Energy bars

[fossyant]

Tend to ride a brompton around town i have a hybrid and commuter bike, but my fitness is not letting me go far i do about 5 miles ish on the brompton just trying to get back into some sort of fitness, I'm going to try a 20 miles slow ride on the hybrid to see how i go. just some general asks what people do thankyou

20 miles then you don't really need much. Eat a good breakfast. Water or juice, and some real food if feeling rough. 40 miles plus and I'll just have a carb drink on me. Less than 40, water. But that's someone used to the riding.

Long Sportives etc then it's what ever my stomach will take, and lots of it. Mainly carb drinks I 'like' and not the stuff the organisers give you.

Long, multi hour rides, but 'social', carb drinks, proper food like good breakfast, pub lunch etc. Mini stops will be flapjack or fruit, nothing 'specialist'. I carry a few out of date gel's, just in case. Very out of date !

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just wondering when i really should be taking nutrition more seriously than an electrolyte tablet in my one bottle of drink, banana and a choccy bar in my pocket (If i remember) and off i go.

It depends if you're getting hungry or if you are ending your rides in the "misery zone" struggling to keep the pedals turning. If so, eat more. If not, don't bother.

 

[figbat]

How long were your rides; for you to go to that 'effort' ? (Take that as a compliment not a slur)

I'm doing 30-40 mile jaunts right now - and am about to start to eek those out to first 50 miles (?) at the weekend. Then maybe beyond.

Just wondering when i really should be taking nutrition more seriously than an electrolyte tablet in my one bottle of drink, banana and a choccy bar in my pocket (If i remember) and off i go. I've never done any Carb pre-loading or anything else prior. Strava does tell me some rides i do are over 2000 calorories used. Feel free to call me a heathen if required.......

For this tour it was about 50-ish miles per day, but with up to 5,800 ft of climbing and most of it offroad. The biggest day took 9 hours to complete.

I did a similar thing for the King Alfred's Way last year and similarly over-stocked.

 

[neilrichardson55]

For all day rides I take sandwiches, normally peanut butter & marmite. Sometimes a pork pie. Packet of salted peanuts.

Regarding bars I normally have a couple of Clif bars with me, as they are quite tasty. I buy them in bulk and I have them in a special box not in the kitchen, to keep me from stealing them when I'm not cycling.

I always stop to eat. I once dropped an eccles cake while trying to eat on the move and that taught me a lesson I will never forget.

Lolol yeah i cant ride and eat i would be wareing it all lol

 

[raleighnut]

Pint or two and a pork pie

 

[Cycleops]

The OP mentioned energy drinks. I'd just like to point out that so called energy drinks don't actually give you energy but contain caffeine, which gives you a jolt and a lot of sugar.

 

[Paulus]

The OP mentioned energy drinks. I'd just like to point out that so called energy drinks don't actually give you energy but contain caffeine, which gives you a jolt and a lot of sugar.

I used to make my own drinks, half a bottle of orange juice, topped up with water and half a teaspoon of salt to replace lost electrolytes. Worked for me.

 

[13 rider]

Soreen maltloaf , individually wrapped mini ones the most convenient

 

[figbat]

The OP mentioned energy drinks. I'd just like to point out that so called energy drinks don't actually give you energy but contain caffeine, which gives you a jolt and a lot of sugar.

That depends if you are talking about 'energy drinks' (a mix of carbohydrates and flavours to give you actual energy) or "energy drinks" (fizzy pop in gaudy cans designed to drain your wallet).

 

[Reynard]

For local bimbling, just a bidon of water if it's hot, and I've haribo and menthos sweets in my bar bag.

If I'm going to be out for two hours plus, then a banana, a packet of crisps and a peanut cereal bar along with the water.

Away days, I take a pack-up (cheese & chutney sandwich, banana, two tangerines, a kit kat and a packet of crisps) plus some extras e.g. nuts, crackers, mini cheese & onion rolls. My extras tend to be savoury as that's my preference.

 

[Gillstay]

I don't take a drink or food and stop at cafes.

 

[Reynard]

I don't take a drink or food and stop at cafes.

I'm a cheapskate and don't stop at cafes. In any case, there's not many of them out here in the fens

On the upsides, it means more spendables for books

 

[presta]

Up to about 30 miles I do non-stop, 30 - 40 miles I'll stop for a snack of nuts or biscuits for a few minutes. More than that and it's a day ride, so I pack sandwiches and biscuits & nuts for when they run out. I stop and eat about 250kcals every 10 miles.

(He says, as if he hasn't given up cycling years ago.)

 

[cyberknight]

Bit of a thread misdirection
on a road based facefluff group recently there has been a lot of people goign on about what energy products to eat during 20-30 mile rides and loads of responses about specialized carnivore diets , etc etc
People just cant get their head around the fact you can ride a bike without needing to top up with a mcdonalds every 5 miles

 

[presta]

Bit of a thread misdirection
on a road based facefluff group recently there has been a lot of people goign on about what energy products to eat during 20-30 mile rides and loads of responses about specialized carnivore diets , etc etc
People just cant get their head around the fact you can ride a bike without needing to top up with a mcdonalds every 5 miles

You can ride all day on nothing at all if you're minded to, but if you don't replace the fuel you're using the tank will run dry sooner rather than later. Subjects who eat sufficient carbs can exercise 70% longer before exhaustion than those who don't. Insufficient energy intake accelerates the onset of exhaustion, causes muscle wastage, and increases the need for protein, also as overtraining causes loss of appetite it can become a vicious circle. If you do eat after exercise, muscle glycogen is replaced twice as fast if you eat immediately after rather than waiting till later.

I remember reading a 19th century article on cycle touring:

• Ride well within yourself for the first two hours
• Drink before you're thirsty
• Eat before you're hungry

They knew the right way to go about it even then.