Post ride sensible sustenance

David2504
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Joined: 11 Mar 2021, 5:29pm

Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by David2504 »

Often at the end of a ride a rider may find themselves in a semi-starved and dehydrated condition which can lead to unwise food choices. In my experience when riding longer distances nutrition during the ride is key in avoiding post ride munchies or indeed even worse a bonk during the ride is nutrition during the ride.

For example today I rode 67 miles with 4,200 feet ascent at a steady pace. That might not be particularly long for some but for me it was my longest ride of the year so far. I had a breakfast of muesli, a little fruit, yogurt and milk around 90 minutes before the start of my ride. I took with me 3 * peanut butter/jam sandwiches (3 slices of wholemeal bread), which I ate at around 20, 30, and 50 miles. I also had a flapjack & coffee at 30 miles at cafe stop. I took 2*750ml bidons of cordial (full sugar version) with a pinch of salt added. I could probably have got away with one as the weather was not as hot as forecasted, warmish with broken cloud cover and light breeze. I actually consumed just over one bidon during the ride. Best of all I felt no fatigue during the ride, even in the last few miles.

When I got home, I felt fine, slightly tired, not hungry. My post ride snack was an apple. I will have my evening meal as normal, Shepard’s Pie, today.

So IMO food during the ride is the key. Get that right and you should have no problems.
Last edited by David2504 on 18 May 2022, 6:51am, edited 4 times in total.
carlislemike
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Location: Forest Hill, London

Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by carlislemike »

I have read all the posts emanating from what was, imo, a simple question and I have been stunned by the varied responses, technical, scientific, philosophical and practical. I think that the conclusion is to think what I eat beforehand; which is my major failing, to plan better when an what I drink eat during a ride of any bt the shortest spin and to preplan my post ride nourishment rather than just raiding the 'fridge and cupboards on spec.
Psamathe
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Psamathe »

Re: Post ride (sensible) sustenance
Maybe I'm strange but I've never felt the need for a "post ride sustenance". Depending on the time I get home I might have an expected meal e.g. morning ride and get home 13:00 so it's then lunchtime so have normal lunch.

But normally I'll get home, have coffee. Even after a long ride that has me knackered I'll still have a coffee and eat next normal meal time. On tour, long ride, arrive, setup tent, boil some water for coffee. If self-catering, pop-out to supermarket or if restauranting then more coffee but next food is at the next normal mealtime. Long knackering ride (particularly on tour) the meal might be more substantial.

Ian
mattheus
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by mattheus »

It's not a proper ride if it's not long enough to get you to the next "normal" meal time! :-)
Jdsk
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Jdsk »

carlislemike wrote: 14 May 2022, 11:42am Not my usual post ride feed drink but had 2 raw eggs in about a third of a pint of semi skimmed milk as my protein powder was missing! Is it sensible to drink something which 50+ years ago, I took as a post hangover drink? At 74 I’m less concerned about that previous usage but more about cholesterol etc.?
My emboldening.

I've already commented on whether there's a need for anything special at all.

Specifically on cardiovascular risk and without knowing your medical history... at 74 I wouldn't put dietary factors high in avoiding the development of atherosclerosis. As with anyone else you should avoid smoking, not become overweight, take appropriate exercise (sounds as if you are), reduce stress, think about alcohol intake, and have your blood pressure measured occasionally. It might be worth having your risk assessed for consideration of taking a statin.

Jonathan
mattsccm
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by mattsccm »

If thats your daughters exercise might I suggest that she has bought into a shed load of marketing. A normal diet will provide meore than enough.
I would bother with anything after a hundred miler except possibly a bit more of an evening meal. It might be an excuse for some pudding though.
I really think that people over think this. All these special diets may have value for a pro cyclist but for those of use doing less mileage why bother?
Of course I could equally say that it matters not a jot what you eat if you like it.
If you really want to jump on the recovery meal idea have a bottle of chocolate milk or a bacon sandwich.
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foxyrider
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by foxyrider »

Psamathe wrote: 18 May 2022, 1:07pm Re: Post ride (sensible) sustenance
Maybe I'm strange but I've never felt the need for a "post ride sustenance". Depending on the time I get home I might have an expected meal e.g. morning ride and get home 13:00 so it's then lunchtime so have normal lunch.

But normally I'll get home, have coffee. Even after a long ride that has me knackered I'll still have a coffee and eat next normal meal time. On tour, long ride, arrive, setup tent, boil some water for coffee. If self-catering, pop-out to supermarket or if restauranting then more coffee but next food is at the next normal mealtime. Long knackering ride (particularly on tour) the meal might be more substantial.

Ian
+1 again! :D
Convention? what's that then?
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Bsteel
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Bsteel »

Psamathe wrote: 18 May 2022, 1:07pm Re: Post ride (sensible) sustenance
Maybe I'm strange but I've never felt the need for a "post ride sustenance". Depending on the time I get home I might have an expected meal e.g. morning ride and get home 13:00 so it's then lunchtime so have normal lunch.

But normally I'll get home, have coffee. Even after a long ride that has me knackered I'll still have a coffee and eat next normal meal time. On tour, long ride, arrive, setup tent, boil some water for coffee. If self-catering, pop-out to supermarket or if restauranting then more coffee but next food is at the next normal mealtime. Long knackering ride (particularly on tour) the meal might be more substantial.
I agree, as long as the rides mainly completed within my zone 2 cardio limit. However, pushing above that and I'll find myself looking for something extra during and post ride.
David2504
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by David2504 »

I agree, as long as the rides mainly completed within my zone 2 cardio limit. However, pushing above that and I'll find myself looking for something extra during and post ride.
How do you manage to keep in zone 2 on hills?
Bsteel
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Bsteel »

David2504 wrote: 26 May 2022, 8:26am
I agree, as long as the rides mainly completed within my zone 2 cardio limit. However, pushing above that and I'll find myself looking for something extra during and post ride.
How do you manage to keep in zone 2 on hills?
No clever answer, I just ride slower in lower gears.
JohnMorgan
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by JohnMorgan »

Raw eggs and milk as an after ride snack? Well, if it floats your boat.

I’ve never been one for ‘specialist’ diets, but then I’ve never been an Olympic athlete either :-) It’s always been a ‘pre-game’ orange for me, with bananas during, and then whatever I can lay my hands on after. Never been overly worried about cholesterol and such. I suspect I have been overly influenced but Alf Tupper and the Victor :-)

Although Linford Christie famously trained on ‘anything with chips’, on the principle that if you’re training six days a week, you can eat what you want.
Andy Stow
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Andy Stow »

I don't do anything for recovery after bike rides except some stretching (when I remember) and replenishing liquids with electrolytes if it's been a hot ride and I'm dehydrated. After weight lifting, though, I do a protein shake plus creatine and find it significantly reduces soreness the next day and helps make gains. I'm a very hard gainer, and the few times I'd tried lifting earlier in life and didn't use protein + creatine I'd had negligible results, which discouraged me enough that I sort of gave up. Now I've managed to add close to 20 lb of muscle, but it's taken years!
jamieirl
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by jamieirl »

Not that it's the type of thing you'd be able to grab from your fridge if you don't already have any, but after my mid morning cycle I always have one of these protein bars - https://www.scienceinsport.com/shop-by- ... ar-12-pack. They do salted caramel flavour so that was what made me buy them but they're made especially for muscle recovery
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Sweep
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Sweep »

jamieirl wrote: 3 Aug 2022, 3:21pm Not that it's the type of thing you'd be able to grab from your fridge if you don't already have any, but after my mid morning cycle I always have one of these protein bars - https://www.scienceinsport.com/shop-by- ... ar-12-pack. They do salted caramel flavour so that was what made me buy them but they're made especially for muscle recovery
but £33 for 12?

(other sources of salt are available)
Sweep
Nearholmer
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Re: Post ride sensible sustenance

Post by Nearholmer »

So IMO food during the ride is the key. Get that right and you should have no problems.
m

My experience says exactly the same, yet periodically I still mess it up.

My favoured plan is eggs and toast (thick brown bread) for breakfast, a decent-sized lump of flapjack about 2hrs in, then peanut butter and jam sandwiches (thick brown bread), plus crisps (salt) and an apple a further 2hrs in.

Where I tend to go wrong is failing to plan for another top-up if the ride extends to 6hrs+. When I get it right that tends to be mixed fruit and nuts.

I is usually carry only water, but sometimes treat myself to ginger cordial.

What you will note is nothing fancy/expensive/specialist. A bit old-fashioned really!

This is brilliant afterwards https://www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/chick ... eens-broth
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