Done a few centuries on the road bike of late, any tips for keeping the legs spinning well after halfway?

Usually take out a couple of bottles of winter training fluid, couple of energy bars/bananas and look to get a sarnie/slab of cake half way round.

Up to 50 I'm in the drops spinning fine, I can usually pick it up again after 80/90miles as I'm on the home straight, 50-80 I'm flaking out all over the place, any tips?

Perhaps try a bit of shorter training without food to get used to it. I've managed to do a few 60+ milers without any food, just drinking (water or squash). Then hopefully if you eat as you go you will have tons of energy..

Work out how to pace yourself.

eat some more. Normally if I fee lik I'm flaking out then some food is enough to perk me up again. The other consideration is water. If it's anything other than cold then over a century more than 2 bottles is better.

Decent carb-based meal the day before and a substantial breakfast (porridge, bananas etc.) will help provide a solid base for your ride. You mention you take a couple of bananas / energy bars – perhaps you need to take more and don't forget energy drink. A little on a regular basis is the way I try to cope with long rides.

Lard.

Perhaps try a bit of shorter training without food to get used to it. I've managed to do a few 60+ milers without any food, just drinking (water or squash). Then hopefully if you eat as you go you will have tons of energy..

Why not push the boat out and ride without water as well? Your body will get used to it eventually and you'll be able to ride all day without a drop 😉

Cheers all, I'll stick another soreen in the back pocket and see how it goes, pacings a fair shout, up to the 50 just feels like you've got all the energy in the world then blammo.

Apricots. I've been riding with a bag in my pocket for the last few almost-centuries. I don't seem to get sick of them and they obviously have the right blend of something as I'm definitely improving my average speed (which is still pitiful…).

I'd take dates but I find them a bit too sweet after a while.

I would still look at how you pace your ride. You stop for cake and a sardine half way round?
Shrugs

Handfull of salted peanuts every hour or so and maybe a few jelly babies inbetween. Works fine for me.

How good are these energy gels? cant say i have ever tried them. arent they just a sugary based carb? if so, then wouldnt they merely give a short term energy fix?

As above, eat and drink more before and during the event.
Your intake for a century sounds quite light to me, especially if you are riding fairly briskly, rather than pootling round. On a warm day it wouldn't be unreasonable to double your fluid intake. The other important thing is to make sure you are continually nibbling at your food and sipping from your bottles to keep yourself topped up, rather than waiting until you are hungry and thirsty.

Training will help as well. Long, steady distance will help your body adapt to working more efficiently beyond the 2-3 hour threshold, but mix it up with some speed work as well. You still need to fuel up seriously for your long training rides, though!

It does sound more like a fitness/training issue than a food one

Eat right from the start, not wait till you get hungry cus it's too late then.

Also try proper food like a small sandwich, malt loaf is ace too, pro road riders don't just have sports food in their musettes 😉

Carb up the night before, have a sensible breakfast, e.g. porridge or eggs/bacon/beans/toast … pack the food you know gives you energy but take more of it, and take plenty of energy drink.

scratch, "what is your average for the 100 miles"???

When I did an 80 over some big hills approx 3 weeks ago I took 2 large bottles with SIS (energy drink) if you don't know, 2 bananas (early food) to be eaten within the first 20/30 miles, then I eat approx 4/5 snack bars, I currenty using Jordans "Frusli Red Berries" and I was fine, in fact we were sprinting for the last town sign and I won (get in), got home with an avarage of 19.5 so I has happy and felf OK TBH.

As other people say eat little and often and drink drink drink, ever stop at the local shop and buy a coke or somethink if you run out.

However I must say WELL DONE for the 100 miler, I've not done that for a few years.

Get used to eating and drinking on the bike so that when you do a longer ride your body knows what you're putting into it.

Trying to survive on gels if you haven't used them before is never going to work but at the same time you don't want your pockets to be bulging with rolls and bananas! A mix and match works for me, a couple of gels, some energy bars, a banana etc and a stop at a cafe for some proper food!

After the first hour of a long ride I eat something every 30 minutes – gels/bars/bananas/sandwich, whatever. Works well for me.

Dunno what you mean by winter training fluid but you're definately not drinking enough. On a 100 miler I'd get through at least 4 bottles of energy drink 3-4 gels and have some flapjack and cakes at the feed stations. There's usually two feed stations on a 100 mile sportive.

4 bottles of energy drink

Bloody hell, you must have an iron gut! I've had to limit myself to 1 bottle, maybe two, of that flat lucozade stuff you can buy in newsagents before my stomach starts rebelling, and I water it down a bit!

500 mls of liquid for every hour on the bike. at least. if its hotter you want a lot more than that… if you get dehydrated your performance will drop right off

I notice a massive drop in performance when dehydrated. Gels are ok but real food is cheaper and easier to stomach in large amounts. I carry them for emergencies when I feel I'm about to bonk or just for variation.

On the TdF it was regularly shown for riders to be unwrapping sandwiches. Didn't see an energy bars or gels.

Rice cakes

On the TdF it was regularly shown for riders to be unwrapping sandwiches. Didn't see an energy bars or gels.

they may have an odd sandwich in their musette at lunchtime, apart from that its gels, gels and more gels

Didn't see an energy bars or gels.

I saw them taking gels pretty often. I didn't see any of then stop for a picnic though.

OK, I'll ramp up the food intake, I've no idea how many calories I'm using on the ride. Couple of sachets of energy powder in the back pocket, try to remember to bake a tray of flap jack the night before, 6xmini-pork pies in the seat bag 😉

I am always amazed at how little road cyclists drink. When I ask for info on where the taps are for refills, everyone looks at me like I am mad, like you don't need to drink on a road bike. On hot days I take my camel back to ensure I get enough liquids in.

The pros only carry one 500ml bottle limited jersey pocket contents and no saddlebag so anymore than that and you are soft. Some people don't seem to notice the car behind them with spare bikes and a guy handing them food.

Some people don't seem to notice the car behind them with spare bikes and a guy handing them food.

You mean you haven't got one of these? You pauper 😉