best snack - noob question

Doombrain

hi all,

I'm currently attempting to gain some fitness back with 3 - 4 rides a week ranging from 10 - 20 miles. I'm finding some rides go better than other due to too much or not enough food during the ride.

I've been told to eat at least two hours before a ride. after my last 22 mile ride which was 8 - 9 miles hard trail i 'bonked' out about 16-17 miles in and even though I'd brought a flap jack with me there was no way i could of kept it down and then wait and hour or two before setting off again.

what are my options here to keep going? i had a large breakfast i didn't really feel like eating anything more.

Andy B

You don't need to wait after eating flapjack* on the trails, you can even eat on the move if skilled enough & on a bit of fire road.

*or any other snack, cereal bars, malt loaf, Fig rolls etc

switchback18

1 flapjack?! I take loads of food on all rides! Don't always eat it all, but I take whatever will fit in the unused space of the Camelback!

Decent energy drinks might be worth it, but they're a bit pricey. Cheaper alternative is to buy fruit sugar (fructose) from a supermarket, then make your own. Use a bit of lemon juice for flavour. Fruit sugar is slow release enough to work. Normal sugar (sucrose) causes your body to release excess insulin & leaves you worse off than before after the initial boost, if it's on it's own, like in sweets or drink.

John Moore

Toasted malt loaf with butter before the ride.


I tried toasting it for the first time this morning mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmhhhhh!!!!!!!!

saltyman

banana sarnies are a fave with me, also fig rolls and a cup of coffee before setting off....wakes up the muscles.


dont forget though......many people are tired due to lack of fluids, not food. make sure you keep topped up, drink at least 1 litre of water each hour of cardio.

militiacore

What food you eat the day before will have far greater bearing on your energy levels over what you eat the same day before setting out. If you're planning a big ride then load up some decent calories the day before.

ArroyoDave

Doombrain wrote:

hi all,

I'm currently attempting to gain some fitness back with 3 - 4 rides a week ranging from 10 - 20 miles. I'm finding some rides go better than other due to too much or not enough food during the ride.

I've been told to eat at least two hours before a ride. after my last 22 mile ride which was 8 - 9 miles hard trail i 'bonked' out about 16-17 miles in and even though I'd brought a flap jack with me there was no way i could of kept it down and then wait and hour or two before setting off again.

what are my options here to keep going? i had a large breakfast i didn't really feel like eating anything more.

Bonked out in such a short time,16-17 miles is a hour-ish ride and your body should not need anything that soon.
What are you eating for breakfast?

mea00csf

For a beginner 16 miles could be more like 2.5 hours if cycling offroad. 16 miles = 26km. A beginner offroad would be doing well to average 10km/h, and as Doombrain wrote he was attempting to get fitness back....

still, if attempting to improve dardio fitness, steady cycling should be fine for 2 hours. on long rides i like eating cashews and elevenses ginger bakes, mmmmm

kdw712

since getting into MTB recently
i tend to have a small bowl of oats about an hour before i go out
and i take fig rolls, a banana and a home made "iso" drink (2L)

which seems fine for me doing about 25 miles odd

Richard-Dublin

Porridge for breakfast with some fruit chopped into it - figrolls on the ride! Works good for me!

chick0

i always have bananas, easy, cheap and come in there own packet