Eating on the bike

[tatanab]

if you just plod along your heart rate stays low and you consume a higher rate of body fat compared with glycogen (energy stored in blood liver and muscles).

This might explain why some of you profess not to eat much.

Depends on definition of "plod". I went out for a short trundle this morning, after breakfast of 2 toast and a cup of tea. 27 miles with 2000ft of climbing, all in the first 12 miles. Average speed 14mph, maximum of 38 mph -- whoosh. I left some of my junk at home, so this time my cycle was only about 38lbs. I took no food or drink with me. I think I will enjoy a pork pie for lunch.

On the other hand, I went out a couple of weeks ago before breakfast, but this time it just did not go well. I knew it was no good at 10 miles so shortened my route and truly plodded home.

[Vorpal]

Or maybe we are all different and have different needs.

[hodge]

Or maybe we are all different and have different needs.

... A study by the Wiezmann institute in Israel indicates just that.

This link gives a useful overview of the outcome:

https://www.daytwo.com/microbiomeandnut ... eresearch/

[Audax67]

Do these gels contain any fibre? Fruit is good because the sugar is contained within the fibre, so it takes longer to be released.
(I'm sure I read that somewhere. It may be rubbish)

Drying fruit converts part of the fructose to glucose, which enters the metabolism a bit faster. It also liberates it from the fibre to an extent, which also makes absorption faster.

That's why diabetics can eat fresh fruit but not dried - unless, of course, they're on the bike.

Thanks.

How does dried fruit compare with gels, in that respect?

I'd eat dried fruit on the bike by not gels, but not for the effect on diabetes: I don't like having sticky plastic tubes to deal with. And seeing the number of the things tossed into the ditch on every decent climb is good aversion therapy.

My feeling, though, is that sugars are delivered more slowly by dried fruit.

BTW, one of my favourite treats on the bike is a piece of crystallized ginger eaten at the same time as a chunk of salami. Nothing to do with nutrition, although a case might be made for the mix of protein, salt, fat & sugar; the taste is simply fantastic.

[PH]

For a couple of years my Audax food was dried apricot sandwiched between squares of rye bread, I was put on to it by another rider who swore it was the perfect mix and it worked for me, though in the end I just got bored with it... I might try it again, I need a bit of variety.

[NUKe]

tried all of these over the years as food for between stops
grab and go i.e. quick stop shove in your mouth.

jam and peanut butter sandwiches, Cheese and Jam sandwiches, Flapjack Malt loaf, pasta with various toppings, dried fruit, Nuts, bananas(I don't like them but they are good) Chocolate, sausage rolls,
you get tired of them all eventually,


Pocket food eat whilst still moving
Kendal mint cake
wine gums
Jelly babies
jelly cubes
dried fruit,
Nuts,
gels absolute last resort for me they turn my stomach.

[ianrobo]

So as my miles are going up and my rides are getting longer im starting to think about eating while im out.

Im doing about 20miles at the moment which takes about 1.5hrs, should i be eating or drinking anything other than water?

Ive singed up for my first event in april, 35miles and im trying to get it all dialed in

There are a lot of factors here and could post an whole diatribe on this but here goes ...

The main reason for most people to eat is because of the bonk ... that is where your glycogen stores are near their end and the brain requires a certain about of glucose to work (about 600 cals day) so then the brain shuts down the supply to other parts of your body to preserve itself.

altogether all humans have 2000 cals of glucose in muscle stores so lets say you start out with those full that is about 2 hours worth of HARD effort to deplete them. So for a ride of 35 miles which you ride and you can still talk freely you do not have to eat.

However some people like to do this so my advice are simple cheap jelly babies ... they provide carbs, easy to store in back pocket and taste nice ! Nothing else needed at 1 quid a pack, the likes of gels and energy drinks are just PR BS and frankly cause a lot of people (inc. me) horrific stomach issues.

[Cyril Haearn]

tried all of these over the years as food for between stops
grab and go i.e. quick stop shove in your mouth.

jam and peanut butter sandwiches, Cheese and Jam sandwiches, Flapjack Malt loaf, pasta with various toppings, dried fruit, Nuts, bananas(I don't like them but they are good) Chocolate, sausage rolls,
you get tired of them all eventually,


Pocket food eat whilst still moving
Kendal mint cake
wine gums
Jelly babies
jelly cubes
dried fruit,
Nuts,
gels absolute last resort for me they turn my stomach.

Why are gels revolting? Surely they could be made to taste good at least, or made into liquids

[Vorpal]

Why are gels revolting? Surely they could be made to taste good at least, or made into liquids

To me, they are sickeningly sweet. I taste sugar and whatever artificial flavour they have decided to call it.

The energy bars and that sort of thing are somewhat more palatable, but I'd still rather eat food.

[hemo]

For my 72 mile ride to the coast and home yesterday, I had breckie of whole wheat cereal and a cuppa tea with honey. For my lunch on the coast beef and pickle sarnie, for an energy pick me up I take snacking fruit of apricots & prunes. For drink a water bottle with a zero tab.

[mjr]

What is it with all these posts claiming to have ridden to the moon (to the moon, Alice!) before breakfast and only eating dry breadsticks and drinking the rain that fell on the way? What are you trying to prove? It ain't heroic. If you enjoy it, carry on, by all means, but why post the fifteenth example? Is it a variation of the four Yorkshiremen? Is it a fun game of trying to make newbies bonk?

[NUKe]

tried all of these over the years as food for between stops
grab and go i.e. quick stop shove in your mouth.

jam and peanut butter sandwiches, Cheese and Jam sandwiches, Flapjack Malt loaf, pasta with various toppings, dried fruit, Nuts, bananas(I don't like them but they are good) Chocolate, sausage rolls,
you get tired of them all eventually,


Pocket food eat whilst still moving
Kendal mint cake
wine gums
Jelly babies
jelly cubes
dried fruit,
Nuts,
gels absolute last resort for me they turn my stomach.

Why are gels revolting? Surely they could be made to taste good at least, or made into liquids

For me they way too sweet and feel nauseous. They are a quick carb hit for racing, they are not something required for the average rider.

[tatanab]

What is it with all these posts claiming to have ridden to the moon (to the moon, Alice!) before breakfast and only eating dry breadsticks and drinking the rain that fell on the way? What are you trying to prove? It ain't heroic. If you enjoy it, carry on, by all means, but why post the fifteenth example? Is it a variation of the four Yorkshiremen? Is it a fun game of trying to make newbies bonk?

No. It is an antidote (light hearted I hope) to those who say they cannot move without a couple of pounds of porridge inside them, supplemented by honey sandwiches every hour with a couple of litres to drink before the end of the road . I recall being useless on the bike after a big cafe fry up which took at least an hour to settle. It just emphasises what Vorpal says "we are all different". Having acknowledged that, the only way to find out is to ride, and ride with others, and so find from experience what suits YOU.

[PH]

What is it with all these posts claiming to have ridden to the moon (to the moon, Alice!) before breakfast and only eating dry breadsticks and drinking the rain that fell on the way? What are you trying to prove? It ain't heroic. If you enjoy it, carry on, by all means, but why post the fifteenth example? Is it a variation of the four Yorkshiremen? Is it a fun game of trying to make newbies bonk?

I think you need to grab a bit of perspective, I haven't read anything that sounds like anyone is trying to prove anything. What the thread proves is we're all different and there's plenty of suggestions for anyone interested to try. Insulting people who have a different experience to you doesn't make them wrong, just different.

[mjr]

I think you need to grab a bit of perspective, I haven't read anything that sounds like anyone is trying to prove anything. What the thread proves is we're all different and there's plenty of suggestions for anyone interested to try. Insulting people who have a different experience to you doesn't make them wrong, just different.

I think that's more of a lack of perspective as there's been more than suggestions. There's been some direct instructions which seem like rather dodgy advice to me, at best not applicable to everyone, mixed up with insulting suggestions that eating or drinking is bother, a desire or weakness:

you'll be fine without too much food
[...]
remember, you're not going into the Mongolian steppe, you're on a ride in the UK

Unless the weather is warm, I wouldn't even bother with water in 35miles.
Nice and hydrated before I leave, and that's it. Drink when I get home.

(similar things have been reposted several times...)

And not forgetting:

Play around with it and find what works for you, we're all different but the advice to eat before you're hungry probably applies to us all.
I like peanut butter and jam sandwiches on nice white bread, I can ride all day on a couple of them.

What was the point of posting that? It didn't really support us all being different, as it was very similar to some earlier posts, but seemed like it was trying to one-up them by going further on less and that seemed to continue until we finally went completely foodless with:

[...] for a ride of 35 miles which you ride and you can still talk freely you do not have to eat.

However some people like to do this so my advice are simple cheap jelly babies ...

I'd call it a micturation contest, but we've already had a more real one of those in this topic!