Miles per banana

[currystomper]

Hi Folks

I'm starting t do a few longer rides this year and getting regularly into the 40 + mile region. Generally I ride with out eating or drinking soports drinks.

Am I getting to the milage when I should start eating? Is so how miles per banana/sports drink etc.

PS I'm trying to lose a little wieght so I don't want to over eat.

Thanks

CS

 

[Moodyman]

Sports drinks are not necesary, though I will take Lucosade or its supermakret equivalent if riding over over 25-30 miles.

Doing 40 miles, even if flat, you should be eating little and often. Every 3/4 mins I'll sip water/Lucosade and pop a few salty peanuts or jelly sweets into my mouth. When cycling you're burning calories constantly so need to fuel constantly.

Don't wait for that pit stop after 2 hours

 

[Banjo]

If riding over 30 miles I take one small bit of flapjack or similar if over 60 miles I take lots of food , a banana jelly babies peanuts cake etc etc energy gels if I want a quick boost. Personally I dont bother with sports drinks, probably would improve my performance but I prefer clean water.

If riding under 30 /40 miles I try to time it so I finish just before a normal mealtime, this reduces thje chance of between meal snacking due to post ride starvation.

 

[Alien8]

There's no simple answer.

How do you feel during and after your ride?

What, and when, do you eat before you set off and when do you eat after getting back?

You can always take something with you but not eat it - at least you'd have something to fall back on if you start to bonk.

Last weekend I did 80 on a bowl of porridge and taking water and an apple (and had Sunday Roast when I got back) - that was okay for me but wouldn't suit everybody.

You'll get to know what you need from you own experience.

 

[currystomper]

Thanks folks

On my last ride I got the bonk at around 30 miles - a mars bar got me home, but I had to wait 10 mins for it to kick in - I think I'll try Lucosade on my next long run and see how it works and if it fuels me home!!

Cheers

CS

 

[_aD]

On my last ride I got the bonk at around 30 miles - a mars bar got me home, but I had to wait 10 mins for it to kick in - I think I'll try Lucosade on my next long run and see how it works and if it fuels me home!!

After I suffered my first bonk I can now feel them coming a good half an hour before they hit (and haven't had one since), and will use up the Snickers bar I have with me. Other than that it's just water for me. After 40 miles or so I usually consider a small meal, depending on how far I've got left and how hard it is. I think the trick is to bring more supplies than you need, but use them as sparingly as comfortable.

 

[HLaB]

It depends what I'm doing but say its a Sportif or a century I tend to eat something whether I need it or not every 20-25 miles. For 30-50 miles on its own I wouldn't normally bother although I may stick an emergency cereal bar/ banana in my back pocket but we are all different. PS Its difficult to overeat on a longer ride, I typically burn 500-600 calories per 10 miles, I think a good meal is less than that.

 

[Garz]

If I had to gauge miles per banana (if your effort levels were high intensity) would be circa 1 banana per 30 miles. I would not dismiss fluids though and definitely have a mix of hydration liquid especially for hotter weather.

 

[JiMBR]

For me, hydration is a more important factor, as I sweat a great deal during a ride.

On a long ride, I will snack at regular intervals, starting around the 25 mile mark...works for me.

 

[currystomper]

Thanks for all the comments - I get though quite a long of fiuld on a ride so thats probably OK, Also I take Mars bars and Cereals bars with me but don't generally eat them until I run into a wall - probably a mistake!!

I think that a banana at around 25 miles seems like a good alternative to a sticky lucasade drink for me, but I'll maybe try both ideas on different rides to see what works the best

CS

 

[Svendo]

Under 30 or so miles I just take squash (no added sugar). 30 to 50 miles I put sugar in the squash (10 spoons or so) and might have a small bar after about half an hour. Further than that I try to eat a a small bar or half a big one every 20 minutes or so, unless it's a forum ride with a cafe stop when the midway meal means i can eat a lot less on the way.
Thing I've learned is when you know you'll need to eat at some point eat early to allow time to digest the food. And I nearly always have a bar and a gel i n a back pocket, just in case.

 

[strutton1981]

i always have a good breakfast weather im riding 40 miles or 60 or even 100 miles. 40 miles no food just a drink. i usually use high 5 zero so it replaces the electrolytes lost in sweat and tastes better than water. 60 miles 2 bananas and any more i'll take 2 bananas and a snickers bar and a couple of gels minimum. ive never bonked but been close a couple of times. its just trial and error good luck.

 

[currystomper]

Its interesting that 25-30 miles seems to be the general cut in point for needing food.

Cheers Folks

CS