Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - protein and cycling - benefits

Hello all Just wondering if using protein powder or protein supplements has any benefit to cycling?

As in increasing my amount of protein in take? would that improve? or help for recover or any aspect? for long distance road or any mt bike thanks

Yeah - protein is great stuff. But of course - you need all the other jazz just as much.

Sometimes I fix protein drinks using the "good stuff" near the end of the ride. Milk is just about good, but you never know.

My rule is: Pain in legs while riding = increase protein intake. No pain in legs = diet is fine. I use whey protein for a supplement. I don't mean pain from lactate while climbing, I mean pain just riding along. Normally pain from DOMS goes away during a ride. So if it doesn't that means I'm not recovering like I should be.

I'll second the Whey Protein. I use it post-ride and it does seem to speed up my recovery time. It also has some other nice little perks that I like.

Hello all Just wondering if using protein powder or protein supplements has any benefit to cycling?

As in increasing my amount of protein in take? would that improve? or help for recover or any aspect? for long distance road or any mt bike thanks

A small amount of whey protein in your electrolyte drink is helpful. But mostly you need it after you ride for recovery. While doing intense exercise the body cannot assimilate much protein so you only need a small amount added. For long distance events where you are going for 90 minutes or more you have to eat or bonk and it is best if there is a balance of protein, fat and carb. But the protein and fat content should be lower while exercising. Since it is harder to digest and you can't do it as well while exercising.

I personally need to eat real food on a long ride. Sports drinks don't work well for me. I only take water and electrolyte drops. And if I'm riding long enough to eat I take food in small bags to eat or stop to get a veggie loaded sub sandwich.

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It used to be the consensus that protein wasn't such a good thing in long distance events but that has been changing over the last few years. There is a reason companies like Hammer Nutrition and others started providing endurance fuels with protein in them, your body needs it. How much, of course, varies from person to person.