pre-ride diet

robgod

OK, i'm really not sure what the best forum for this was so i decided to put it here....after all, it has "cake" in the title, so it sounds as good as any!

I've been doing weekend rides of about 30-40 miles but i'm trying to ramp up to 50-60 miles and have a 100 miler planned for end of October.

Any advice for the best food to eat before the ride and, more importantly, when?
For example, I know pasta is good, but how many hours before the ride is it beneficial?
Also,I usually just have energy drinks and a chocolate bar during the ride but not sure if theres a better option.

Thanks
Rob

BelgianBeerGeek

Try stuff out now.
A good breakfast is essential, but what works for one doesn't always work for another. if you have to carry food on the ride, then also try the gels, bars etc. Some people find them too sweet. I personally don't like sweet food on a longer ride, bet each to his own.
Search around the sites, there is loads of stuff here! Good Luck

BelgianBeerGeek

kinda forgot.. Big pasta dinner the night before. Practice beforehand and relax before the big event. Enjoy it!

robgod

Cheers! Just had pasta tonight and got 50 miles planned for the morning so thats a good start
Never had the gels so i'll give them a try too. Thanks

dw300

Don't eat chocolate bars on the ride, eat things that are almost entirely carbs. You'd have to eat about 1/4 to 1/3 more chocolate to get the same amount of carbs in while riding, at a time when you really don't want anything too heavy in your stomach. I'm not 100% on this, but i think the fat could slow down the absorption of the carbs too.

Also .. you don't carb load prior to a ride from just a single meal. The big plate of pasta the day before should be part of lots of small meals with carbs frequently throughout that day .. perhaps even a couple of days before if you've been training a lot right up to the long ride.

On the morning, the thing most recommend is to eat high GI carbs .. museli, porridge, brown bread, and throw a banana in there too. My favourite thing to eat on a ride at the moment are flapjacks .. try to find a nice moist one. They're dense, so they're small, plenty of cals, easy to eat on the bike, not sticky, not too chewy, and available in many flavours.

wiffachip

four slices of toast with tin of heinz spag bol for breakfast

or just lots of what you like really

waterford123

Depends if there's any of the night before's Kebab left that I couldn't manage.

Kingy 123

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day.bowl of porridge oats crushed brazil nuts.almonds,walnuts a banana then honey on top that will keep your energy levels up for a long ride.

laurentian

Plus one for porridge about an hour before your ride (actually LOW GI i.e. slow energy release, contrary to post above) you then need medium GI (such as banana) to high GI (such as glucose drink) during the ride. There are also slower release drinks available but I don't have a lot of experience with them. Depending on the length of ride (and frequency of intake) you will need to balance these.

Flapjacks and jelly babies work for me

t.m.h.n.e.t

laurentian wrote:

Plus one for porridge about an hour before your ride (actually LOW GI i.e. slow energy release, contrary to post above) you then need medium GI (such as banana) to high GI (such as glucose drink) during the ride. There are also slower release drinks available but I don't have a lot of experience with them. Depending on the length of ride (and frequency of intake) you will need to balance these.

Flapjacks and jelly babies work for me

There is absolutely nothing wrong with honey or maple syrup on porridge.

laurentian

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

laurentian wrote:

Plus one for porridge about an hour before your ride (actually LOW GI i.e. slow energy release, contrary to post above) you then need medium GI (such as banana) to high GI (such as glucose drink) during the ride. There are also slower release drinks available but I don't have a lot of experience with them. Depending on the length of ride (and frequency of intake) you will need to balance these.

Flapjacks and jelly babies work for me

There is absolutely nothing wrong with honey or maple syrup on porridge.

Absolutely not!! Maple syrup every time for me!!