Re-fueling whilst cycling

[Tin Pot]

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

 

[Alan O]

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.

 

[Blue Hills]

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.

 

[Poppyman]

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

 

[Nebulous]

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.

 

[zigzag]

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)

 

[mjr]

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.

 

[cubey]

Plan your circular ride around cafes.

 

[Globalti]

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.

 

[mjr]

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

 

[Nebulous]

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.

 

[Dogtrousers]

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.

 

[windyrider]

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

 

[S-Express]

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.

 

[mjr]

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.

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.