Originally Posted by ericm979

I prefer to eat a decent breakfast an hour or two before the ride. Low glycemic carbs, some protein, and some fruit. Then for rides under 2-2.5 hours I don't bring any food. For rides longer than that I have sports drink and bars, and start consuming calories an hour or so into the ride. For long races I'll eat 2-3 hours before and start consuming calories when the race starts.

The length of ride you can do before you need to eat varies. It's usually shorter in less trained people. You'll have to experiment to find out what it is for you.