Originally posted by RWTD
Congratulations on the ride.I also did a long ride yesterday that went well so now I'm psyched about doing some overnight trips in the near future.About bonking from my experience those relying on sugar for fuel bonk sooner than those relying on fat and those with low bodyfat levels bonk sooner than those with higher bodyfat levels.It is basically a survival response where if you deplete your carb stores and your fat levels are low enough the body senses a famine/stavation situation by protecting remaining fat by breaking down less essential(for survival)muscle.So if you are not bonking now on low carbs by all means stick with what works but keep in mind as your bodyfat levels get lower/approach your goals you might stall out and have to change your approach for this same reason .I mention this because many people for whom real low calories and/or carbs work initially eventually get frustrated when their progress stops /plateaus sort of their goal and blame genetics when a different approach is all they need.
My understanding of bonk also requires that you exceed your bodies capacity to metabolize fat stores by exercising at rate way above that level which for even modrately fit ppl is 300cals/hr.A fit person with a fair bit of cycling experience can easily ride around 100 miles in the flatlands w/o food intake,provided they keep cal consumption under like 600cals/hr.....for a guy at my weight thats a sub 6hr century.Now,eating a low carb diet will definitely mess up your stamina on long rides IF you push hard enough,and thats a big IF,many dont do that.Yes ppl with low fat % are more susceptible to running out of fuel so to speak,but also usually recover quicker once they eat something.Ppl with low body fat are also more likely to be able to push hard enough and long enough to reacj ketosis all other things being equal.