worldtraveller

Hello all. So everyone the secret is out.

You all must tell us what foods you eat prior to a ride to make you ride fast and/or ride for a long time.

Tell us what works best for your .

As well if you also us a on the bike snack to help you maintain that ability?

Machka 

What you eat before the ride doesn't matter as much as that you eat during the ride.

Scrabbler

Being well rested and fully hydrated seems to help me most, then foods.

twenty-fourer

Carbs! I love pasta prior to any endurance-related activity. Then again, I just love pasta.
The rule of thumb I've been taught is that sugar is for the short run, carbs are for the long haul, and protein is essential for recovery.
Sugar breaks down fast, and so is good for immediate energy. The downside is that sugar dehydrates you, and you'll run through your energy supply quickly.
Carbohydrates are complex, and therefore take longer to break down, but hold more energy overall, making them the most essential for long-term energy. Protein is a must for muscular recovery. Without it, you're going to do nothing but damage to your muscles. Hope that helps some.

PatW

If it is a short ride like anything less than 70 miles, I don't eat before riding. If it is a long ride, like a century, I will eat an orange and maybe half a bagel before starting. I don't need to eat anything at all on short rides. If the ride is longer, I will eat a bit on the breaks.

The thing is what you eat and how often is determined by your metabolism. My wife can not eat any solid food during a ride (I can eat darn near anything: cookies, pretzels, peanut butter and jelly, donuts, bananas, oranges, well you get the idea). I have a friend who is diabetic and he has to eat every 25 miles or so or his blood sugar goes way down. I like high carb and low fat foods. I never eat any of the specially formulated energy bars. I would rather eat something that looks like food to me. But what you eat is pretty much a matter of your preference, what you like and what your body can burn nicely.

clarkgriswold

depends on the distance, as others have mentioned, on your personal body, and on the type of riding you plan to do.

I eat the traditional pasta the night or day before, and I have a consistent breakfast the morning of. For really short rides under 40 miles I may only have a 90-100 calorie breakfast bar, while for longer rides its a small breakfast sandwich.

Once you've gone over a few hours of riding, what you have eating before is no longer important, and it shifts to what you have been and will eat while on the rest of the ride.

Carbo loading is a long time ritual of performance sports, pastas, bread, etc. Stay away from anything fried and limit the fats

When on the bike, short rides 3 hours or less you can hit gu/gels and a small snack if you like.

over 3 hours, continue carbs with a little protein for longer rides. There are specialty powders or you can just bring any of a number of foods. Fig Newtons and similar work well, but for the really long rides you need some protein too. I think it's 250-300 calories per hour you should shoot for on the long rides. Don't overdo it, and don't underdo it. Also realize that what tastes fine at hour 4 may no longer taste fine at hour 10... things happen on long rides and you need some alternatives just in case.

A turkey sandwich with no mayo is one of my faves and seems to perk me up the best. When I'm really run down and need a pickup I might have a soda with real sugar if they have it, and a payday candy bar for a quick hit.

With all rides I also make sure to consume electrolytes. I no longer drink gatorade/powerade but will use Nuun tablets on shorter rides, and Endurolyte tablets on the longer ones.

Also, a little potassium can help cramping too. Bananas are good- just remember they also have calories. I chew a few Tums throughout the long rides.

Richard Cranium

Right - tell us about the "breathing" on your ride - which works best - fast or slow.... Deep or shallow? Should I have a big drink - a little one?


A better question - what can be learned about distance riding that doesn't depend on the conditions of the route and weather - the intensity or the age and training status of the rider?

Answer: No food or drink can be said to "make one fast" or increase endurance. It's a novice-like way to think about sports nutrition and results with comments that are half-truths and misleading.

laserfj

Oatmeal w. brown sugar, raisins, & cinnamon.

The cinnamon makes you fast. Don't ever use nutmeg though--it's really slow.

gregf83 

Except caffeine. That will make you a few % faster.

twenty-fourer

No food can make you faster, but food can definitely make you slower. Proper nutrition is absolutely essential to peak performance.
Therefore, choose wisely.