How to stay fulled up for a 17 hour ride

MarcXP

Hello one hello all,

let me first to say im new. New to the website not to cycling, i love to cycle and im planning a journey from my hometown to Norwich which will last approxiamtly 17 hours including rests and coveres 130 miles.
It's a long ride to do and just wondering if any one has any tips with regards to how to stay hydrated for this type of long journey.

Ta very much

phil s

130 miles shouldn't take anything like 17 hours unless you are taking longish rests. Anyway, Soreen is my food of choice at the moment. A few slices of that and a couple of bottles in your cages, perhaps with a carb mix, should see you right.

Anonymous

I'm sure in 17 hours you could fit more like 200 miles in, if I remember correctly I did 160miles once or just over and it was about 11-13 hours. I was totally knackered at the end.

Just need to keep stopping for bottle refueling and I'd take about 12 snackbars and about 20 quid for cafe stop and in a cafe stop eat anything that is high in carbs possible? I'm not that experience but that's what I'd do.

binlinus

Carry two water bottles. If you have difficulty finding a water stop you can usually find a tap in a church yard. Take some apples. Pack some sandwiches. If you are doing it any time between April and July be careful of the sun. Use plenty of sun block and keep your head and neck covered. When you stop for a snack or natural break get out of the sun and into the shade.

Enjoy the ride.

Bin

DaSy

My last descent length ride was last September, and was 140 miles which was covered in under 10 hours including stops.

I just took a couple of 750ml bottles of preffered carb drink, a couple of ham bagels and a couple of mule bars (or whatever you prefer). Also stopped for a mid afternoon coffee and cakes in a garden centre cafe (they are usually pretty tolerant of bikes and sweaty riders), and a garage to top up water bottles (bought some bottled water) and downed a can of coke and a flapjack bar.

Roadie Rods

As has already been said, this ride shouldn't take you 17 hours. You say you're not new to cycling - but what kind of distances are you currently happy riding.

Personally I would advise making sure you're comfortable doing a 100 mile ride before this - once you've done 1 or 2 century rides, they are a lot easier.

I try to eat every half an hour on long rides - varying what I eat, but trying to ensure that I take in 300-400 calories an hour (as much as the body can process), including energy drink. If it's hot, you're going to need salt and mineral replacement - bananas or isotonic drinks as well as carbohydrate drinks. Soreen/sandwiches/flapjack are all good, but make sure you replace your lost salts and minerals too.

Enjoy the ride.

blorg

If you haven't done these sort of distances before don't try to do a 17 hour ride, build up with 100km, 100miles, 150km, etc first.

As others say, 130 miles should not take 17 hours unless you are taking very long rests. Very long rests are generally counterproductive, you are better off trying to keep time off the bike minimal and keep going before you stiffen up.

Can you do it faster? Maybe aim for 9 hours on the bike and 2-3 hours resting/eating?
What sort of bike are you planning on and what is the terrain like? What sort of average speed do you manage over long distances?

Make sure you have good lights as you will need them if cycling in the dark.

Regarding the food personally for the long stuff I would say to try to eat as much "normal" food as possible, sandwiches and the like. I get very sick of bars before the end of a long ride, to the point where I simply can't ingest any more of them.

Bear in mind that if you are cycling in the early hours of the morning outside large cities you may not find anything open, I found this out the hard way on a 300km+ in November, it was 8am and 125km in before I found a cafe for breakfast.

If you are doing this before the summer you will also need to pack an assortment of thermals, waterproofs etc. I carry this sort of stuff in a bar bag, you could do it with a large saddlebag either (Carradice-style.) Even in summer you will need to be prepared for rain. Wear waterproof socks and overshoes

If you can find someone else or a group to do it with it's a lot easier.

nasahapley

Hi Marc,

I've cycled the 135-odd miles from my house to the girlfriend's folk's place a couple of times now, once in spring and once in November. From memory, the last time I did it I ate 4 or 5 bananas, a couple of sausage rolls, a load of jelly babies and a fair few energy gels. For drink I had a 3-litre Camelbak full of watered down Lucozade (with a bit of salt too, seems to help with cramp), and also a bottle of water on the bike (energy drink gets a bit sickly after a while). Camelbaks aren't to everyone's taste but it did mean I didn't have to stop at all.

I wasn't hanging about when I did this, and I was seriously hungry at the end (after 4 or 5 hours I really had to force the food down - no appetite at all). If I was planning to take over 10 hours I'd take/plan to buy much more food, and make sure there's a good variety too (savoury as well as the flapjacky/snack bar type stuff).

oldwelshman

Hi.
Without trying to sound awkward and un helpful, if your asking the question you should not be trying the ride
There is no hard and fast rule as you can see by the different replies, each person may be different and you need to do several longish rides to find whats best for you but you should have at least 2 bottles on bike and one in pocket whcih should be enough to see you to somewhere you could re fill from.
Again food varies from person to person.
If you do rides from 70 to 100 miles a few times before your planned ride you will get a feel for what suits you best.

andyrr

Have you ridden 50 miles non-stop ?
If not then try that - pick a destination 25 miles away and ride there and back, try not to have a stop before your 1/2way point.
Ideally then try picking a destination a bit further away, say 40 miles, giving 80mile route, with only 1 or 2 stops.
Having done that then the major challenge of 130 miles won't seem such a big deal.
For the 130 miler I'd think you could carry 2 x 750ml bottles and then plan to stop before they are all used up and buy a 1ltr bottle water and top up the bottles - maybe carry a small bag of energy powder so the energy drinks aren't too dilute.

The Jack

I second the opinions above. To avoid cramps you should make a point of getting enough salt in your system. It is important to get the salt in before you feel anything akin to cramps, however. So make sure that you drink some sportsdrink (or just plain swallow one of the small bags of salt you can get at any McDonalds) once in a while after the first hour or so, but do not overdo it. Same goes for energy bars and -gels: Eat them before you feel tired, not after.

Ramsaye

Last time i did this sort of distance (London - Derby) I started by getting over hydrated the night before. This meant that after thirty miles my hangover was unbearable so I stopped for a full english at a small cafe. I only had one other long stop for a proper lunch washed down with a gallon of very sweet tea, I fed in the saddle on eccles cakes and used Shot Bloks for electrolytes.

Do not underestimate the amount of water you will drink, I had to fill my 750ml bidon at least every other hour but anyone appears happy to refill a cyclist so thanks to all those who lent me the use of a tap.

My route was 135 miles and took 11 hours inclusive of breaks.

oldwelshman

The Jack wrote:

I second the opinions above. To avoid cramps you should make a point of getting enough salt in your system. It is important to get the salt in before you feel anything akin to cramps, however. So make sure that you drink some sportsdrink (or just plain swallow one of the small bags of salt you can get at any McDonalds) once in a while after the first hour or so, but do not overdo it. Same goes for energy bars and -gels: Eat them before you feel tired, not after.

With respect to the cramp issue, there is no real evidence salt prevents cramp.
There is also no difinitive causes of cramp really though many quote de hydration, lack of water, lack of salt etc.
The biggest and most common reason for cramp is overuse of muscles.
I usually get cramp if I have not trained well and then do a hard race. Same for a long hard sportive.
It is very important to prepare for such a long ride or cramp will be guarenteed and no amount of salt will prevent it thats for sure.
Last year I did a stupid thing ( don't we all) and id a race after 4 weeks off the bike. After 60 miles I had the worst cramp I have ever had in calves, hamstrings and quads and could not get rid of it with the usual shaking of legs out of the pedals etc.
I had great trouble getting off the bike at the end of the race
I have done many other rides of over 100 miles and with correct training no cramp, including the Marmotte last year.

Tonymufc

130 miles in 17 hours. I take it you're doing it riding backwards on a unicycle.

MarcXP

i think after ive been cycling to work and back for the past few weeks or so, i think my estimation of 17 hours was extremerly long lol. i'm riding a SCOTT SPORTSTER which may i say its beautiful, rides perfectly for me and never used a bike with disk brakes before who knew they are so easy to take in and out when wanting to change innertube lol cant believe i used to stuggle with the brake pads on previous bikes.
ive been cycling to and from work so that 17 miles each way and doing that for a little while now and im not even that tired when i get into work and still manage it after a 12 hour shift so its all fun and games.
so i have a little more faith in myself not im averaging about 20mph i got a nice little wireless spedometer so thats always helpful. i am in the process of getting the equipment i need for my long ride so thats getting a tad expensive but worth it thats for sure. i've also been using psp22 mixed with my water so thats helping a fair bit. but all in all get in some more training and ill be ready in june without any hastle at all.
the only concern for me now is the sun, not sure what kind of summer we are going to have but will have to remember to get the sun block and stay hydrated.

thanks for all guys and gals

itboffin

Petrol and a car, 17 hours WTF :shock:

dilemna

I find taking large nuts with me, yes really, blanched large ones with a spot of extra virgin olive oil to make the salt stick. salt to your choice. also dried fruit such as apricots, figs, currants, sultanas to chew on. also the requisite bananas preferrably almost black. I would try the very sensible idea of first choosing shorter cycling distances to be sure you build up stamina and strength that you will need to complete your target distance.
Also carry some cash or credit card to get you home if you go with no support and have to abandon, bonk or seriously cramp. The hotter it is the more water you will need. If hot you will need a lot or frequent refils. It is better to drink a little and often rather than a lot infrequently.

chuckcork

As everyone else has noted, 120 miles should most definitely not take 17 hours, I did a 125 miler last year and with rest stops was done in under 10 hours, the faster paced 100 mile I did was done in 6 hours cycling time (add another 30 mins, maybe less for stops) the 105 mile event I also did last year was only 6hours 15 mins riding time.

If you had a road or aduax bike rather than a mountain bike which from your description it sounds like, you would find the distance rather easier and faster.

Pokerface

In about 7 hours. And I got lost. And I stopped there for a rest before coming back.


You sure you didn't mean a 7 hour trip?


Couldn't you walk that far in 17 hours!?