What food to take on long rides.

[jowwy]

40 Miles may not be a long distance for some - but it could mean 4hrs in the saddle for others at an average speed of 10mph - for anything upto 50miles i usually take 2 snickers flapjacks with me and two bottles (650ml) of high 5 drink

but we are all different and our bodies all react differently in differing circumstances - use the above responses as advice only and find out whats best for yourself. eating on rides seems to bring up the same debate as internet cycling speeds.

JMO

 

[PK99]

Nothing until over 50 miles.

When you have got the body used to long rides and have developed fat burning capacity, that wight well work - it does sometimes for me, but I still take bonk rations just in case - but for a "beginner" more frequent fuelling is better as they are relying more on carbs.

I fondly remember struggling home after 30/40 mile rides completely flaked and desperate for food. Now after that length of ride, i have top tell myself to have milk and a banana when i get in.

 

[Licramite]

yogurt covered flapjack and mars bars are my weapons of choice. - yogurt flapjacks are nice and moist so ok if your low on water.
time over distance is better for eating/drinking. - after all 10miles hill climbing can be an hour easy , were as 20miles on the flat can be under an hour.

 

[GreigM]

For us beginners then 40 miles is probably a lot, I would just listen to your own body and base it on time rather than distance, I find I go better if I have something to eat after an hour or so, like above a banana or flapjacks even some jelly babies

 

[nickyboy]

Nothing until over 50 miles.

As others have said, I don't think you can determine it by distance, time is much more effective. For example, I could do 50 flat miles in under 3 hours and probably would just have a big bowl of porridge an hour before starting and that would be fine.
But 50 hilly miles is too much
As an example, there is a well known 50 mile loop around here that includes Snake Pass, Strines and Holme Moss. It takes me about 3hr 45mins. Once I did it in the afternoon having had a roast pork sandwich for lunch. After about 3hrs I bonked terribly with no food with me.
So for rides of 3hrs plus I take pieces of flapjack
When listening to the Tour of Britain I heard Magnus Bakstead saying that it takes about 1 hour from eating food to getting the benefit in terms of glycogen etc. So if that's correct then there is no point eating an hour from home. You need to be eating throughout the ride really.

 

[morrisman]

When I used to do the London to Brighton with my morris side we used to stop at half way for a pub lunch and two or three pints and then stop again half way up Ditchling Beacon for a pannier picnic, pork pies, sausage rolls, cheese and crackers and a half decent red.

 

[Andy Jeffery]

Many thanks for all your replies!

 

[bozmandb9]

When you have got the body used to long rides and have developed fat burning capacity, that wight well work - it does sometimes for me, but I still take bonk rations just in case - but for a "beginner" more frequent fuelling is better as they are relying more on carbs.

I fondly remember struggling home after 30/40 mile rides completely flaked and desperate for food. Now after that length of ride, i have top tell myself to have milk and a banana when i get in.

Thank you, you give me hope!

Still very definately at the 'struggling/ flaked' stage at the moment! Looking forward to getting past it!

 

[theloafer]

Many thanks for all your replies!

try this easy peasy to make .... nice with jam or peanut butter ..

More delicious than shop bought malt loaf and so easy to fling together
a child can do it. This mBRANFLAKE LOAF
ust be one of the only cake mixtures that looks and tastes
pretty revolting in the bowl, but honestly, the end result is well worth the complete lack of effort...
Best sliced thinly and eaten with butter or jam.
1 mug of Kellogg's All-Bran
1 mug of either currants, mixed dried fruit or sultanas
1 mug of milk
1 mug of self-raising flour
A generous half-mug of caster or soft brown sugar
Method
1. Put everything except the flour in a large bowl and leave the mixture to stand for about an hour.
2. Grease and long-strip-line a standard size loaf tin and pre-heat the oven to approximately Gas Mark 3 (160 C)
3. Sift the flour into the soggy mixture, stir it in well and pour the whole lot into the loaf tin, spreading it evenly up to the sides.
4. Bake in a cool oven for about an hour and a half, until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

 

[themosquitoking]

I'll take a peanut butter sandwich and a cheese sandwich, couple of energy gels and an energy bar if i'm aiming for a ride of forty or more miles. I'll usually stop somewhere along the ride and have a coffee and a snack and not eat any of the stuff i've bought with me, i'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it though.

 

[slowmotion]

You ought to consider what travels well and doesn't get destroyed before you eat it. Bananas stuffed into a pocket are a nightmare unless they are pretty unripe. Flapjack can turn to crumbs pretty fast if it is a bit brittle. Just my personal observations. Others may disagree. I find that fig rolls are pretty good as survivors. I put weak blackcurrent juice with a teaspoon of salt and sugar in my bottle. It tastes more interesting than plain water. If I get near to the end of the ride, I might try something really sweet like a chocolate bar of some form.

 

[Doyleyburger]

Thanks guys.

I did 44 miles this weekend (work and back) and had porridge for breakfast and a banana for the return trip. I last four miles were hell and I had no energy. I have put this down to a lack of food or that I have only been cycling for three weeks and am out of shape!

Had the same issue Monday. Done a 50 miler but by 40 miles I realised I hadn't taken enough food ( just a banana) . Felt extremely week at the end. Will take some of the wife's homemade flapjacks next time.
Deffo need to fuel up around 35-40 miles !!!!
Well I do anyway

 

[Berties]

What food you need depends on how much and what type of foods you have eaten prior to riding ,how far you intend to ride and at what effort,
It's easier if you are going to ride a distance to drip feed food,so little and often,
Levels and good types of nutrition are a personnel thing ,cereal bars,jelly baby's ,flap jack ,dried fruits,specific sport fruit bars even gels,don't let your body bonk,keep energy levels and hydration up

 

[MarkF]

40 miles is my normal weekend run, to Skipton and back. I take 1 x 660ml water bottle and once at Skipton I might buy a bun , or if feeling jaunty, a cheese & onion pastie. Often I'm not hungry but the useless Cycling Active health articles have been insidiously locked into my thoughts and I think I might die or summat on the return leg if I don't eat.

 

[StuUngar]

It all depends on whether you are going to be stopping or eating whilst you ride. Any sandwich, crisps, fruit, cake will do you.

If I am eating whilst riding I prefer nuts, Haribo, bananas and if particularly skint raw jelly - basically the same as Haribos but not "prettified". It's amazing how much energy these simple foods release, almost instantly.