I am doing a long ride (for me anyways) what to eat and drink

[Shazaam]

I have heard that if you are riding less than an hour water is fine and no need to eat anything during the ride. I am pretty new to riding so I am not really sure what is the best stuff to eat and drink before after or durning a ride. Anyways I am doing an 20 miles trail ride this weekend and I know it takes longer then an hour will Gatorade be alright or should I look for someting else. Also do I need to bring any type of food with me. It is not a race, it is timed though so I won't really have time to stop and eat so I was thinking a few granola bars would be fine. These might be lame questions, but since I am new and not sure try not to be to brutal.

[IanInSD]

Actually, up to about 90 minutes and you can get away with water, although it depends upon how much you exert physically during that period. For me, in 90 minutes worth of Torrey Pines intervals and I will need something more substantial other than water to keep the workout going. So, it kinda depends. Once you get past 90 minutes, drink something with carbs/electrolytes. Gatorade is fine, if you can stomach the taste, especially when warm. If Gatorade is the only thing available, I usually water it down a bit for me as my stomach is sensitive to sugary liquids. Granola bars are also good, just depends on what you can stomach, given the conditions. Give em try and experiment. I can pretty much stomach a lot of things up to 6 hours after that, I need some real food (ie sandwiches, cold cold water, etc).

[Shazaam]

I am use to gatorade as it is what I drank when playing football and baseball growing up. I have a trail granola bar I like so I think I will try those. The bigger issue is with the heat that this weekend is suppose to bring I think I am in for a long hot ride. I am also trying to lose weight that is what got me strating to ride what is the best type of food to eat before and after a ride? Anu ideas.

[IanInSD]

For the heat, the best thing you can do starting right now is to increase your water intake prior to your event. I usually have about 4-6 bottles of water during the day/night, at least until my urine is clear, then I'll cut back and continue thru until the day of my ride. On your ride, just drink before you get thirsty. Also, I would recommend getting a polar water bottle (performance bike has them). These are insulated water bottles, freeze em the night before, fill em up with ice and liquid and the liquid inside will stay pretty chilly for up to 2 hours depending upon the temps.

[IanInSD]

As for eating... stick to something basic... granola, cereal, or bagel with peanut butter and banana. You really don't need to overdue breakfast too much. And definitely stay away from anything that will make you wanna drop some manure on mother earth. I would much rather feel a little empty than a little bloated before the ride. Too much food in the stomach and your body is using energy to process that food. I can always make some of the 'empty' feeling with my energy drink or the food I brought along. Also, bring along chocolate milk or some type of recovery drink. Just keep it simple until you figure what works for you in the environment you are in.

[Shazaam]

Thanks man I appericate it, I will have a lite brakfast before the ride. I already have a camalbak which is insulated so my water stays pretty cool. I will leave a bottle of chocolate in a small cooler (fits about a 6 pack) in my truck for after the ride. By the way I am in San Diego, I saw you said something about Torrey Pines plus your name.

[IanInSD]

Yep, I'm near UCSD, there are a bunch of us here in San Diego who frequent BF and we try to get a ride together every now in between events. Let us know how it goes for you.

[big john]

Like Ian said, you can try different things to find out what works for you. Longer and hotter rides require more careful fueling. Some of us carry powder to mix into the water, I like Perpetuem, but you can get Gatorade powder a lot cheaper and it tastes pretty good. Sometimes I carry a sandwich, but if there are stores around I just stop for food. I like the granola bars instead of Powerbars.

[Brian Sorrell]

In general, on longer rides, I try to take in at least a couple hundred calories per hour. A peanut butter sandwich is perfect for me as it is that many calories and it digests well as I ride. Oatmeal bars from the super-hippy natural foods store work for me too. Things like Clif Bars and such don't sit as well with me at all.

It's a matter of trying things out to see how you react and what keeps you fueled. For what you're doing, probably granola bars will be sufficient -- and if you know that they sit well with you while you're riding, stick with them. On even longer rides -- ones that last half a day or more, consider finding foods with more calories and nutrients. (Note that if you bring sandwiches, you're better off getting really good whole grain bread rather than the empty calories of something like Wonder Whatever. In the long run it's a lot less expensive than designer bars and goos too.)

[Shazaam]

Thanks I think I will go for the granola bars for the ride also the peanut butter begal and banana before the ride sounds like a plan. I have increased my water for the week by another 8 oz more than I was drinking. I will take water in my camel bak and gatorade in my water bottle that I carry on my bike. So I think that will be good.

[UmneyDurak]

Thanks I think I will go for the granola bars for the ride also the peanut butter begal and banana before the ride sounds like a plan. I have increased my water for the week by another 8 oz more than I was drinking. I will take water in my camel bak and gatorade in my water bottle that I carry on my bike. So I think that will be good.

That is waay too much for a 20 mile ride. Even if you are riding at 10mph it will take only two hours.

[Quantum Skyline]

Thanks I think I will go for the granola bars for the ride also the peanut butter begal and banana before the ride sounds like a plan. I have increased my water for the week by another 8 oz more than I was drinking. I will take water in my camel bak and gatorade in my water bottle that I carry on my bike. So I think that will be good.

As a general rule I use:

You can't carry too much fluids. If you don't use 'em, putting it in the fridge is fine and you can have it later or on your ride the day after. Same with food - you can bring as much as you can, and put the excess away.

With respect to food, this is something I had trouble with when I started. Some foods I just can't eat before riding, so I'm fairly limited in what I eat before and during a ride. Try not to eat too much in one stop, and remember that you should be drinking as you go along.

[Shazaam]

Well the ride was on Saturady the 17 and I finished the ride which really was my mian objective since I have never done that distance before. My other goals were not to finish last and don't get hurt pretty reasonable since I have only been riding 4 months. So I had half a begal with peanut butter on it and a banana and some gatorade for breakfast about an hour and a half before the ride. Then I sipped the reamining gatorade til about ten minutes before the ride. I brought water in my camelbak and gatorade in a water bottle and carried two granola bars. I drank water when I could on the ride itself and at each stop sipped some gatorade. At the half way point I ate one granola bar. I continued to drink water and gatorade when I could or on the stops. At the last stop I ate half of the other granola bar and drank some accelerade that they had at the stop cause it was cold. Then I had about a 3/4 to 1 mile climb back to the finish line. I was doing well, when I was about to the top I got a cramp in my calf muscle. I was able to massage it out and sipped more gatorade till I was able to get back on and finish the ride. I think I might of spent to much time at the last stop some guy got a flat and he didn't have a tube so I gave him a spare I had and loaned him my pump so I stood around for about 10 - 15 min. All in all I had a good ride, I think maybe another banana at about the half way point would of been better than the granola bar to keep from craping but not sure. Anyways with all that I finished in just over 2 hours.

[Jaguar27]

When I know it's going to be hot the next Day I always fill my water bottles about 2" then pour fresh water in just before the ride, by the time I've chugged the water the ice has melted, it keep the water cooler for longer...

I have been trying to find an energy drink that doesn't have that artificial sweetener after taste, on the Conejo Century I drank Robinson's Barley water, I used to drink it when I was a kid in the UK...it worked really well, it comes in Lemon and Orange flavours.
It's the official energy drink at Wimbledon, all the Tennis Players drink it...
http://britvic.com/Flavour.aspx?id=208

Albertsons in Irvine sell it in their British Foods section.

[alecvibe]

strong overboard on a short ride brah

[Enzo Gucci]

My friend and I did Mt. Wilson a few nights ago. We left at 8:30pm and got back at 12:00am. It was 40 miles round trip.

We survived on water, Butterfingers and Sierra Nevada pale ale. The butterfingers were delicious, and although the beer was warm, it was delicious too.

I reccomend both for rides of any length between 5 and 60 miles. Just don't go overboard on either.

[UmneyDurak]

My friend and I did Mt. Wilson a few nights ago. We left at 8:30pm and got back at 12:00am. It was 40 miles round trip.

We survived on water, Butterfingers and Sierra Nevada pale ale. The butterfingers were delicious, and although the beer was warm, it was delicious too.

I reccomend both for rides of any length between 5 and 60 miles. Just don't go overboard on either.

Almond Joy >>> Butterfingers. :D
+1 on Sierra Nevada. Although warm beer... meh.

[Enzo Gucci]

Almond Joy >>> Butterfingers. :D
+1 on Sierra Nevada. Although warm beer... meh.

The warm beer wasn't too bad. We drank it up at at the top of Wilson, and it was really windy and freezing cold. It actualy tasted good. I would have rather been drinking a dark beer that is meant to be had warm, but it's all good. Next time I'm bringing Oatmeal Stout.

[tie]

When I started biking, I discovered that food is really necessary after 60 miles. But at that point, eating won't help---you really need to eat before you get hungry. For a 40 mile ride, I'd bring half a PB&J sandwich to eat half way.

[JMRobertson]

No one has mentioned Ensure? That's stuff is perfect for distance.