Eating while biking, or, breakfast on the commute?
 

Forgive me if this topic has come up before -- my search didn't turn up much. Anyway:

Right now, I'm on an earlier schedule than usual at my job; I'm finding it hard to get to work on time and also eat breakfast. Usually, breakfast loses. So I was thinking about whether I might be able to eat on the way. I usually eat peanut butter or cheese on toast, along with an apple or some other piece of fruit; most of my ride is on quiet residential streets, but occasionally I'd need to put the food down and ride two-handed in traffic for a few blocks. Does anybody do this? If so, what do you eat? Do you have some kind of food-holder arrangement on your handlebars?

I generally limit in bike eating to bars, but I see no reason why you couldn't eat a sandwich or fruit. It does how ever come with consequences being less in control and loss of focus on bigger task at hand, how ever if on small residential streets early in the morning that shouldn't be much of a problem. I once was eating an energy bar while mountain biking, and inadvertently steered my self into a rut and lost control and for what ever reason while I was going down my scumbag brain decided I needed to save the bar and not my self so I landed face first with my energy bar well protected with both hands. :)

Drink one of these before you leave.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/11964581?w...827276&veh=sem

Or just drink a canned cola.

You don't have a soigneur?

http://cafevelo.blog.com/files/2011/...eCP6081022.jpg

Yes, you can eat a sandwich on the bike. Bananas work too.

or trail mix

Eating while biking, or, breakfast on the commute?
 

+1 on trail mix... or at least nuts'n raisins.
On tour I have a bag of trail mix in my handlebar, grab in and eat a handfull.
Last year in New Zealand my touring pal and me called it "Lembas" :)

I'm just throwing this out, as it works out well for me...

I eat a serving of oatmeal with fruit every morning. I cook the oatmeal in a small crockpot that I have set up on a light timer. Crockpot comes on in the middle of the night, and by the time I get up, the oats are ready to go. I add my fruit, a little maple syrup and chow down. Probably takes no more than 10 minutes.

In terms of food on the bike, here's my current addiction. I prepare French toast, but I cook it in a waffle iron. Once cooked, I let it cool and use this as the base for jelly sandwiches. These are dynomite with a little raspberry jam or orange marmalade. I cut the the sandwiches in quarters, wrap in aluminum foil, and enjoy. You could do PB, but I find the jelly alone works out well.

You could blend up a smoothie and carry in a water bottle. Or simply put a commercial "protein drink" in the bottle.

I'd go with a TallBoy Bud first.:p

I eat on long rides but not on commutes. Usually I have breakfast before I leave but occasionally I ride without eating. I don't notice any difference, I just eat something at work.

If you can't eat at work then I would just throw a sandwich and a banana in my back pocket and eat on the way.

Toast a bagel whilst shaving or in the shower, throw some peanut butter and honey on the bagel put in a baggy. Then eat quickly when you get to work. Then you can thank me later.

I have done many many rides over 50 miles and not gotten off my bicycle so, yes I've eaten quite a bit on my bike, just not while commuting. I prefer a boiled tator wrapped in wax paper, but regardless of what you eat put a simple handle bar bag on ur bike & just toss it in there when you need both hands! I like the banjo bros smaller model cause it doesn't sit up high like a traditional handle bar bag. Bananas are great but i usually smash them...

I've eaten a Jimmy Johns sub while riding before. It was delicious. I've eaten/drank a lot of things on the bike before, it's not hard, you just have to remind yourself that there is a good chance that you will drop whatever you're eating, and if it starts to go, don't try to save it.

re: "finding it hard to get to work on time"

get up earlier

"Give me fish NOW and keep the nassty chips!
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Done it quite often. For me the key is stuff that I can easily deal with one-handed and without looking so I can keep my eyes on the road. Real pisser when you look down for 1 second to open something on a deserted residential street at 5:30a and then look up to see a car or kid suddenly in front of you. Bananas, cut up oranges/apples/pears, fruit/granola bars, and sandwiches all work well for me. I'm anal about being extra careful when I'm eating. I really don't want to hit someone and then have to listen to some smarta but true comment about my riding while eating.

A doc once told me that doing a meal this way wasn't a good idea. I think it had something to do with not digesting as well or eating too much due to exertion.

BTW, I never eat while driving (nor do I text, talk on my cell, etc.). One thing while riding a bike, completely different while driving a weapon.

Interesting ideas. Thanks!

Why wax paper? And do you rub the potato with olive oil or anything?

A couple of homemade Oatmeal, raisin, nut, chocolate chip cookies are an optimal riding food (no chips when it is hot out). Wash them down with skim milk or coffee, depending upon temp.

Darn! Coffee all over my keyboard! ;) :thumb:

+1.

This usually helps me have more time in the morning.

i would say get up early or make you time count like some people have already said. Toast bagel while shaving kinda thing.

I usually ride fasted. I ride almost 11 miles no breakfast usually. I then eat when I get to work.

No help here.. I have a 15 mile ride for my commute and I can eat in the classroom (lucky I know).

Do more prep in the evening before so that all you need to do is get up, dress, grab your stuff and go and with the time saved, you can use it to prepare something to eat.

I don't do well with much in my stomach before I head out (55min ride, ~25km/16mi) so I'll drink my homemade Gatorade mix on the way and make a protein shake when I arrive (I keep a Bullet in my desk).

I cannot eat while pedaling. I need to breathe!

I would grab something light, usually a bar of some kind. Kelloggs Nutrigrain are small. Have a fifteen minute drive to an hour train ride before biking to work so I don't need to eat on the bike, and don't on short rides. For the commute I often get up early enough to start a pan of steel cut oats to simmer while I shower and shave.

Try not sucking food into your lungs...

;)

My point precisely!