Originally Posted by
jimmuller
...Oh, and did I mention some food? What's the point of riding if you can't stop and eat?
For years I carried small wrenches, screwdriver, stuff like that. Finally decided if I'd keep the bike in good order in the first place I wouldn't need that stuff. I never used them anyway. Can't eat 'em.
Did I mention food? A Larabar, banana, dried or fresh fruit, sometimes a sandwich, chocolate, an extra water bottle.
For years I have carried food on long rides (greater than 40 miles) such as Zone Bars, pretzels, and a yogurt-cereal mash with fruit that I make, and “eat” in the manner you describe For my past couple long rides though, I started to use a packaged high calorie gel called “GU.” I’m not a weight weenie or a non-stop rider, but I find I get an immediate boost, though I cannot completely exclude a placebo effect.
I’m an adherent of the Zone Diet, which mandates proteins be consumed with carbs, so I take the GU with some yogurt drink I carry called Kefir. It doesn't require as long a stop to partake, and then I go for the dining experience after I get home.