RB1-luvr

what a bummer. the ones with 25 or 50mg of caffeine have been my favorites for years. I'm not looking forward to finding a replacement. Hammer will be my first try since my club shop stocks them.

prj71

I use these once in a while...made from natural ingredients.

https://www.embarkmaple.com/

Otherwise I just eat real food....bananas, dried fruits, nuts etc. Certain dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, and dates are a good choice since they are a high glycemic index food.

I don't buy into these processed foods like clif blocks or stinger waffles etc.

Eric F 

Why rely on one source? I generally use both gels and a high-carb drink mix on rides more than 2 hours for a fairly constant flow of carbs. If it's longer than that, I'll add in something more substantial. My 6 hour ride on Sunday was fueled by...
- 1 Breakfast sandwich
- 1 Starbucks Doubleshot Mocha
- 2/3 Belgian waffle w/ syrup
- 4 Clif Shot gels
- 2 750ml bottles with Skratch High Carb mix (400 cal each)
- 1 PowerBar protein bar
- 2 Cokes
- 1/2 banana
- 2 Red Vines

rsbob 

I use SIS Beta Fuel chews - a bit sticky and GU. I carry them in a small baggie I can grab them out of and then put the GU empties back into. On inclimate looking days, I always carry a baggies for phone, car keys anyway, just in case.

livedarklions

I once did a 168 mile ride that was fueled by 6 wieners from Olneyville (google it!) and a goulash sub,

I started a thread a few years back asking if there were other people who could eat just about anything on a long ride.

Eric F 

I know a lot of folks who like salty snacks when they ride, particularly towards the end of a long one. I don't tend to be one of those.

livedarklions

My typical Saturday ride during bike season is 100 miles or better, with a hearty lunch at the half-way point. I'm just getting geared up to my first solo century of the year this weekend. Last week I only rode 76 miles, with a lamb shawarma sandwich and a nice salad for lunch in Exeter NH. I've been known to kill some all you can eat buffets at midpoint, which is definitely a peculiar skill.

Hope people don't mind the thread drift, but alternate fueling seems a pretty natural reach from the topic.

Eric F 

My preference is to eat big after the ride is done, rather than in the middle, but I don't do a lot of 100+mi rides, so maybe my attitude would be different if I did them more frequently.

terrymorse 

Phew! That much eating seems like a lot of work.

The most I take in while riding is one bottle with drink mix and one gel.

Eric F 

One bottle and 1 gel for how long? In moderate temperatures, I tend to go thought about one 500ml bottle of mix and one gel per hour. More than 3 hours, and I'm going to want something more substantial in there, at some point.

The first 3 things on my list were before the ride started, and I was quite full when we rolled out, but they were definitely important fuel for the day. The protein bar was just past halfway, and was essentially my lunch. The banana and Red Vines were at the last aid station on our route, and I was waiting for my ride buddy at the top of the last big climb, so I decided to grab a couple things while I waited. I would have been fine without them. The Cokes were thoroughly enjoyed treats on a well-supported event, but they aren't something I would haul with me. Being that this was my first ride of this duration in MANY years, I wasn't sure what to expect out of my body, and I made sure that lack of eating wasn't going to be an issue that held me back. I will probably adjust my approach a little, next time.

terrymorse 

For as long as the ride lasts, which for me tops out at around 9 hours. I'll skip the gels on shorter rides of less than 3 hours.

My gut doesn't do well with real food while riding. If the group is stopping for lunch mid-ride, I might have a candy bar, but nothing more.

Based on how much I see other riders eating, I may be an outlier.[/QUOTE]

Eric F 

1 bottle for 9 hours?? Wow. I have a friend that doesn't drink much, but I think you have him beat. I'm a drinker.

indyfabz

Do you also dumpster dive for Vodka?

livedarklions

[/QUOTE]


Honestly, there's so much variation on this that I don't think anyone is normal. You and I would definitely be at the opposite ends of the preference scale. I generally don't eat anything for the first half of a ride up to 125 miles, but at lunch and the way back, there's always room for a food break.
I've done 100 mile rides without eating (especially when everything was shut down for COVID), but I didn't enjoy it much,

Generally, if the ride is less than 65 miles (give or take), I won't take in food.

terrymorse 

No, sorry. I meant 1 bottle and 1 gel per hour.

Eric F 

Ahh. That makes more sense - LOL

Eric F 

No. I prefer brown liquors.

livedarklions

Good, I was getting really worried about your kidneys!

My water needs are definitely dependent on weather. On a hot day, part of the route planning is figuring out where I'm going to refill the bottles.

Serious question from a non-gel user--why isn't it better just to put the sugar in the water? Does the gel provide you with something that the sweetened water would not? (BTW, "I just like it better" is a perfectly valid answer).

Koyote

Some of the gels have a few other additives: caffeine, a few amino acids, what-have-you. But basically, I think you're supposed to wash down a gel with a few swigs of water so that, in your stomach, it essentially mixes into a sports drink.

So, why bother? For me, a gel is something I'll use later in a ride when I've drained my energy drinks and have refilled with water...Or, in a race, I might even pound a gel and wash it down with sports drink.

Eric F 

Gels provide a bigger punch in a smaller package. The gels I prefer also have caffeine!

For rides over 2 hours, I prefer both gels and a high-carb drink mix in my bottles.

livedarklions

I think the closest I get to this is at the Italian bakery in Gloucester, MA where I down a few cookies/pastries and 6 shots of espresso. Exactly 50 miles from my house by bike.

Eric F 

That's close enough to the same thing.

rsbob 

Hey you are missing out on Red Dye #2 from the Red Vines. There is a line from a song which I will never forget, “maybe the preservatives are preserving you” <-I know Red Dye #2 i8s not a preservative.

shona

I’m sad too. I suggest Gu.

RH Clark

It might be super useful to examine the reasons why more critically.