Does what you eat and take affect how you start the ride?

40 miles or under and I don't even need to eat. The usual morning bowl of Raisin Bran Crunch is good for 90% of rides.

Where is the raw vegan category ?

I answered that coffee makes a difference; but I don't know how much of that is psychological for me. I just love starting the day with coffee. Other than that, I don't really eat much on even the longest rides. In fact, my wife and I just did a wonderful century together on the Central Coast. I started the day with coffee and a chocolate croissant; then these little Kalamata olive and tortellini snacks at a couple of the stops and I had a hella strong ride right through the finish. I'm an easy keeper, though. I would not necessarily recommend this to other riders. Needs vary.

Edit: the night before the ride I had a pasta and seafood dish. So, that was the carbs. I figured they would last me throughout the following day. But, again, I ate minimally the day of the ride.

I tend to have problems eating too much too close to beginning the ride. Much better to wait and eat later.

Honey = bonk within about 20 km.
Oatmeal = bonk within about 20 km.
Eggs = horrible gall bladder pain.
Peanuts & peanut butter = incredibly painful bloating.
Certain dairy products = urgent stop within about 20 km.
Extra spicy food & capsicum = so much indigestion.

Other than that, it doesn't really matter.

I wake with black coffee, ride, eat around 11.

coffee, tim horton's ice capps (with barely any cream in em), starbucks iced black tea with lemonade (no sweetener), liquid, even a diet coke if need be, nothing solid in the gut till ya hit mile markers

You need to add a “I do not eat” option.

All days start the same, with coffee. All rides start the same but will end bonky if I don't eat anything. Usually I have peanut butter toast before starting or else a cliff bar on the way. If I don't have a clif bar then a croissant at the coffee stop.

I went 43 miles the other day on an empty stomach but at that point stopped at a gas station because I could feel some distress coming on. My typical 32.5 mile route is about the limit if I try to ride hard, and if I ride hard enough, I need something, even if it's just some gatorade powder mixed into one of my water bottles.

On longer rides I'll eat some oatmeal a little before the ride, put some gatorade powder in one or both of my bottles, etc. Depends on the ride. On a hard 50 mile group ride I'd buy a Gatorade and a Rice Krispie treat at the 10 or 12-mile point when they'd stop at a gas station to consolidate before the A and B groups split up.

I've actually bonked at the 23 mile point of a 25 mile ride before. Surprised the hell out of me, but I was in a very low energy state from trying to lose weight hard core while also cycling a ton. I'm talking one minute I'm doing 18 mph and feeling fine, a minute later I'm doing like 10 mph and wondering if I'll make it the last 2 miles to my house.

Tell us about it...

it's kinda funny, i think the best answer for this is, try all options and work from there. I don't eat before riding, spin or bootcamps, but do eat after.

I can tell you that roasted and non-salt nuts (food not anything else ya perv's ) is great on a ride. I tried those gel things, might as well take a swig from a bike lube bottle. Most products for eating that are packaged are garbage. Banana, nuts, anything else normal that you can find at a fresh section grocery shop is probably a good bet

What is there to tell? I (plus others)don’t eat before I ride. Thus the need for a “I do not eat” option.

I'll often do 30 miles at tempo on just a mug of black coffee for fat adaptation. But for anything superthreshold, I need to eat.

Coffee, as much for kickstarting my respiration as anything else. Helps with asthma and pain reduction. A couple of cups with Dunkin Donut's creamer before a ride.

I usually eat yogurt with a banana and cereal or oatmeal before a ride, day or night. That's usually the only proper food I need for a 20-30 mile ride.

On hard training rides of 20-50 miles, especially in the heat, I've been getting by with just glucose tablets made for diabetics since this summer. Usually I don't take one until about 30 miles in, then every half hour or so. I tried other stuff but most of it gave me indigestion and the burps when I was trying to climb. Cheaper than gel packs and energy bars, seems to work about as well. I can eat properly after I finish and cool off. I usually carry an energy bar but don't always eat it. The glucose tabs come in plastic tubes so they're sweatproof and rainproof. Fits in a jersey pocket, can flip 'em open and closed one-handed.

And electrolytes in at least one water bottle. I prefer DripDrop if I can find it, otherwise Gatorade Propel which is much cheaper. Both come in little waterproof Mylar packets, about the size of a fat cigarette, and fit anywhere in a small seat bag or pocket.

On longer casual rides I can eat anything. Hamburgers, pizza, Mexican food, beer. As long as I'm in Zone 1 or 2, no problems.

Coffee and oatmeal, just like every morning. But when it's very hot I have to skip the coffee. It accelerates dehydration.

I read about a study of cyclists- 1/2 coffee, 1/2 not,

weighed before & after ride, no difference= no dehydration.

IME pee more with coffee, but that's not the same as dehydration.

Sorry, no link but I could try to find it.

timing is also key. meaning wait an hour after a big meal but it's ok to eat a small box of raisins just before riding

Forgive me Doge, but your poll if trying to gain any data for conversation in the other thread...this poll is really meaningless because vast majority of riders don't experiment with their food intake and many don't even eat or need to eat on short duration rides that most perform in training under 30 miles.

No idea why you would post such a poll. Almost as relevant as asking riders what their favorite color is.

I always drink coffee for example. Having a cup right now before my morning ride. Caffeine deprivation for a coffee drinker can have negative consequences relative to exercise whereas taking caffeine for a non coffee drinker can have more of a simulative result. Your poll wouldn't reflect this trend because people don't change their patterns for their daily ride. Ride duration matters greatly for fueling requirements. Short rides, fueling isn't hardly relevant other than fluid intake.

In a way, it makes all the difference in the world. I never even get out the door without at least one cup of coffee, and I've never left the house for a ride without getting a smoothie or some kind of breakfast (with the exception of short weekday recovery rides). I've never really experimented, and invariably eat more or less before leaving depending on how much riding I intend to do and when I expect to eat next.

It could easily be placebo but a bowl of Cheerios about an hour before a ride makes me stronger and faster.

For afternoon rides, which tend to be shorter (30 miles or less,) whatever I had for lunch is good enough.

For weekend morning/longer rides (usually 50 miles +), I've found coffee and a banana while I'm getting everything together and into the car and then a bagel with cream cheese while finishing the coffee in the car getting to the start is perfect for the typical first 30 miles before a rest stop. Usually try to buy one of those mini Fig Newton packages when refilling water bottles at that point - that gets me through the next 20-30 miles, repeat.

I don't understand the question.

That's ok, I know how what it does to me. I may be an anomaly.