trigger

Hey

Things are going well ... I did 20 miles today, and it felt like I could have gone further pretty easily. I was tempted, but was afraid of pushing too far and being stuck a long way from home with nothing left to get me home. The next ride I'm planning (Friday, most likely) will be 25 - 30 miles, and I'm thinking that I should take a snack with me. So far, I've been biking on water alone. Am I right to think that I should perhaps stop for a little snack, and do you have suggestions on when I should eat, and what I should eat? I'm thinking eating about mile 20 should be good, but bow to your collective wisdom. I'm also thinking about a bannana or two, though again, I'm wide open to any and all vegetarian friendly suggestions.

Thanks again for all the good advice.

Tom Stormcrowe

A Banana or a Clif Bar sounds good.

flip18436572

I would take a banana, if I was to take anything. I usually eat before and after.

Pamestique 

Generally for 20 miles I don't need food but 30 I might. If you aren't eating before a ride you should. Basically you should have a reasonable snack or breakfast 2 hours before a ride in order for your body to properly process the carbs or protein. If you plan on doing a particularly hard ride, a GU or Power Gel (or something like that ) is great before the ride. If 30 miles for you means 2 1/2 - 3 hours of riding then take a protein bar or snacks such as fig bars, banana etc. I would not usually eat until I ride 20 miles but if you are hungry, a light snack is OK. And then once you are finish with your ride, do a recovery drink - I know this sounds weird but one of the best is non or low fat chocolate milk (just a 1/2 pint).

jaxgtr

I eat something after 2 hrs. Up to that point I don't worry about it. I typically ride after I eat dinner and don't really need anything less than 2 hrs.

Stujoe

I eat and hydrate before a ride. If I am going to ride long (for me that is 2 to 2.5 hours), I take a banana along and eat it about the half way point. I am usually more worried about staying hydrated than needing an energy boost. Getting dehydrated affects me more over a 2 hour ride than lack of food energy.

trigger

Ok - thanks a lot.

I expect I will get the 30 miles done in a little over 2 hours - I did 20 today in 1 hour and 17 minutes. I do usually ride about 2 - 3 hours after lunch, and drink lots of water all the time. I'll just toss a bananna in my bag and see if I need it. This will be my longest ride yet, and I'd like it to stay fun.

Thanks again!

CastIron

Eat and drink before your body starts yelling at you to do so. I just about never leave the house (errands and commuting excepted) without food.
If it's going to be a longer ride I'll start eating after first half hour and nibble regularly throughout. I'll boost with gels and drink a sport drink as well. Remember, you're burning calories at about twice the rate you could reasonably* eat. Further, those calories take some time to get into use.

*I go pretty hard which ups the calories used and limits uptake (of solid food) to slow periods unless puking is the order of the day.

CastIron

Eat the banana mid-ride and see what effect it has. Try it, it's not like the 80cal is going to hurt anything.

Blue Jays

Bananas sometimes don't "travel" so well and can get squished. I prefer energy bars for this reason.

Caincando1

No food of sports drink for me unless I'm going over 3 hours. I also eat half a sandwhich before I ride.

flip18436572

I guess it depends upon what you have on your body or on your bike to carry things in. I like bananas for a food to eat before an exercise, and pretty much hate the texture or taste of most energy bars, so I would find a way to take a banana. My wife would find a granola bar or something.

Stujoe

I should qualify my post by saying I am a banana addict and it is my default snack for any time. I really, really love them. So the 'half way banana break' is probably as much a treat and psychological reward as anything else for me.

And I just throw one in my rack trunk and it makes the ride just fine.

6 Pins

I take a Smucker's Uncrustable PBJ sandwich with me in my jersey pocket. It's defrosted after about 30 minutes, and if you get hungry mid-ride, its not a bad snack.

trigger

err ... I think my ego subconsciously self-edited ... I did the 20 miles in 1 hour 27 minutes, not 1 hr 17 mins. My bad. One day though.

Trebor Snave

Lots of good information here; thanks! I was going to ask something along these lines too.

Skoper

the BANANA GUARD

pdq 5oh

This is good advice. Eating BEFORE a ride helps greatly. Starting with an empty tank always leaves me feeling half hungry the whole time I ride. Even after I eat someting as I go. Gu gels are always with me, as are Clif bars. I drink just water, or a small amount of Gatorade with the water. The best thing........the Ovaltine milk as a recovery drink. I drink a pint jar full after any ride.

flip18436572

Are you serious**********

Someone is making money off of it also. I may actually be one of those in the future.

gobot

I am allergic to bananas, but I own two of those banana guards because they are so cool.

solveg

I was really impressed with the sports gels. I could actually feel the effects of it.

About the Cliff bars... I want a bar that isn't so sweet. I like Tiger Milk bars, but I'm not sure it's the same thing... aren't there any plain bars? Should it be a protein bar or a carb bar?

JeeperTim

I will not be toting one of those banana cases around! Just saying.....

Scummer

I normally down a PB&B sandwich with some honey sprinkled on it before I go for my 1-2 hour ride. Two bottles of water during the ride and some Special K for after the ride. Keeps me energized.
For longer rides I stuff one or two cliff bars in my jersey and additionally a gel when the schedule says hard training.

BeckyW

Am I the only one here who can barely choke down a bite or two of solid food, even during a break, in the middle of a ride? I can manage about half a Clif bar during a 2 hr ride, but that's about it. Have ordered some HEED which I'm hoping will help me keep my energy up.

mkadam68

Well, you're not the first person, and won't be the last.

For me, however, I'm the opposite. I eventually get so sick of liquids and nothing solid that I need the bars.

Also, the Clif Bars I am a big fan of as they're the only energy bar that does not taste terrible!! They don't taste good--just not terrible. And now I'm getting used to them and am actually starting to like them.

Tip: Take a bite of Clif Bar, chew, add water to mouth, chew more and swallow. Much easier.