Your top tips for fuelling your ride

[BeccieA]

Hey all. I'm writing a beginners' guide to fuelling your ride. This is aimed at people who maybe started cycling to work, got bitten by the bug and want to do longer rides and are thinking about proper fuelling. I was wondering if you'd share your top tips to be included in the article. I'll credit any used and will be providing a link back to the forum.

Thanks!

[Carlton green]

Hi all. I'm Rebecca, if you use the Cycling UK website you might recognise my name as I write regular articles.

I suspect that people will have forgotten the OP so here’s a refresher (^^).

The subject of refuelling has come up before so the clever (er than me) might help the OP with a search. To act as energy top-ups there are traditional snacks such as dried fruits and bananas, oat based bars are popular (but beware high sugar contents) and I like oatcakes. My top and inexpensive tip, for what little it’s worth, is to have a drink and a biscuit - or two - well before you get tired enough to (find you) need them .

[mjr]

My top tip, for what little it’s worth, is to have a drink and a biscuit - or two - well before you get tired enough to need them.

A drink is a great idea! Plenty of calories and a bit of muscle relaxant. However, just the one, Mrs Wembley!

I think the traditional pub stop might be regarded as improper fuelling in these days when cycling is seen as a masochistic sport done only by people who are bitten by bugs, instead of straightforward uncomplicated fun. Listen to your body: eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty and remember to laugh.

[axel_knutt]

Velocio's Rules:

1. Keep your stops short and few in order to maintain your rhythm.
2. Eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re thirsty.
3. Never ride to the point of exhaustion so that you can’t eat or sleep.
4. Add a layer before you are cold, peel off before you are hot.
5. Don’t drink wine, smoke or eat meat on tour.
6. Never force the pace, especially in the first hours.
7. Never ride out of vanity, don’t be a show off.

[Jdsk]

Hi Beccie

That's very clear about the audience. What's the style and how will you approach the advice... A said this and B said that, or something more evidence-based? it's possible to do the latter for any audience.

How about including a mythbuster section?

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Pending that I d start with:

Get used to what works for you. Don't do anything that you haven't tried before for a long day or a hard day or an event, no matter how strongly someone else recommends it.

Have available enough water (which might be some other liquid containing water) and some carbohydrate that works well for you. Don't rely on finding it when you need it.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Advice that includes "drink before you're thirsty" needs to include advice on avoiding overhydration. That's dangerous and now surprisingly common. Evidence available of course.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Advice to that audience to drink alcohol would be irresponsible.

Jonathan

[roubaixtuesday]

Advice that includes "drink before you're thirsty" needs to include advice on avoiding overhydration. That's dangerous and now surprisingly common. Evidence available of course.

Jonathan

Not something I've come across - do you have a link?

[Jdsk]

Advice that includes "drink before you're thirsty" needs to include advice on avoiding overhydration. That's dangerous and now surprisingly common. Evidence available of course.

Not something I've come across - do you have a link?

"Exercise induced hyponatremia":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise- ... ponatremia

"The incidence of exercise-associated hyponatraemia in the London marathon":
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19622524/

We came across a couple of cases with neurological effects and originally.thought that it might be something idiosyncratic. The breakthrough came with weighing participants in the London Marathon. There are now other studies in several sports.

It's probably caused by fear of dehydration and aggressive marketing of proprietary drinks. And of course the habit of carrying water around in everyday life is much more common in the UK than it was.

Jonathan

[mattheus]

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/low-car ... rcise.html
"
Carbohydrate is not needed for exercise
It used to be widely thought that carbohydrate was needed for exercise. However, research has provided clear proof that low-carb and very-low-carb diets are no barrier to exercising.

One of many examples is a 2015 research study which essentially pitted two teams of experienced endurance runners against each other. 10 of them ate a diet in which carbohydrate accounted for 60% of their calories. The other team of 10 ate a very-low-carb diet in which only 10% of calories came from carbohydrate. [272] [273]

The runners were instructed to run for 3 hours and their ability to burn fat was monitored. The results showed that, not only were the runners on a very-low-carb diet perfectly able to run for three hours straight, they also burned more body fat than the high-carb team.
"

<runs away>

[roubaixtuesday]

Advice that includes "drink before you're thirsty" needs to include advice on avoiding overhydration. That's dangerous and now surprisingly common. Evidence available of course.

Not something I've come across - do you have a link?

"Exercise induced hyponatremia":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exercise- ... ponatremia

"The incidence of exercise-associated hyponatraemia in the London marathon":
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19622524/

We came across a couple of cases with neurological effects and originally.thought that it might be something idiosyncratic. The breakthrough came with weighing participants in the London Marathon. There are now other studies in several sports.

It's probably caused by fear of dehydration and aggressive marketing of proprietary drinks. And of course the habit of carrying water around in everyday life is much more common in the UK than it was.

Jonathan

Interesting thanks.

We found ourselves needing a *lot* of water in southern Italy and the Balkans last year. In one instance we went through 5 litres between us in an hour.

I didn't realise there was a potential downside.

From a brief scan it sounds like taking in lots of salt with the water is a good way to reduce risk?

[Jdsk]

It was probably inevitable that someone would bring up switching to fuelling from fat/ ketogenic diets. There's a vast amount on this in the forum archives.

From what I know of the audience for this article so far I wouldn't include this. But it could be important for people already on low-carbohydate diets who are considering more exercise, as opposed to athletes who are considering it as a way of improving endurance. (I'm not convinced that it does: all evidence welcome.)

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Which leads onto the desirability in the article for something brief on who needs to seek medical advice before increasing exercise.

Jonathan

[roubaixtuesday]

So, back on topic for the article...

My advice would be

(1) You don't need to eat anything special. Eat things you enjoy - it doesn't matter what
(2) Easy to carry robust things are best if it's being carried eg flapjacks, trail mix. Slices of victoria sponge, not so much
(3) It's good to have a little sweet treat to make you feel better if flagging. Jelly babies are great.
(4) A decent stop on a long ride, whether cafe or packed lunch helps enjoyment.