I'd love to know a little more on this subject
Originally Posted by BigBossMan
On long rides (especially strenuous ones), you need to metabolize about 250 calories/hour. Solid foods take more time to process, liquid calories do not. If you're gonna be out all day, energy laden drinks (maltodextrin mixes) absorb through your small intestine much more quickly and with a lot less stress on your body, which is preoccupied with moving the bike and fueling the muscles. You don't want to waste energy digesting a ham sandwich when you could be using it on the brutal climb in front of you.
I always have trouble knowing when and what to eat while on a long ride. Sometimes I bring a banana, but i know thats not good enough. Drinking I can do, I carry a ton of water and usually mix up some gatorade from the powdered stuff so I can make it kind of strong and super delicious...but I never really know what's good to eat on the road. I'm really hoping the answer is McDonald's cheeseburgers but honestly I've heard enough people say good things about 'energy goo' that i'm thinking about trying it.
I also have a hard time figuring out breakfast before a long ride. Generally I just eat fresh fruit, sometimes with plain yogurt, but I know from having experienced it enough times that its not enough fuel to get me much further than 30 something miles.