Originally Posted by
Rowan
Carbonfibreboy's comments have a lot of merit. Apart from the blood sugar spiking and diving. the body also commands the cardiovascular system to concentrate on digesting the food rather than on the leg muscles.
The need to digest the protein in the chicken may also extend the period. While small amounts of protein on a ride are a good thing, too much can increase the digestive cycle.
A long time ago, I went through the same scenarios on long distance rides, but by evening out my food intake rather than gorging, my energy output is now much more consistent.
I tend to eat well the day before a long ride(usually a century in my case), and eat big the night before. Then very little during the actual ride. A light snack before, a sandwich or two, an apple or two, an avocado or two, that sort of thing, during. Never sugar. Cafein is much better. I rarely stop for more than ten or fifteen minutes at a time.