RIC0

I agree, the small ziplock snack bags are perfect for holding 2 scoops of heed or sustained energy, as long as you have a place to refill water bottles.

OCshark

I highly recommend the advice given by the ultra-cyclists who compete in the Furnace Creek 508:

https://the508.com/insight/index.html

Scroll down the page to the "Nutrition and Hydration for Endurance Sports" section. They use Hammer Products and explain how to combine them for different distances.

But generally, HEED is for rides < 2 hours, Sustained Energy is for INTENSE rides lasting 2-4 hours, and Perpeteum reaps the most benefit in rides lasting 4+ hours.

Several strategies are given for combining these products with Hammer gel, and also making multi-hour bottles.

Vireo

When I'm doing supported double centuries I down a bottle as I:

1. Check in to the aid station (when required)

2. Take my Endurolytes

3. Grab some solid food if hungry (which I stuff in my jersey)

4. Wait in line for the potty

5. Refill that bottle and go

All of this still only takes 3-5 minutes.

nycphotography

Oh yeah, for longer rides, I've also started mixing my custom mix in ziplocks, one bottle worth per ziplock, and putting 3-5 of them in ANOTHER ziplock (in case of leakage) so I can mix my own refills from just plain water. I've been having excellent results with this approach, with much better endurance and late ride energy levels.

SushiJoe

What, does Vireo not count because he did it on a fixed gear?

Vireo

OMG I looked terrible.

fauxto nick

I went to REI and got a little plastic bottle for like $1.70, it easily holds 3 servings of perpetuem and is about as long as a cliff bar and about 2" wide roughly. It's easier to pour than the ziplock bag and stays much more organized. I can't imagine ANYTHING worse than having a bag of perpetuem powder rip open in your jersey pocket on a hot day. It's a shame Perpetuem goes sour after 2 hours otherwise I'd just mix 4 bottles before I left and put two in my jersey pocket. It's such good stuff I'm willing to deal with it's set backs. People say they can't stand the taste but with a little intermittent water and maybe one hour off of solid food I can easily go 6 hours on just perpetuem.

SushiJoe

No one made you to do it fixed.

Vireo

The devil made me do it.

SushiJoe

kyriefurro

Try an entire flask of gel .

I bought a cheap no-name plastic flask thinking it would work just as well as the official Hammer flasks. On my ride Saturday, I reached back for my flask only to find that the cap had snapped of (weak threads) and the entire contents had poured out into my pocket. Talk about a sticky mess

fauxto nick

Holy god.

buddy

Last summer I did a 200k unsupported brevet. I only carried 2 water bottles plus food and gels. I have become an expert in finding water on the road. I have found in the deep south where there is a church every block, churches are great places to fill up your water bottles.

When I get close to finishing my first bottle I start looking for a place to refill my bottles. Hydrating at a healthy pace I have found I can go about 30 miles on a bottle of water. On a supported ride two bottles should not be a problem.

buddy

VA_Esquire

up top 50 mile rides all I drink is plain water....only done ONE 75 mile ride and had a stop for.......more plain water. Havent really comprehended the whole gels and all yet, so I dont want to start taking crap without knowing what it does.
If I were you, carry two bottles of water, one frozen. Once you have drank the first bottle, hopefully the 2nd is "thawed" and you can add whatever you please to the plain water. Though like suggested bring some food of some sort.

pmt

It's really easy enough to get a seatpost-mounted water bottle (or pair). That really solves the problem fast, and adds little weight.

fordmanvt

I once sat on one of those single serve packs without realizing it. Thankfully it washes out easy.

ericm979

Try eating a little bit at a time. I often take an hour or more to get a bar down, one bite every 10 or 15 minutes. Everyone is different of course but I find that Clif bars eaten slowly are easier on my stomach than gel.

Vireo

I contend you've created another problem- one of aesthetics

fauxto nick

It's not necessarily a mileage issue it's a time issue. Your body stores a certain amount of glycogen to burn... depending on how much your body stores (usually about 2 hours worth), how fast you're burning it and how efficiently... you'll bonk sooner or later if you keep doing that. Typically if your rides are going over 2 hours you need to eat something, it's plain science. Some of us need to eat more than others, and many decide that if they're going to need to eat during their ride they'll start from the first hour I am one of those people. If I'm going out for 5 hours I'm going to eat from the first hour to keep my blood sugar steady and my body processing food so I don't suddenly shock it with food after two hours when my glycogen is totally depleted.

SushiJoe

^^ This.

dark13star

If you guys are on a route with no water available, where are you tossing those disposable bottles? I am not assuming littering, just wondering.

VA_Esquire

thank you. Still new to all this....thought it was mileage and not time. I will start trying the whole eating while riding (other than once b/c I hadnt eaten before, never done) hopefully it works out well.

jrobe

"It's really easy enough to get a seatpost-mounted water bottle (or pair). That really solves the problem fast, and adds little weight. "

"I contend you've created another problem- one of aesthetics "


Not to mention that this eliminates the possibility of a saddle bag for a tire repair kit, CO2, cell phone, a few dollars, etc.. The guy I rode my last century with flatted twice - lesson learned, 2 tubes also for long rides.

DScott

One of the nuggets of wisdom I've gotten from bf.net is that your body knows nothing of miles, only time and intensity. Plan your fueling accordingly.

e2py

Have you considered "caching" a 2-liter bottle of water half way along your route?

Not sure if you drive along that route often, but this would be easy if you did. Find a good place to hide your cache and you'll have water at the 1/4 and 3/4 distances. Might not be cold, but it will be wet.

My other obvious choice would be to knock on some doors along the way and ask for a water refill (if there are houses along the way).

As stated previously, I find that being prehydrated up to departure time a great help in extending my distance before a drink is needed.