What food to Eat while riding

socistep

I just eat whatever is going to be honest and don't concern myself too much about the 'science' behind it, however it will mainly be porridge/banana beforehand, then jelly babies, flapjack, energy bars, nutrigrain, chocolate when on the go - if I'm doing a sportive then whatever I can get my hands on.

The main problem I have on longer rides is my nose gets blocked up and its harder to eat, also I've dropped food a couple of times trying to get it out of the packet and had to stop!!

schweiz

Do some of you only ever eat whilst cycling? I ride my regular 50 km loop with a bidon of water. In high summer I drop a magnesium tablet in.

Even on rides of up to 100 km I take a couple of muesli bars a banana and a gel 'just in case'. Bottles fille up with high5 4+1.

From the sounds of it, some of you eat more in a couple or three hours than I ate doing the Ötztaler!

KevChallis

schweiz wrote:

Do some of you only ever eat whilst cycling? I ride my regular 50 km loop with a bidon of water. In high summer I drop a magnesium tablet in.

Even on rides of up to 100 km I take a couple of muesli bars a banana and a gel 'just in case'. Bottles fille up with high5 4+1.

From the sounds of it, some of you eat more in a couple or three hours than I ate doing the Ötztaler!

No, I go by the saying eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty, so if I am doing 40-50 miles, I will always easy, as my high metabolism makes me hungry after 30 miles, that's worth eating a bowl full of pasta, or rice, etc... Before I go out

schweiz

If you're eating normally off the bike, then you don't need to gorge whilst riding. I don't think I've ever been 'hungry' on a ride of less than five hours. If the tank is full when you set off then you probably don't need to eat for up to 90-120 mins.

KevChallis

I eat normally off the bike, but then I also have something between meals, so eat something every couple of hours when off the bike, which is why I need food on the bike, I could stuff myself silly, but 2 hours later you can guarantee I am hungry again, at 10st4 and 5ft9, I don't really have to worry about when I eat, always been the same even when I tried to put some weight on, so I take food on most rises over 30 miles

markos1963

I'm constantly amazed by the amount of food/drink people take when out riding. Yes I would say don't put yourself at a disadvantage but some people go over the top. I recently did a 100m TT on a hard course on a hard day. I managed pretty well on a gel every 15miles and two muesli bars, drink wise I had 2x750ml of Torq energy drink and 2x 500ml of squash. I will often carry a muesli bar and a gel on a 50m club ride but will rarely use them.
I would advise not to stress too much about eating if you are doing what you say, it's probably more to do with fitness rather than fuelling. Make sure you eat a normal balanced diet and have a good breakfast which is definitely one of things I would agree with what other people have said.