# How long before you eat?



## lulubel (3 Jul 2011)

I thought I'd ask this in terms of time rather than distance because we're all riding at different speeds.

So, what's the longest you'd plan to be on your bike for without eating anything? And what do you take when you do take food?


----------



## Glover Fan (3 Jul 2011)

40 miles without food easy.


----------



## slowmotion (3 Jul 2011)

About three hours. Most people seem to like cake but I don't have a sweet tooth so it's bananas, rolls and loads of coffee.


----------



## Adasta (3 Jul 2011)

I'm almost always ravenous, so I'd probably eat somewhere around the 40km mark.


----------



## Cardiac (3 Jul 2011)

For me, some drink roughly every hour, then snacks such as chewy cereal/fruit bars, bananas, etc, every couple of hours. I don't like to run "empty" - it's much harder to get going again if I do.


----------



## Baggy (3 Jul 2011)

if I've eaten an hour before I go out I'm ok for about 90mins to 2 hours and will then have a snack every hour or so. Bananas, malt loaf, flapjack, cold pizza, cereal bars and oatcakes are some of the various things that make it into my saddlebag.


----------



## Cush (3 Jul 2011)

If I am doing a long ride I dont have what some would call a "proper breakfast" as I find it takes too long to digest but I like to stop after an hour and have a snack and then go on for at least three hours and have a good break but eat only snack food, this suits me but it would not work for others


----------



## HLaB (3 Jul 2011)

If I'm doing a long ride (100miles +) I tend to eat a cereal bar or Banana every 20-25 miles, on average I guess that is every 1.25 to 1.5 hours. For rides shorter than that I tend to just carry an emergency bar/ banana and sometimes I eat that halfway, sometimes not. If its a DCC club ride there's a cafe stop half way'ish (looking at todays and yesterdays club rides thats also roughly 1.25 to 1.5 hour'ish).


----------



## marzjennings (4 Jul 2011)

2 hours is about my limit for no food on a ride, though when it's hot I'll go through 3 litre's of water in that time.

For longer rides I'll carry a 250 calorie power bar for each 30-40 minutes of riding depending on ride intensity.

So for a 100 mile ride I might go through 10 power bars, a couple litres of power drink and couple more litres of water. I estimate I'm going to burn around 8000 calories and so I plan on replacing at least half of that during the ride.


----------



## palinurus (4 Jul 2011)

Depends on effort. It's possible to ride for some time- several hours- without eating if you ride at a very easy pace.

For a reasonably brisk ride I'd eat around the 60-90 minute mark.


----------



## GrasB (4 Jul 2011)

If I'm planning to be on the bike less than 2 hours I'll not eat at all. If it's over that I'll start graze eating around the 75-90 min mark. Personally I don't like stopping unless it's for long durations, 45 min or more, so I'll have something in my back pocket which I can take small bites from or pick out 1 or 2 pieces of with my finger tips to eat.


----------



## gavintc (4 Jul 2011)

I am not good at eating on the move and will do it on longer sportives and club runs, but I have to force myself to remember to do it. My routine is to eat once I have crested a climb and take nibbles on the start of the way down. But, if I am out just doing a training run, I will out on a run over 100km.


----------



## amaferanga (4 Jul 2011)

palinurus said:


> Depends on effort. It's possible to ride for some time- several hours- without eating if you ride at a very easy pace.
> 
> For a reasonably brisk ride I'd eat around the 60-90 minute mark.



+1

Also, you've (probably) got to replenish some of the calories you burn on the bike so may as well start while you're still riding. Probably makes it less likely that you'll gorge yourself on crap unhealthy food after the ride as well....


----------



## MacB (4 Jul 2011)

2 hours is my limit, anything from 25 to 36 miles depending on my fitness, I did 22 miles yesterday in 1.5 hours, just drank a pint of water before leaving, no food or bidon en route. This is a local loop though and do pass several shops if I get thirsty. On longer rides I think I have a tendency not to eat or drink enough, not really got the hang of drinking on the fly, I tend to stop and have a good guzzle.

A good training aid for me would be a buddy with a saddlebag loaded with pizza/kebab/beer riding ahead of me....I wonder just how fast, and for how long, I could manage with the 'right' sort of incentives?


----------



## threebikesmcginty (4 Jul 2011)

MacB said:


> A good training aid for me would be a buddy with a saddlebag loaded with pizza/kebab/beer riding ahead of me....I wonder just how fast, and for how long, I could manage with the 'right' sort of incentives?



I think you'd be better off with someone cycling behind you with a shotgun or a whippy length of razor wire.


----------



## MacB (4 Jul 2011)

threebikesmcginty said:


> I think you'd be better off with someone cycling behind you with a shotgun or a whippy length of razor wire.



you learn that on your management away day? these courses must be getting tougher, anyone not make it back alive?


----------



## threebikesmcginty (4 Jul 2011)

MacB said:


> you learn that on your management away day? these courses must be getting tougher, anyone not make it back alive?



Two days locked in a windowless hell pit being spoon fed BS and vile sandwiches, I was close to topping myself by the end of it, you'll be pleased to know I pulled through though 

And back on topic, I'm ok for about a 3 hour ride without nosh, however if it's a full day/night ride I tend to snack all the time - shortbread, jaffa cakes and fig rolls being my main weapon of choice + water, although I tend not to drink as much as I should.


----------



## lulubel (4 Jul 2011)

Thanks. Interesting answers, and it obviously varies a lot.

The reason I asked was because I ate my "emergency" snack (cereal bar) yesterday 1 hr 10 mins into my ride in what was very much NOT an emergency. I just felt like I needed it.

I'd tried a new route, got a bit lost, found myself plodding up a longish, steepish hill. When I got to the top, I figured the ride was going to go over 2 hours, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself because it wasn't going to plan, so decided to stop and eat. It was only a 100 cal cereal bar, but it did seem to pick me up a bit (probably all in the mind!) and I ended up getting home in 1 hr 50. It would have been interesting to see how long it would have taken me if I hadn't eaten it.

I generally carry something with me because I figure if the dreaded p* strikes, by the time I've had a fight with the tyre getting it off the wheel and back on again, which usually involves a lot of trapped fingers and swearing, I'll be ready for something to eat! I don't generally plan to eat unless I'm going to be on the bike over 2 hours.


----------



## Haffers (4 Jul 2011)

Also as you were at the top when you stopped, you would have got your energy back anyway on the down maybe?


----------



## lulubel (4 Jul 2011)

Well, there wasn't an immediate down, just a very gentle continuation of the up. To be honest, there wasn't much down between that point and home - mostly flat and more up. All my rides are like that here. Whichever way I go, most of the climbing is in the later part of the ride. It used to be the other way round because I lived close to sea level, and I'm finding it a bit tricky to judge my energy requirements when the harder part comes later on.

As I said, it was most likely a case of, "I've just eaten something, so I must feel better." Plus, stopping for a couple of minutes will have made a difference too.


----------



## MacB (4 Jul 2011)

lulubel said:


> *As I said, it was most likely a case of, "I've just eaten something, so I must feel better." Plus, stopping for a couple of minutes will have made a difference too*.



Ah, bit of a misleading OP then  you should have just said, is it ok to have a snack whenever you like on a ride if you think you want a pick me up? the answer would have been a resounding yes....doesn't matter if you needed the intake, if it was just a placebo effect or whatever. It can all get a bit intense sometimes, don't stop, eat on the fly, keep above a certain cadence/speed, don't overeat, you're not doing it right if you're not sweating.....and plenty more of that sort of gumph. Most of it perfectly valid within its own limitations, but easy to lose sight of the fact that we're not making a living at this, it's a hobby and should be fun. If you find yourself in a lonely spot I also recommend stopping, just to enjoy the calm and look around...but I think most of us know that one anyway.


----------



## lulubel (4 Jul 2011)

MacB said:


> you're not doing it right if you're not sweating.....



No problems with that here. Walking out the door and sweating go hand in hand at the moment (except this morning, when it was a blissfully cool 23 degrees at 8am).

The question was a serious one because I'm gradually building up to some longer rides, and I wanted to know what other people do in respect to how often, how much, and what's best to eat. But I was also wondering how many people eat because they just "feel like it", rather than because they actually need fuel, which I think is pretty much what I did yesterday. I'd had a decent breakfast, so I can't imagine my body really needed it.

I do always stop to eat. I figure, if my body needs food, it would probably appreciate a few minutes' break too. And I'm generally not in a hurry. I'm under no illusions that I'll ever be fast!


----------



## MacB (4 Jul 2011)

well following a recent ride where I did need some sustenance, but left it a bit late, I can heartily recommend Jellybabies as supplied to me by the kind gentleman Jogger. Easy to carry and easy to eat small quantities.


----------



## monnet (4 Jul 2011)

Anything up to about 2 and half hours, I tend not to eat. If it's in the afternoon/ evening, I'll probably have a banana before setting off. Probably more psychological than anything. 

If it's longer - usually winter training rides - I'll start eating a banana around an hour in and after that I'll be eating a bite or two of energy/cereal bars, a sandwich, malt loaf, flapjack or whatever other high energy food I've put in the back pocket. Taking energy bars as an example, I'd probably eat a banana and two energy bars and drink a bottle of energy drink and one of water in a four hour winter training ride. Obviously, where you are you'll need to bear fluid intake in mind as well, especially at this time of year.

I definitely follow the rule of 'eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty'. Anything over 40 miles I make sure I have something with me to eat. 

Regardless of distance I always take an energy gel in my pocket too. As a rule I only use them in road races but i think it's important to have an emergency ration for, well, emergencies.


----------



## markg0vbr (4 Jul 2011)

about 4 hours on tour, have a piece of flap jack or cereal bar.
training rides any thing up to 50miles and i prefer not to have any break fast before i set off, just a glass of milk when i get back then two peanut butter sandwiches.


----------



## al-fresco (5 Jul 2011)

30 miles - nothing.


40 - 50 miles - stop close to halfway at a cafe for a bacon butty and a cup of tea. (Or, if I'm lucky a beef sandwich and a bottle of cider.) Maybe share a mug of port if my mate Allan has brought a bottle along. (He did once!)

60 - 80 miles - stop for a sandwich and a jam tart after about 30 miles, finish at a pub and have a couple of pints. (If no good pub then phone home and ask wife to put a bottle of cider in the fridge.)

100 miles - stop every 25 miles, eat and drink whatever is handy.

I always carry energy bars, they're usually the same energy bars that I didn't eat last time.


----------



## pepecat (9 Jul 2011)

Porridge before I go out (for morning rides, obviously!), whatever the length of ride I'm planning on doing. If it's only about 20 ish miles, I take sweets and have a couple on the way. Up to about 40 miles I'd take some flapjacky stuff and poss a banana....anything longer than that, and it's more bananas and more flapjack, or if there's a shop on the way I might shove a sausage roll down my neck. I guess I might try and eat something after about an hour or so - depends on how I feel. I wouldn't go too long though cos I get a bit wobbly if i don't eat, even though I'm not actually feeling hungry. I never feel hungry until an hour or two after I get back, so again I have to make sure I eat, whether i want to or not. Exercise never makes me hungry, for some reason.


----------



## lulubel (10 Jul 2011)

pepecat said:


> Exercise never makes me hungry, for some reason.



I sometimes have that problem, like today. I got back from 2 hours on the bike, and wouldn't have eaten anything if I was relying on hunger signals. I find they kick in after an hour or so, so I tend to end up having an after-ride snack, then eating again an hour later.

At other times, I get hungry on the bike almost as soon as I set out, so I think it's psychological.

Running, however, always makes me hungry. If I go for a run in the morning, it doesn't seem to matter how much I eat. I'll be hungry all day.


----------



## pepecat (11 Jul 2011)

It's weird - I've never found exercise makes me immediately hungry. I did a lot of sport at school (athletics / running) and don't think I've ever finished training etc feeling hungry and having a rumbling tum. In my twenties I ran and played football, and again, was never hungry when i'd finished, and now i find it's the same with cycling. I get home, from whatever length ride, and am just not in the mood for food, nor do i feel hungry. After the Dartmoor classic i was not in the remotest bit hungry and had to force some cake down my throat and then chips later. Don't know why i'm like that, but it's always been the way....

Actually - the only thing that makes me hungry is swimming. I don't swim often at all, but its the only sport that makes me really hungry!!


----------



## lulubel (11 Jul 2011)

pepecat said:


> I did a lot of sport at school (athletics / running) and don't think I've ever finished training etc feeling hungry and having a rumbling tum.



Depending on the run, I often come back from a run wanting to throw up. The hunger doesn't kick in until about an hour later, and then never goes away!


----------



## Garz (11 Jul 2011)

I would eat on anything 40+ miles. When you eat depends on the severity and effort induced. With a good breakfast you could get away with not eating up to a 50 but I wouldn't chance it beyond that. A bonk is not a wanted experience.


----------

