pork pies.


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## screenman (21 Apr 2017)

Nothing for up to 90 minutes, weak squash after that up to 3 hours, long time since I did any more but I would have had something solid at that point. I drink when thirsty not before.


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## Lee_M (21 Apr 2017)

a naked bar (cheap bars from tescos) for anything up to about 40 miles, but if I can arrange a cafe stop I will, including a full english in the middle of a 100 miler!


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## ianrauk (21 Apr 2017)

Lee_M said:


> , but if I can arrange a cafe stop I will, including a full english in the middle of a 100 miler!



Cant be beat...


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## kipster (21 Apr 2017)

Dogtrousers said:


> Peanut butter and marmite sandwiches. Pork pies.



I thought I was alone on that sandwich filling!


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## MikeG (21 Apr 2017)

k_green said:


> ..... peanut butter flapjack......



 Peanut butter?* Peanut butter* flapjacks?! Has ever a greater culinary sin been committed? Peanut butter! The very idea........

Away with him, now, to the flogging tree. Don't spare the lashes........


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## sarahale (21 Apr 2017)

For a road ride over around 60 miles I'll fill my bar bag with bitesize chunks of cereal bars and foam banana sweets as easy to just eat on the move. If it's shorter I'll just take a cereal bar but not always eat it. 

Off road anything over 50 miles I'll take a sandwich and some sweets. 

I have one bottle of weak squash and one with a electrolyte tab for any long rides.


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## subaqua (21 Apr 2017)

ianrauk said:


> Anything I can get my hands on. Sweet or savoury.


Pies n Guinness


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## ianrauk (21 Apr 2017)

subaqua said:


> Pies n Guinness




Can quite easily do without Guinness thanks


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## MarkF (21 Apr 2017)

ianrauk said:


> Anything I can get my hands on. Sweet or savoury.



This, but I don't have a sweet tooth. I've never taken any energy/cycling specific food/drink in my life and my legs never fell off.

I've cycled 1000 miles propelled by mostly beer and magdalena buns, 6 per 1 euro.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (21 Apr 2017)

ianrauk said:


> Cant be beat...
> View attachment 348647


A good vet could revive that bacon


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## Tin Pot (21 Apr 2017)

Poppyman said:


> As a new member this thread must have been covered before but as a novice i was wondering what people snack on to keep up energy levels whislt cycling. Is it a quick sugar boost like jelly-babies or like peanut butter sandwiches or does it depend on whether it melts or sticks together on hot days.



Are we talking hard training rides or pissarsing about for hours with a bunch of mates?

The latter I take a banana and a credit card. There's no way I burn more than a banana before everyone else wants a cafe break.

For training rides over two hours I take High5 because it's cheap and similar to (the simply offensive) PowerBar nutrition at Ironman events. A bar or gel every half hour, one 750ml bidon of water or energy drink (I should take two but use the second cage for repair kit).


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## k_green (21 Apr 2017)

MikeG said:


> Peanut butter?* Peanut butter* flapjacks?! Has ever a greater culinary sin been committed? Peanut butter! The very idea........
> 
> Away with him, now, to the flogging tree. Don't spare the lashes........


 
With chocolate too... :O


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## MikeG (21 Apr 2017)

k_green said:


> With chocolate too... :O



I see what's happened. He's got a bit confused with a recipe for bird food. You know, the fat balls that keep them alive in the winter.


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## Poppyman (21 Apr 2017)

Tin Pot said:


> Are we talking hard training rides or pissarsing about for hours with a bunch of mates?
> 
> The latter I take a banana and a credit card. There's no way I burn more than a banana before everyone else wants a cafe break.
> 
> For training rides over two hours I take High5 because it's cheap and similar to (the simply offensive) PowerBar nutrition at Ironman events. A bar or gel every half hour, one 750ml bidon of water or energy drink (I should take two but use the second cage for repair kit).


I normally go out with my son or just me alone so every ride i go on is like a time-trial. The trouble is i made the mistake of using Strava so if i don't try and keep up with past results it's like i am failing myself so when i struggle i just need a boost. I will just have to try and forget Strava sometimes and enjoy the ride. Thanks for your post.


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## tyred (22 Apr 2017)

Cider and salt and vinegar crisps at the half way point. Since I stopped smoking I no longer have a rollie for dessert.


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## Blue Hills (22 Apr 2017)

Usually my home made cycling snack* - far cheaper, tastier, more packed with energy than anything you can buy. A long time ago I used to use cereal bars but found they fell short on the necessary fuel. For a quick sugar boost Lidl wine gums - keep intending to buy them only when I need them/have a longish ride coming up as otherwise I just wolf them at home.

* caution for some above - contains a fair amount of peanut butter but also oats, sunflower seeds, honey/syrup, ground nuts, dried fruit. 

Also zero tabs for a long ride particularly when warm/hot - they do seem to help cramp dodging.


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## Tin Pot (22 Apr 2017)

Poppyman said:


> I normally go out with my son or just me alone so every ride i go on is like a time-trial. The trouble is i made the mistake of using Strava so if i don't try and keep up with past results it's like i am failing myself so when i struggle i just need a boost. I will just have to try and forget Strava sometimes and enjoy the ride. Thanks for your post.



Yeah, so its not fuel it's almost certainly over exertion that's your problem. We all fail, cramp, etc. when we go out harder than our training has allowed for. Get him to try to lap you on the hills, that'll slow him down


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## Alan O (22 Apr 2017)

tyred said:


> Cider and salt and vinegar crisps at the half way point.


Ooh, cycling and cider, that's suddenly brought an excellent day's riding from years ago back to me.

After a nice morning ride and heading towards home, I found myself near North Waltham in Hampshire and couldn't resist heading for The Fox, one of my favourite pubs when I lived in that vicinity.

It was a lovely sunny day and I had an excellent lunch there, and sort of lost all sense of responsibility while sitting in the garden quaffing some of their delicious scrumpy from the barrel. Before I knew it, six pints had slid passed my tonsils, and it struck me that I really needed to head for home.

I only got a couple of miles before a strange unsteadiness overtook me, and I knew I needed to stop. I found a warm dry corner of a field, out of sight of anyone passing by, and settled down for a very nice afternoon nap - and a couple of hours later, I managed to ride the rest of the way home.


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## Blue Hills (22 Apr 2017)

devilish stuff is cider - I had a similar experience, fortunately with no bike in tow, in a nice spoons garden during their summer cider festival - coming up soon again I think.


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## Poppyman (22 Apr 2017)

Tin Pot said:


> Yeah, so its not fuel it's almost certainly over exertion that's your problem. We all fail, cramp, etc. when we go out harder than our training has allowed for. Get him to try to lap you on the hills, that'll slow him down


Good idea. Don't think my son will be too happy but i will enjoy it


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## Nebulous (22 Apr 2017)

You can train yourself to do without food, as you get fitter / better at using your own reserves. I remember doing about 40 miles for more or less the first time and having to stop for a sugar / carb stock-up in a shop at halfways. Now I can quite happily do 50 miles on a bottle of water, two if it is a hot day. I'll do 80 miles by adding in a banana at about 45 miles. Over 80 miles I really need to eat though. If it is a long ride and I don't eat something decent by 50-60 miles I'll pay for it later. 

When I started cycling I used a lot of High5 4:1 powder. I used to take one bottle with it and one with just water. It just gradually wore by and I didn't feel I needed it. I think I've still got a tub of it in the house somewhere unopened.


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## zigzag (22 Apr 2017)

bananas are a convenient source of energy to carry and eat on the go. i typically need one per ~40km (i.e. four bananas on a 200km ride, provided i eat well before and after)


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## mjr (25 Apr 2017)

Nebulous said:


> You can train yourself to do without food, as you get fitter / better at using your own reserves.


Only if you have reserves. Not everyone has much and some will struggle to eat/drink enough to replace the energy used on longer/harder rides. Sometimes that's not a problem as you can catch up in the following days (maybe that's what you meant by "pay for it later"), but it can be catastrophic for touring.


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## cubey (25 Apr 2017)

Plan your circular ride around cafes.


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## Globalti (25 Apr 2017)

I buy bulk maltodextrin from MyProtein and mix about an inch in my bottle, which staves off fatigue. On hot days I'll drop in half a High5 or SIS tab for the electrolytes. Can keep going for 100 miles on just the liquid but I actually get hungry so I'll usually stop after 90 minutes for a coffee and some cake.


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## mjr (25 Apr 2017)

cubey said:


> Plan your circular ride around cafes.


Sadly, there aren't enough cafes or pubs-serving-light-meals open often enough out on the fens or in the Brecks, whereas it seems like every third shop in the towns is now a cafe or bar. You can easily be going an hour between opportunities


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## Nebulous (25 Apr 2017)

mjr said:


> Only if you have reserves. Not everyone has much and some will struggle to eat/drink enough to replace the energy used on longer/harder rides. Sometimes that's not a problem as you can catch up in the following days (maybe that's what you meant by "pay for it later"), but it can be catastrophic for touring.



Most people have plenty usable reserves, they're just not effective at utilising them. You can train yourself fairly readily though. You don't even have to cycle, just gradually increase the time and exertion between eating. 

I was referring to a single hard ride, not touring, although I'd happily do 50 miles on no food and repeat the following day having eaten a lot in the evening. By pay for it later I meant later in the same ride. You'll take a while to get most foodstuffs to the point you can use them which means you have to eat before you actually need it. On a 100 mile ride if I haven't eaten something so that it is hitting my bloodstream by 80 miles I'm going to hit a wall around then.


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## Dogtrousers (25 Apr 2017)

I just see long rides as an excuse to eat more dodgy food like pasties and sausage rolls and pork pies and jelly babies and liquorice allsorts than my conscience would normally allow.
The idea of training myself to do without food I find a bit baffling.


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## windyrider (25 Apr 2017)

S-Express said:


> Depends on the distance/duration of the ride. Anything under 90mins/2hrs can generally be ridden on just fluids.


What fluids though, plain water, energy mix, electrolyte based, fast carb, slow carb ??

I guess the best way is to experiment, find out what works best for you and go from there. Best to experiment on a training day rather than on the day of a big event, where you may find one of the event sponsors is an energy drink supplier doing great deals on products that may prove unsuitable to you when consumed on the ride


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## S-Express (25 Apr 2017)

windyrider said:


> What fluids though, plain water, energy mix, electrolyte based, fast carb, slow carb ??



Fluids to replace fluid loss. Most people will have enough glycogen stored for around 2 hours of exercise so taking on carbs would not be necessary. So you would only really need something electrolyte based at the most.


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## mjr (25 Apr 2017)

Nebulous said:


> Most people have plenty usable reserves, they're just not effective at utilising them. You can train yourself fairly readily though. You don't even have to cycle, just gradually increase the time and exertion between eating.


No, I really can't "train" myself to use these reserves that I don't have and nor do a significant minority. If I exert myself too much without eating, I end up sweating, dizzy and starting to see black splotches. Feel free to go have a chat with the dieticians at Addenbrooke's if you feel you're more expert than them, but I'll follow their previous advice until they tell me otherwise.



Dogtrousers said:


> I just see long rides as an excuse to eat more dodgy food like pasties and sausage rolls and pork pies and jelly babies and liquorice allsorts than my conscience would normally allow.


Most of those aren't that bad in moderation if they're decently-made with good ingredients, but easy on the sweeties. Ideally, keep eating good real foods, but a bit more of it. Remember: you can't outride a bad diet.


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## rivers (25 Apr 2017)

Anything up to 30 miles I tend to take 2 water bottles, one filled with water, the other with squash/high 5/something similar. And if it's first thing in the morning, it will be on an empty stomach, with a cereal bar and a gel in case I find my energy lacking partway through the ride. Between 30 and 50, a cafe stop will be built in. I carry the above, but will generally have a coffee and some sort of snack (flap jack, croissant, maybe eggs on toast or a bagel). Over 50 miles, I'll add another cereal bar and gel into the mix, maybe some jelly babies or similar, and the cafe stop now becomes a lunch stop and I'll have a sandwich, maybe eggs on toast with a side of hash brown/something potato-ish, sausage roll or the like. It seems to keep me going.


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## Nebulous (25 Apr 2017)

mjr said:


> No, I really can't "train" myself to use these reserves that I don't have and nor do a significant minority. If I exert myself too much without eating, I end up sweating, dizzy and starting to see black splotches. Feel free to go have a chat with the dieticians at Addenbrooke's if you feel you're more expert than them, but I'll follow their previous advice until they tell me otherwise.



The words 'most people' were relevant. 

When I was starting out I did around 20 miles and found myself shaking so much I was struggling to stand. I went to a shop, bought sugary stuff and threw it over my neck until I got back to a semblance of normality. I've stretched that out a long way and could probably do more if I worked at it. 

You have a good point though. People shouldn't follow advice on the internet without satisfying themselves about whether it is sensible for them. My sample of one doesn't apply to everyone.


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## mjr (25 Apr 2017)

Nebulous said:


> The words 'most people' were relevant.


It seems maybe the "you" in "you can train yourself..." wasn't intended for me, too.


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## cubey (26 Apr 2017)

Peanut butter sarnies, keep me going................


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## Aravis (26 Apr 2017)

I always carry all my food for the day. Usually half a dozen rolls which I make up in the morning. Favourite fillings include sausage and yellow pepper, tuna and sweetcorn in mayonnaise, egg and bacon in mayonnaise, sardine and tomato paste with yellow pepper. I also take a couple of snack size Asda own-brand Mars bar equivalents in case I need a quick energy boost.

I find one of the most essential qualities is moistness, and I choose my rolls carefully. One of the few occasions I've ever had to abort a ride was down to being unable to swallow the food I had with me - on a very hot day - not running out.


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## windyrider (29 Apr 2017)

S-Express said:


> Fluids to replace fluid loss. Most people will have enough glycogen stored for around 2 hours of exercise so taking on carbs would not be necessary. So you would only really need something electrolyte based at the most.



Glycogen levels can drop over night and while most of us most of the time are good for the 2 hours, its worth noting that riding to work without a breakfast for example might require a little something to eat or drink on route.


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## currystomper (6 May 2017)

How do you package your food so that you can eat it on the bike, I hate gels 'cause the stickness goes everywhere, malt loaf in a pocket sounds mmm gooey after an hour riding


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## ianrauk (6 May 2017)

currystomper said:


> How do you package your food so that you can eat it on the bike, I hate gels 'cause the stickness goes everywhere, malt loaf in a pocket sounds mmm gooey after an hour riding


Maltloaf cut into slices, squished and kept in a sandwich bag.


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## Alan O (6 May 2017)

currystomper said:


> How do you package your food so that you can eat it on the bike, I hate gels 'cause the stickness goes everywhere, malt loaf in a pocket sounds mmm gooey after an hour riding


In a regular plastic lunchbox in my top bag - sausage butties, Mars bars, Kendal Mint Cake, bananas. I don't consume gels because I don't pretend I'm riding the TdF when I'm out on a relaxing ride (and because the only one I've ever tried tasted like sick).

Alan


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## CXRAndy (6 May 2017)

currystomper said:


> How do you package your food so that you can eat it on the bike, I hate gels 'cause the stickness goes everywhere, malt loaf in a pocket sounds mmm gooey after an hour riding



I have bought a top tube bag for snacks.. or an under tube bag


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## pclay (7 May 2017)

On a 50 miler, @ 16mph average over the route, I will take 2 cold jacket potatoes, perhaps with a smear if ketchup, wrapped in tin foil, and stored in my jersey pockets. Carbs!


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## mjr (8 May 2017)

currystomper said:


> How do you package your food so that you can eat it on the bike, I hate gels 'cause the stickness goes everywhere, malt loaf in a pocket sounds mmm gooey after an hour riding


I have one snack in a pocket but most of the food goes in whatever bag I can reach most easily, broken into bite size pieces if possible.


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