elemental

I usually don't put too much thought into this, but I'm going for a ride tomorrow morning earlier to beat the heat. I would like to roll out of bed and go, but if I don't eat at all it will be a disaster. If I eat right before I go it will probably be worse. Any recommendations? I'm thinking maybe some pasta an hour before (I might even eat and go back to sleep).

Oh yeah, I already know this is a stupid question. You don't need to tell me.

666

Not stupid. It depends on how hard you're going to ride. You can get away with a lot if it's an easy ride. I can eat a 7 course meal and hop on the bike as long as I don't go hard. As the HR goes up and the demand on the legs increases the digestive system largely shuts down, which can leave you with an uncomfortable bloated feeling if you have recently eaten a heavy meal. It also depends on how digestible the meal is. With stuff such as pasta and oatmeal an hour should be plenty. A normal dinner with meats and such would probably take twice as long.

clausen

I usually wake up make toast and eat it on the bike. If I'm in a real hurry I'll grab a energy bar to eat while on the bike.

ronbridal

Jelly on toast would be good for me right before heading out the door. Maybe even cereal. Sometimes I won't eat anything purposefully, ride hard, bonk, suffer like a dog, and eat when I get home. Sounds stupid, but I think it was frankie andreu in a recent Bicycling that suggested doing this on consecutive days to make you stronger (or something like that). I just do because I'm an idiot and like to see how much I can suffer

bikingMILF

my saturday morning long rides have me out the door before the sun is fully up. i have a bowl of Kashi oatmeal with raspberries and a tablespoon of honey on top, along with a multigrain english muffin. drive out to the ride, jaw jack with the group til everyone shows up, and leave about an hour after eating. its always done me well. have fun on your ride!

Enthalpic

Big meal, 3 hours. Small carb snack 20-30min.

FlashBazbo

On my morning rides, I know I'm going to need carbs during the ride itself. (At this stage of training, it's 30 miles at 85% to 88% of maximum heart rate.) I eat a bowl of cereal (plain Cheerios) and get on the bike right away. I have never had any problems.

As soon as I get home, I go for a banana and a wheat bagel right away.

clausen

I remember reading that. I think is was to teach your body to get energy from fat stores, not to get stronger.

irish pat

I always eat cereal-bran flakes before I ride, a glass of OJ and my vitamins/supplements, also I drink a glass or even two of water, it is better at preventing dehydrating than waiting until you are on the bike and are thirsty. Lance Armstrong always had cornflakes. It is good to have a routine, especially before races, so 1) you don't have to think about what you're going to eat. 2) you know what food agrees with you so you're not halfway into an important ride/race and realise you shouldn't have had eggs for breakfast.

ronbridal

Could be. I typically do this on a Saturday morning group ride, hours after stumbling home after a few too many beers. Again, I like to suffer a bit.

palesaint

No reason why a big bowl of cereal or oatmeal wouldn't sit right. Just make sure to get plenty of fluids. I usually eat a large bowl of cereal with at least a pint of water. You loose quite a bit of fluids while sleeping.

With that said, pretty much ALL of my races this year were in the morning. My routine, without fail was a trip through mcdonalds for a #1 meal : egg mcmuffin with decaf coffee. Half an hour later I was at the race getting my number and warming up. Yet to have a problem with it sitting bad, and I'm somewhat prone to my stomach going sour if it doesn't like what I give it. Really odd habit there...

waterrockets 

For morning rides shorter than 50 miles, I eat nothing and head out the door with some pocket food.

For my lunch and dinner-time rides, I eat my last meal 3-3.5 hours before the ride. In the last 90 minutes, I might have a granola bar if I get hungry, and I over-chew that significantly.

These rules, as stated by 666 above, depend on how hard you're riding. I'm always doing focused intensity, training races, or races. Rarely, I'll just go spin, and I can eat any time around those rides.

ri_us

I ride first thing in the morning all the time. I can usually get by for 60-70 minutes of riding without eating. If my ride is going to be longer than that I usually eat a banana, bread with Nutella, and/or CarbBoom or Gu.

But the reality of this is everyone's stomach is a little different. You have to experiment to find out what works well for you. I, for instance, must start with bread of some kind or I get so much gas that my farts could punch a hole in the ozone layer.

Hondo Gravel

I know I ate too soon after today’s ride. Big plate of bar b q now I have a bad stomach ache. Lesson learned.

mcours2006

Whoa! Fourteen year old thread come back from the dead! I think it's safe for OP to ride now.

GlennR

It was in the 30's just a few days ago here.

Actually in the summer I like to ride on an empty stomach with the exception of water and a gel or two.

I usually don't eat to heavy before a ride and have gone on group rides where some eat a full breakfast at the break while I have a granola bar. I just can't see consuming over 1000 calories and burning only 800.

WhyFi

The OP was in August, 14 years ago.

GlennR

Awesome....


With global warming, i bet it's hotter now.

Seattle Forrest

About three days.

datlas 

Hey, intermittent fasting was not a thing when the question was asked.

GlennR

The day this topic was started my son was 17. Now he's 30, married with 2 children.

How time flies.

Ghazmh

The day this thread started my son was 5 months old and my old Gary Fisher Montare was 6 months old and I was 40 lbs heavier. Anyhoo I often enjoy a peanut butter and honey sandwich with a banana chaser before my weekend rides.

Seattle Forrest

The day this topic was started I ate. Today I ride.