Food? Gels? Supplements? What do you use?

[Blue Hills]

I had all that plus lunch in 'spoons with a couple of pints half way round, which was nice

Now that's the idea - I did a 140 mile night and morn ride last year with a very welcome stop for breakfast/lunch in a Bury spoons - they let me take the bike in and the bar manager held the door open for me when I left with the heavily loaded thing as well. Also did a Peterborough London ride that managed to take in two spoons, a breakfast and four pints. The diet of champions

For general cycling food, depending on how tough, I use a mixture of real food, my own cycling snack recipe, Lidl wine gums, Lidl chocolate peanuts and raisins, espresso coffee on a mini stove for really long rides, zero tabs. I used to use SIS go powder which has calories as well - I found it good but these days prefer to wolf Lidl's finest sugar creations. I do have a stock of gels but can never bring myself to use them. Sometimes carry one or two on long rides for the direst emergency but never got that far yet. Luckily I am no minimalist packer so on the long rides my motley collection of fuel goes in a red 13L ortlieb drybag on top of the bike's rack.

 

[Blue Hills]

Thanks folks, got a few things to try. SIS tablets added to next shop.

Did 50 miles today. Porridge for breakfast, with a cheese sandwich in my jersey for lunch. Flapjack and snickers on top of that got me home okay, though my legs weakened after a 15% climb from Stow completely humped me. Was knackered for a few miles after that, got my second wind 15 miles from home but then suffered again the last 5.

Based on how I felt after 50 miles still can't see myself ever managing 100, but will keep pushing.

Don't know how old you are but I'm sure you'll get there. Just keep pedalling, eating and drinking. Avoid the bonk at all costs, never be without snacks. Have a slight concern you might be trying to carry everything in your back pockets a la roadie rules. If so, I'd get a slimline rack like the tubus fly (cheaper similar things available) and sod what anyone thinks.

 

[Blue Hills]

Gels and energy bars are an extravagantly expensive way of consuming maltodextrin, their main ingredient, which is a carbohydrate. Maltodextrin is the main ingredient in all kinds of foods like packaged soup, Bisto, Complan, you name it, because it's a cheap industrial raw material sold by the tanker-load.

You can buy it less expensively from My protein.com, then add an inch or so to your bottle. Add an electrolyte tab if the weather is hot or just some fruit squash or just have it alone as it doesn't taste too bad. That will trickle-feed you with energy and prevent the bonk.

Thanks for this - will investigate - may be useful - initially alarmed by the wiki entry for it which furnishes the info that it is also used as an horticultural insecticide - though sounds risk free unless you breath like an insect.

 

[Globalti]

If you read it you'll see that it dries sticky and glues the insects to death. It is quite sticky.

 

[Blue Hills]

If you read it you'll see that it dries sticky and glues the insects to death. It is quite sticky.

of course I read it
It said it kills stuff - I did think I had better check.

 

[ColinJ]

Can some kind soul educate me - why is it considered important to eat so soon after exercise?

I pretty much always do as feel like it, but what would be the ill effects if you didn't, maybe with a view to retaining the calorie burn?

It is supposed to aid recovery. The body is supposed to be desperate to take in protein and carbs at that time.

It is probably important for athletes and not so important for the rest of us.

My cousin left me a container of SIS Rego last time he visited. It is a protein/carb powder to mix with water for better post-exercise recovery. I made up a 500 mL bottle of it at the end of every hard ride and it went down well. I'm not sure how much difference it made to my recovery but it certainly took the edge of my appetite until my post-shower meal. I've run out now but I might buy some more, or make something similar out of cheaper ingredients. (I always have a big bag of Maltodextrin (carb) powder in the house so I could buy some flavoured protein powder to mix with it.)

 

[Blue Hills]

I had some of that recovery stuff for after long rides. Soon decided I'd rather binge on food and beer or wine before rolling into bed

 

[cyberknight]

I found the more I rode longer distances the less I needed as you get used to it and your body becomes more efficient.For a 40 miler I would just take 1-2 bottles of electrolyte drink and maybe a trek bar just in case.

 

[bbvelo]

Dextro tablets are brilliant

 

[Dscotty]

I have just started using gels and I have found them really helpful over longer distances.
I may not be an expert so i'm not sure about the actual science of it but even if its just a placebo effect and sugar rush then ill take it!
If you want some cheap ones just to try then have a look on ebay. At the moment there are some really cheap High5 energy gels in packs of 10 for half the normal price (apparently).
If you search something like High5 Energy x10 im sure you will find them.
As for the taste.. Nothing special and I would rather some oat cakes and a banana. But for convenience, These are definitely the ones, some quick energy without the stomach cramps I get when I eat anything else mid ride.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Nothing
Since doing a low carb diet I don’t seem to suffer from the lack of energy thing

I know I only do 15 miles each way each day but when I was carb mad if I didnt eat before setting off I would loose all ability after about 30 minutes!

Now I don’t suffer but not sure how it would be on a longer ride but no more bananas and emergency chocolate bars or what ever

 

[BrianRichards]

I am taking natural BCAA powder for the better build muscle tissue. And I should say that it is really helpful for the bodybuilding.
Does someone use similar supplements?
If so, what are the effects?

Mod Note:
Edited to remove link to shopping site.

 

[Deleted member 89407]

I haven't done any long rides like a lot of you guys with years of road experience but on my mtb rides, especially when I could be out for several hours, I would normally take flap jacks, any kind of cereal bar with nuts and fruits, dried fruit such as raisins and fresh fruit, usually in the form of apples and grapes. That said, I would have a backpack with some form of camelbak for hydration so there was always space to put these in.

I have tried gels and don't really like them but still keep some for emergencies. My partner, who prefers running, uses them so we always have some in the cupboard.

I love chocolate, maybe too much, but tend not to use these on warmer day for obvious reasons unless you prefer sucking the melted contents out of the wrapper.

As I'm directing my rides on roads I was wondering where does one put their food without a backpack? I have an old running bumbag, which I used the other day. Does anyone else use these and if so, any preferences?

 

[Blue Hills]

Get a small rack like the tubus fly.

Sod "the rules" and enjoy the ride.

 

[vickster]

Rack pack as above. Otherwise, there are seatpacks, bags that go on the crossbar, the handlebars etc