I decided this morning that I was going to ride my first Century. 6.5hrs later and 5 energy bars + energy drink later I returned home. I didn’t bonk, but after energy bar 3 they do start to get rather sickly.

Anyone got any really good ideas for nutrition on longer rides?

I purchased a packet of salted peanuts from the garage 60 miles in, but have you ever tried eating peanuts whilst riding! When you are eating them with a pint in the pub they are great, but don’t really work when you are riding. They take ages to chew and they dry the throat right out.

Jelly babies always work for me as something to munch on between energy gels, and they are soo easy to eat

Just drink water and ride faster?

I find mixed fruit and nuts more palatable than just nuts.

Jam pieces !

Peanut butter and jam works well too

Wrap in tin foil rather than cling film – you might stand a chance o getting in to em !

I purchased a packet of salted peanuts from the garage 60 miles in, but have you ever tried eating peanuts whilst riding! When you are eating them with a pint in the pub they are great, but don’t really work when you are riding. They take ages to chew and they dry the throat right out.

Don’t peanuts normally come in little serving dishes? Have you thought of this?
Otherwise bananas.

Cheese and jam and ham sanwiches……work for me.

SB

Cheese sandwich. Saved me on many a long ride.

92 miles here today. Bowl or ready break before start, 1 banana and 1 750ml bottle with electrolyte. Sorted

might carry some jelly babies next time just to freshening up and something to look forward to.

Oats / Meusli for breakfast, powerade on a bottle, slices of malt loaf in one pocket, jelly babies in the other. Mmmmmm mmm.

Couple slices of toast and jam, quick brew. Then Malt loaf, jelly babies and or flapjack and a couple of bottles of juice for the ride

I reckon that we can learn a lot from the old days here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9189208/Soul-Food-Morgan-Meunier-on-his-grandmothers-rice-pudding-cakes.html

oatcakes work for me

they do start to get rather sickly.

Were you riding a bike or doing a restaurant review?

MTFU is appropriate here I feel.

Banana, Soreen, and jelly babies.

90 miles today.Half a torq bar and one 500ml bottle.Just was’nt hungry/thirsty.

92 miles and 1 750ml bottle of fluid!

I consumed 4.75 litres of fluid on my ride. 750ml is no where near enough fluid for a 92 mile ride

Go to the supermarket and have a look in the savoury crackers bit to see what they have, cheesy oatcakes are great.

Some cereal bars are less sweet than energy bars – things like nature valley aren’t too bad.

Peanut butter sandwich or something savoury between two slices of bread.

Bananas.

You don’t necessarily need non sweet things but a variety can help. Ditching the energy drink also makes a difference.

For the Kielder 100 I packed a couple of pork pies and on other long rides sausage rolls feature – can eat on the move and make a change from sweets.

If you are not racing you can often get by with “normal” snack food.

750ml is no where near enough fluid for a 92 mile ride

So you had about 5 litres of fluid for 100 miles?

A litre for each 20 miles?
500 mls for each 10 miles?
50 mls per mile?

It’s enough for me and that was a 18mph avg. 1 do have another 500 ml when I get back in the house though with another half tablet.

Where do you keep 5l of fluid?

Yep. I set off with a ful 2 litre camelbak loaded with power bar energy stuff and a 750ml n my jersey pocket. At the 60 mile mark I purchased a further 2 litre bottle of water and a 500ml bottle of Gatorade.

I always drink lots of fluids when I ride

92 miles and 1 750ml bottle of fluid!

I consumed 4.75 litres of fluid on my ride. 750ml is no where near enough fluid for a 92 mile ride

Everyone is different which is why its daft to suggest how much people should drink, tho I dont get why a few people on here like to state they are camels and people dont need to drink, thats just not a good way to give advice, it could really screw some people over, (carbon337- not a gripe at you, your obviously a lot fitter than most but you must know that a lot of people cant cope with that little liquid, so i think you need to consider that when giving your reccomendations).

[edit: too slow, just saw your second post. sorry]

Ahhh… your problem is using a Camelbak.

Dried fruit mix (raisins, cranberries, blueberries) works well.

Yep. I set off with a ful 2 litre camelbak loaded with power bar energy stuff and a 750ml n my jersey pocket. At the 60 mile mark I purchased a further 2 litre bottle of water and a 500ml bottle of Gatorade.

What bike were you on? hilly much?

Not a recommendation really but if I was then I’d suggest 2×750 bottles with some electrolyte should suit most.

But camelbacks on road bikes….whatever next? Headset spacers or SPD pedals tut tut 😥

Pressume your road biking at that distance…?

Bananas
Flapjacks (made with seeds and dried fruit)
Malt loaf
Fig rolls.

Whatever you find easy to eat on the go and fits in your pockets.

Haha. I get ribbed all the time by the roadies in the club for using my camelbak for road riding. I did make one change though, I stopped wearing my peaked mtb helmet and bought a roadie specific one.

With regards to the fluid question. This is an excerpt from the book “Tour de France for Dummies” written by Phil Ligget

“Riders also eat huge amounts of food during stages. 2 bottles of water every hour during the Tour, and in extreme heat, cyclists can drink three bottles (or nearly two quarts) of fluid per hour — that’s as much as three gallons during a long stage.”

Given I was riding for 6.5hours, I think my fluid intake was spot on

Given I was riding for 6.5hours, I think my fluid intake was spot on

but you only managed 100, whereas a Tour rider…. 😀

flanagaj… ask yourself, are you a dummie?

but you only managed 100, whereas a Tour rider….

And they are riding somewhere with sun 😆

So you had 2500 mls to do the last 40 miles?
1125mls for 20 miles?
562.5 mls for 10 miles?
56 mls for a mile?

Weigh yourself.
Go for a long, sweaty ride
Weigh yourself again.
The weight you’ve lost is roughly how much water you want to be drinking.

56 mls for a mile?

I’ve walked into the kitchen 3 times tonight and had 3 glasses of wine.

Each trip takes about 10 steps so I brought a whole bottle in last time I went.

What do I win?

What do I win?

Choose any prize from the top shelf. 🙂

I suggest readers wives.

Yes. I did drink 5 litres of fluid in total. Maybe too much, but would rather have too much then not enough and end up dehydrated.

With regards to not being a tour rider. Even if I was to only drink 1 750ml bottle of water per hour instead of the tour rider 2 that would equate to 6 * 750ml + 325ml = 4.825 litres of fluid.

50miles off road today 2 litres (750ml of electrolyte) and 2 gels. Was fine but started feeling it towards the end. Find eating the right stuff before the ride more important than the food you take with you. Can do a 70mile road ride with just fluids that way. Tried the jelly beans but no matter how dry my hands are they always get a little moist and make a mess!

Something else to think about: how well you fuel yourself today will affect how you ride tomorrow.

So as to avoid potential confusion for others looking to do longer rides. The following web page provides guidance on fluid / nutrition for 100 mile rides.

http://www.macmillanbikeride.com/routes.aspx

The key point is that it states the following

“For the 60 and 100 mile rides the key is to drink as much as you can. If you can drink 1 bottle an hour and have a gel as well you will be well on your way to keeping your energy reserves topped up enough to keep yourself from the dreading “BONK”. Top this up with an energy bar or similar every other hour and you shouldn’t encounter any issues. Again carrying enough fuel for this distance is hard but manageable. Make sure you have enough sachets of powder to see you through your estimated time. If there are aid stations where you can fill up with energy drink then that is better, but we recommend being self-sufficient as much as possible to avoid any potential logistic problems.”

So one bottle an hour at an average speed of 15.5mph equals 6.5hrs and a total of 4.5 litres of fluid. I don’t feel so confused now regarding my fluid intake for yesterdays ride.

I think there must be a few human camels on this forum