What to Take on a X.C Ride

mb-rider1991
mb-rider1991 Posts: 89
edited September 2007 in MTB beginners
What sorts of food and drink should i take on a long ex ride whitch will keep my energy up ??

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    As much liquid as is practical, bananas and fig rolls, or energy bars. Liquid should be plain water or diluted juice.
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  • Amos
    Amos Posts: 438
    You could get some energy drink to take with you such as one of the ones from SIS, speak to your LBS about what they have.
  • dav1
    dav1 Posts: 1,298
    I make up a drink with 1 part high juice squash to 4 parts water and a pinch of salt.
    Giant TCR advanced 2 (Summer/race)
    Merlin single malt fixie (Commuter/winter/training)
    Trek superfly 7 (Summer XC)
    Giant Yukon singlespeed conversion (winter MTB/Ice/snow)

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  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    I normally just have water in the camelbak and if a really long ride (4 hours+) have energy drink in a bottle. Along with that I'll take 2 or 3 energy bars (but probably only eat one). Usually eat a banana before but rarely take one with me.
  • trail jacker
    trail jacker Posts: 844
    for a big ride (50miles+)...
    drink wise; 1 litre of water in a bladder mixed with 2 lucozade sports (orange flavour and tropical - yum!), and another bottle of water and lucozade for the end when you really need the undiluted lucozade.
    foodwise; peanut butter sandwich, plain crisps, flapack, jelly babies, banana, and energy bars.

    tasty and good energy-wise! :D
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  • TonyS
    TonyS Posts: 104
    50+ miles means 5 hours plus in the saddle. Estimate around 400 calories an hour (flat less, hills more) means you need dense fuels like flapjack or specialist stuff like Clif Bars/SIS unless you are looking to loose weight. Post ride it's worth considering recovery drinks like SIS ReGO. Generally avoid glucose/sugar/caffiene except for challenging sections were you need a (short lived) boost.

    Hydration is a personal choice and depends upon what you can stomach. I prefer iced water starting with about 50-50 ice cube to chilled water, and for over 3 hours would consider adding salt or other additives. Getting a sacket of energy power to drop in towards the end seems to work both as a boost and to rebalance the electrolyic stuff in your body but it's down to personal experimentation to find the formula which stops cramps/shakes/bonking etc.

    Try a few shorter trips first to get a feel for what works for you.

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