Rich22

So far On 20mile rides I do not eat anything during the ride. Is that a mistake? I am usually dead at the end of 20 miles. But that is more likely my terrible shape than anything...


Well then again im not in terrible shape... I am 5 foot 8 and weigh 144lb. But legs have always been my weakest muscle (IMO).

spiderbike

I do it by time, there is no need for a snack for any ride under 2.5 hours. A gatorade and water do plenty...

everbody gets tired at the end of a bike ride...your food wouldn't even digest by the time you were done with a ride...

domestique

If my ride is going over 2 hours then I try to eat at the 55 minute mark. They say to eat a bar or gu every hour of exercise.


edit: it also depends what pace I am at.... If I am doing intervals or a fast tempo then I will eat more. If Im jsut doing a recovery ride then I don't worry about eating anything... maybe just a bannna

Rich22

Ah thanks.

I usually only ride for 1 hour and cover about 20 miles, with hills. By the end im to dang tired to keep riding. Just to damn tired!

CastIron

Like others said, depends how far I'm going. Anything over two hours requires fuel (for me) which means I'll try to eat before the hour mark. Eat early, small, and often.

cuda2k

I usually have something on rides over 2hrs, usually at the mid way point. Now and then, I'll have a Cliff Blok pack through out a ride of 30mi.

domestique

how does that work for getting sticky?

GRedner

I usually eat first around the 90-minute mark, usually a banana.

jemoryl

My typical after work rides are 30-35 miles and I don't eat until I'm done. For longer rides I'll eat a Cliff bar or bannana every 1.5 hrs. or so.

ericgu

My goal is to replace the carbs that I burn during any ride, up to about 350 cal/hour (I rarely ride harder than that on long rides). So, for me, that means having some newtons and Accelerade and perhaps a few clif bloks on every ride.

You do have enough carbs to last for a period of time, but it depends on:

1) How much carbohydrate you have stored (far less in the morning)
2) Whether there's anything in your stomach
3) How fast you're burning the carbs

If you're not riding very hard, you might make it 2.5 or 3 hours. If you are riding hard (for you), it might be 75 minutes. And then you bonk, which isn't any fun at all.

Regardless, during the time you ride, you're creating a blood sugar deficit. That makes you hungry, which is bad if you're trying to lose weight, because it's hard not to eat (or overeat) when you're done.

But keep your blood sugar constant with a regular small intake of food, you won't get hungry, and you'll get better performance.

DieselDan

About every hour I eat a gel, half a Shot Block bag, or one bag or Sport Beans. If I'm out very long, three to four hours, time to stop for a light meal.

Nachoman

Under a couple hours usually not, unless it's lunchtime half way through the ride.

cc_rider

Usually don't eat anything on 20 mile rides.
Longer rides I eat something every hour. How much depends on how I feel and how far I'm going.

Sounds like a conditioning rather than food may be the problem. Ride more and you'll get used to it in time

Wino Ryder

Lets think about this. He's riding 20 miles for an hour. Thats 20 mph....for 20 miles. I dont know about you, but I dont think he has much of a conditioning problem.

just my observation

EventServices

Varies.
Depends on my objective. Depends on the course. Depends on the time of year.

Generally, every 30 min.

botto 

less than 3 hours, and i won't eat.*

about 2-2.5 hours into the ride if it's a 3.5 hour ride.

if it's a 4+ hour ride, i'll have a gel at about hour into it, eat every 1 to 1.5 hours (depending on terrain and effort).

i only drink H20


* - i always have something in my back pocket, for the 'just in case' scenarios

Hipcycler

I like to pack leftover spaghetti into a wicker basket, along with a small Italian bread and some cheese.

Now, IF I am riding for more than 10 miles, I'll also include a little salami and olives with a red wine in my saddle bags.

LA_Rider

0 - 50 / no food
50-100 / two bars

substructure

30-45 minutes before the ride, I'll eat something light.
If I'm riding for 2-3 hours I'll start considering a gel or clif bar.
If I'm riding for 4-5 hours I'll add a little more.
If I'm riding for 6 hours, someone call my wife I think I'm lost.

merlinextraligh

20 mile ride I wouldn't eat anything. Ride over 3 hours, particularly if its going to be a hard ride, I try to eat 250 calories an hour, between Gels, Gatorade, and power bars.

hawkijohn

For me, I need to graze throughout a long ride. I recently road 160 miles and was still feeling good because I never went more than 30 min or so without munching on something. As Carmichal suggests, I drink water with my food, and an energy sports dring (I use Accelerade) in between. I do chocolate mile right after a hard ride for recovery. I know conditioning has helped me but I don't get the bonk anymore since I adopted the eat early, small and often approach.

Ant

I usually start to feel funny around mile 15 to 20 so I usually try and eat something around there if I'm going to keep riding.

pathdoc

I usually start to bonk at 35 - 40 miles. I guess I should be eating an hour into a ride. It just really hard to eat while riding. My stomach goes into fits.

slowandsteady

Do it by time and not mileage. Under 2 hours = no food.
Rides over 2 hours, start to eat 250 calories every hour after the first 2 hours. And eat a small meal before the ride.

granite4brains

Probably depends on the ride and your metabolism.

I have a fast metabolism so I find I need to replenish my energy reserves more often than some of my friends. I know of some guys who mountain climb all day at altitude and barely eat anything. I'd get sick if I tried that.

As far as the type of ride. I have a 35 mile loop (1700 ft of gain) near my house and don't feel the need to eat anything during that one. However, the other weekend I did a hill climb (Onion Valley) that is 13 miles up, but it's 5300 feet of gain and goes up to some altitude (9200'). I found I had to stop twice for a snack on this one - working way harder + the altitude.