How often to eat? Supermarket alternatives?

DannyJames

Hi,

I'm about 6 or 8 rides in on my road bike and usually do rides between 30 and 40 miles elevation between 1000ft to 2500ft for up to 4 hours. Normally i just take water with me which has been working well however Im going out next week on a 40 mile ride that is going to be a lot of climbing including holme moss and surrounding areas.

I'm going to be taking things steady and being a tad skint been looking at supermarket alternatives which i have a rough idea what to buy but no idea how much i should be eating? The first half 20 miles or so is nearly all uphill so im thinking keep hydrated and have a snack when i get to the top as a reward then set off back or would i be better off eating every hour. I know 40 miles is not a great deal to some people but with it being hill work i want to have a fighting chance at not pushing

pride4ever

Always eat before you feel hungry, if your eating when the pangs hit its too late. I ride the area your going to be hitting and do 4-5 hr rides on in this weather on 1 bottle and two flapjacks or better still home made jam/peanut butter sandwiches cut into squares. Depends totally how fast/hard your wanting to go of course and remember to have a good brekki 2 hrs before you set off.

Ouija

pride4ever wrote:

Depends totally how fast/hard your wanting to go of course and remember to have a good brekki 2 hrs before you set off.

+1

I think that pretty much sums it up. I do between 40 and 80 miles a day over the North Yorks moors and forests (have done for the last three years). I might occasionally take a small bottle of orange in the summer months or stop for a coffee instead but don't eat or drink anything during what usually works out as a four to six hour ride.

Why?

Because i only tootle about rather than going flat out, averaging between 11 or 13mph (depending on weather i'm on a hybrid or my mountain bike). I'm sure if i was some lycra clad roadie out for a "training" session, pushing myself and getting a real sweat on i'd be guzzling fluids and eating like i've never seen food before.

As suggested, eat a big bowl of muesli or porridge beforehand (some fluids would help too).

simona75

If you are looking for Supermarket alternatives I eat Nutrigrain elevenses bars (the cake ones) when on longer rides. They are about £2 or so for six and have 32g of carbohydrate in each one. They taste ok too and there is a good variety of flavours

elderone

You can get a soreen loaf and a flapjack from morrisons for 50p each,that will do you for a few rides.

doug5_10

For anything under 50 miles, I should only really need something small I.C.E. but I like to nibble on something fairly often regardless of distance. Fuelling and hydrating properly beforehand is far more important.

My supermarket staples instead of the posh gels/bars are as follows:

bananas
nutella sandwiches
buttered maltloaf
fig rolls
jelly babies
nutri grains are good and soft, go down easily

Sugar, salt and squash instead of plain water for homemade electrolyte/energy drink. 1 tsp salt to 5 tsp sugar and dilute to taste. Use sea salt as it contains other salts rather than just NaCl.

Druidor

Bananas, and flapjacks are nice, not a great lover of NutriGrains, but Asda make some nice ones.

Will have to give soreen a go as I love that with a ton of butter on top.

cattytown

I like bananas. Not the most convenient to plan as sole fuel for a long ride, but for a boost early on they are great and I understand they are also potassium heavy. I am also a fan of buttered malt loaf.

Paul.

markos1963

If you really need to eat on a 40 mile ride and are a bit strapped for cash then a jam sandwich would be enough.

teisetrotter

Couple of lunchbox sized soreen if you need it.

Depends on what you want to do. Lose weight and get fit? then just stick to water.

Grill

I don't bother with food under 80 miles, and there really is no need to eat at 40. If you really feel you're going to die without food then a banana or a few dates will do the trick.

jeannot18

Fig rolls, cheap if you buy supermarket own brand.
JC

drlodge

Falpjack, jelly babies and if I can find it the granola bars in a bag from Sainsburys, they're £1.49 for a bag of 4, same bags as the cookies. One bar cuts into 6 mouth sized pieces.

keef66

Ditto to most of the above. Massive bowl of porridge for breakfast, fig rolls in one pocket and jelly babies in another, squash with a bit of salt in the bottle(s). Fig roll, couple of jelly babies and a swig of drink every 10 miles or so and I can keep going pretty much indefinitely.

wandsworth

Nothing to add on amounts of food recommended above, but just a comment on peanut butter. It may have lots of energy in it but that stuff will stick in your mouth and keep repeating on you through your whole ride, even if you've brushed your teeth after eating it. Just say no.

Bananas are great.

RDW

Frusli - 6 bars for £2 or less.