KevinB.

I have been riding total of 4 1/2 months .When I started I was doing 10 miles a day 3 or 4 times a week, Im up to 25 miles a day 4 or 5 times a week now.Monday I want to try for 40 or 50 .Im not gonna do that everyday for now , just wanna try it once.I usually drink alot of water before I go and bring one 20 oz bottle of gatorade .I know at the end of the ride those overpasses on the Pinellas Trail ( MUP ) are gonna wear me out .Should I take a 5 min break along the way and maybe have a clif bar or something ?

caloso

Everyone's different, but for comparison, I'd take two bottles (1 water, 1 sportsdrink) and maybe a gu or clifbar. Take a break if you feel like it. If not, just keep pedaling.

kevrider

^^^ bring what he says to bring (I prefer trail mix/bars) and be obedient: do what your body tells you to do. i can't ride more than 20 without eating but that's me. other people are camels.

KevinB.

Oh yeah def gonna bring 2 bottles.Heres another question , is smart water as good as gatorade ? Ive been drinking the G2 gatorade ( 50 calories per bottle ) cause Im trying to go with as few calories as I can.

qcwtom

I usually aim for one bottle per hour, figuring that I have two bottles in cages plus more powder to make whatever I'm drinking on the road (usually Cytomax or Accelerade). I plan my rides to pass a public water fountain at certain distances so I can refill (carrying lots of full extra bottle means a lot of extra weight).

I also bring light food of some kind (powerbars, mini-pitas, etc) for any ride over two hours. If nothing else, it keeps me from thinking that I'm hungry.

There's no reason to take a break. If nothing else, it might make it that much harder to get started again.

valygrl

If you're trying to lose weight, reduce calories after the ride, not before & during. You need food as fuel.

For me, 50 miles could be one bottle of sports drink, one bottle of water and anywhere from 1 Gu to multiple Gus, a cookie, a granola bar. It all depends on the weather conditions, how hilly it is, what I did the day(s) before and how fueled I am at the start. Bring a little more than you need, you don't have to eat it all. Or buy stuff while you're out - convenience store, bakery, coffee shop, etc.

PatW

As said above, everyone is different. It sounds as if you need more water about double your normal and maybe a bit more to be safe. I don't need to eat before or during a ride of 50 miles. But many people need something after about 25-30 miles. Almost anything will work: a banana, an orange, an apple, a small PB&J, fig newtons, or whatever.

DataJunkie

Too many variables. Pack a lunch and a couple extra items maybe. Experience will show you how much you need to bring in the future.
I tend to opt for slim to no food since I am an idiot. Recently I rode at a moderate to fast pace and consumed 250 calories for 70 miles. I felt a bit out of sorts when I finished.

pdlamb

Depends, too, where you're riding. For a 50 mile ride, I'll usually take a cell phone and wallet, with a couple of water bottles, and one energy bar. The energy bar normally comes home. I'd rather eat something fresh after a couple of hours -- hamburger, milk shake, ice cream bar. Places that sell those will normally let me refill my water bottles.

That's what the wallet is for. The cell phone is for something unexpected. I think I've used it thrice in the last five years. Once for heat exhaustion, once for plain old exhaustion (too long a ride while recovering from a cold), and once when my tire disintegrated.

KevinB.

I appreciate all the advice , thank you. I got a 2nd bottle cage and a little bag for under my seat so I can bring my phone, some money and some Larabars.

KevinB.

robberry

2 20oz bottles of Gatorade and 3 granola bars (about 120-160 calories each) should be enough. Depending on how warm it is down there now, you might need to stop to refill one of the bottles. In warmer weather, I was doing 1 bottle and 1 granola bar an hour. I did 30 miles today in the 50 degree weather, and barely drank 10oz.

I used to not eat on rides, and have to force myself to now. Everything that I've read says it's bad not to refuel, especially when I don't have any weight to lose during this part of the year.

robberry

A lot of people say to just stuff everything in your jersey pockets, but I find it easier to use a seat to store my keys, a tube, patches, multi-tool, tire levers, 2 paper towels, credit card, and $20. That way I don't have to "pack" before I leave. I keep my ID, emergency contact info, chapstick and granola bars in my jersey pockets for easy access.

Also, having a bike lock on you is not a bad idea. Not really for stops (you can bring your bike into the bodega, and find "outdoor restrooms"), but in case you get hit by a car. I learned that your bike will left on the side of the road in NYC if you require an ambulance (not sure if that applies for you...).

CbadRider

It's always better to have too much food and hydration than too little. Bring food, water, and cash. I've gone on long rides where the food I brought (Clif bars) just wasn't appetizing so I bought something that was more palatable.

KevinB.

OK , I got a late start and didnt have time to go for a " longer " ride .I did do 27.2 miles though which is my longest yet.I felt great even after drinking way too much sat night and going three days without riding.I dont get much of a chance to ride on the weekend because I play in a band , and the type of music we play is geared towards horror movie fans ...so we were busy as hell this weekend as you can imagine .Im DEFINITELY going to go for 50 miles this week , wednesday or friday !!!Oh and BTW - thanks to my riding my stamina has increased 100% for my live shows with the band ( drums ).

OldsCOOL

50mi really isnt that long of a ride in terms of distance. Water is the most important carry-on. Unless you are diabetic, snacks rate a #2 on the importance list. You dont need fancy gels or pasty tasting energy bars. Granola snack bars are perfect as are fruit snacks of all types. No need to make this more expensive than necessary and do remember that life is too short and cycling too much fun for snacks that taste like crap.

You are doing fine with the mileage.....big congrats on that. Likewise, you will figure out what you will need for the distances and what tastes good. Dont wait for the big ride day to try something new for snacks.

As a point of interest....it was the 50mi mark that defined "long distance" to this roadie. Something happens to your body's demands at and above the half-century mark. Listen to your body and keep riding.

KevinB.

Ha ha , thanks oldsCOOL .I agree with you on the snacks , but I really like CLIF bars , Larabar's ...not so much,LOL.I only did 20 miles today , but I rode hard so it was a good workout.Kids get out early on wednesdays so Im gonna start takin wednesdays off.New sked - ride mon and tues , thursday and friday.Im lucky I live in Florida , should have awesome weather for the next 6 months !!!