# Eating on Longer Rides



## scottyr7 (Jul 23, 2009)

Hey everyone, I am working my way up to my first century on August 30. This weekend I am doing an 80 mile supported ride.

My question is, what are some eating habits of some of you on longer rides. Everyone that I talk to says drink before you are thirsty and eat before you are hungry. I have done some 30 and 50 mile rides and never really felt the urge to eat. Just curious what everyone else does.


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## Daren (Jul 25, 2008)

scottyr7 said:


> . I have done some 30 and 50 mile rides and never really felt the urge to eat.


I have to force myself to eat when I ride. Even when if I wait until I start to feel hunger, I don't want to eat.

I have found that if I drink Heed sports and eat a Hammer gel pack every 45 minutes to an hour, I can go all day. But nutrition is highly personalized. In my group, some hate Heed and love Cytomax. Some hate both and drink water, and so on. Its taken me years of experimenting to find something that works, so I'd suggest you go load up on a bunch of different things and see what works for you.

As a side note, on supported centuries, I've been known to live off the oatmeal cream pies and peanut butter sandwiches that they supply at the SAGs:thumbsup:


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

I frequently do solo unsupported centuries with nothing but the bottle of water on my bike. I will stick a gel pack in my jersey pocket but more often than not it goes unused.

Saturday and Sunday are 120 km group rides and I will have a can of iced tea at the regroup point.

Depends on what you are used to and how you have trained, but when I hear what people eat/bring on these centuries I wonder why they didn't stay home and go to an all you can eat buffet instead.

What I am adamant about keeping is my post ride beer in the shower, that is a non-negotiable part of my rides nutrition strategy.


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## 180 (Jan 10, 2009)

I've overate on a couple longer rides, ended up feeling sick. I'd say eat before your hungry but eat really light. Use the gels, sports beans, shot blocks. I can't even recommend the bars because I can't stand any of them. Also Power Bars messed with my digestive track. Fiber-y stuff will make you feel bloated. You can keep a little bag of your own trailmix on hand (preztels, dried fruit, nuts, animal crackers, mms)


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## ROAD&DIRT (Mar 27, 2009)

Water in one bottle, Gatoraide in the other, drinking often... some peanut butter crakers in the jersey pockets and maybe fig bars and I'm good.

Supported rides: Water in both bottles and when emptied have them filled with what ever they have at the rest points, eat again what ever they have and grab a few snacks for the pockets


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

scottyr7 said:


> I have done some 30 and 50 mile rides and never really felt the urge to eat. Just curious what everyone else does.


80 is a lot different from 50. You can go 2 1/2 to 3 hours on internal stores, but at some point not far beyond that you run low, and if you haven't taken on fuel sometime eariler you can bonk, and it's not a nice feeling. Experiment on your shorter rides to find out what your stomach can tolerate. Among the usual favorites are various energy bars, fig newtons, pbj sandwiches, bananas, etc.


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## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

I use fig newtons too (actually the Wally World generic, as they're 1/3 the price). Got the idea from here, and it's been fantastic. I put a full pack in a baggie. I eat it as necessary on long rides. 
Clif shot blocks, GU shots, Power Bar orange shots, and the Jelly Belly beans are good too. I've used peanut butter cookies and snacks too, and they're good. Simple carbs - I saw a pic of a TDF cyclist drinking Coca Cola during the race for energy!


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Clif Bars, Bananas, junk, Brauts, PB&J. Whatever. Just eat.


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## nor_cal_rider (Dec 18, 2006)

I like to snack on the fruit that is provided at supported centuries. I also keep a couple of gels and a cliff bar with me for early starts or later in the day when the food is either not available or too picked over.


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

Daren said:


> I have found that if I drink Heed sports and eat a Hammer gel pack every 45 minutes to an hour, I can go all day.


That's almost exactly what I do. Heed is an "acquired taste" though. First time I tried it I thought I was going to puke. Now, I can drink it like it's water (or beer).

I carry some of the individual Heed packs with me too, so when stop at rest stops, I can just put water in my bottles and mix them up. I don't have to worry if they don't have anything good to drink (most places seem to have only water or Gatorade, and you couldn't pay me enough to drink that crap).


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## seany916 (Feb 8, 2006)

Definitely drink before you're thirsty, at least a few sips every 10-15 minutes.

I tend not to do well eating too much. Just makes me feel heavy, slow and bloated. I would try eating about 1/2 of what you think you should and a bit more if you start to feel hungry.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Lasting a long time*



ewitz said:


> I frequently do solo unsupported centuries with nothing but the bottle of water on my bike. I will stick a gel pack in my jersey pocket but more often than not it goes unused.


You're claiming that you have rougly 3500 calories somehow stored on/in your body? That's a typical calorie burn for 100 miles, and that exceeds any numbers I've ever seen about glycogen storage. Now, if you ride really easy, you might be able to get by with as little as 2500 calories, but even that number is right at the limit normally published in the literature.


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2009)

I like perpetuem from Hammer nutrition, once you test it a little bit and know how much you need its pretty easy to mix up a bottle that will cover you for several hours.


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## Farmer Tan (Jan 25, 2009)

I stuff a bunch of gels and a few food bars in the jersey.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Kerry Irons said:


> You're claiming that you have rougly 3500 calories somehow stored on/in your body? That's a typical calorie burn for 100 miles, and that exceeds any numbers I've ever seen about glycogen storage. Now, if you ride really easy, you might be able to get by with as little as 2500 calories, but even that number is right at the limit normally published in the literature.


Usually 5-5.5 hrs, slow enough.

I don't claim anything, I just get on my bike and ride. It's not rocket science.


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## voodooguy (Aug 18, 2007)

kytyree said:


> I like perpetuem from Hammer nutrition, once you test it a little bit and know how much you need its pretty easy to mix up a bottle that will cover you for several hours.



Ditto on Hammer.... On long rides I'll sometimes mix a bit of Carbo Gain (100% Maltodextrin) and a bit of OJ to flavor it a tad.


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## PMC (Jan 29, 2004)

My 2 cents-
Try and drink a bottle an hour if you can... more if it's hot. Dehydration is one of your two big issues when you're new to longer rides.
Eat early eat often just don't eat a lot. If I'm going to be out for a while I try and eat at 30-40 minutes and then every 30 or so after that. You don't need to eat a ton but keep it coming and you have a much better chance of not bonking. Eat whatever you can stomach on the bike, everyone is different so I won't bore you with what I eat.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!


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## deathride2010 (Jun 26, 2009)

If your body is acting thirsty, your already in trouble. Depending on temp, and energy used adjust your water intake. Also potassium is great on longer rides. It prevents the sore feeling. I eat a quarter of a banana about every thirty minutes, and also a quarter pb&j.

But as all have said before it is what works with you and your stomach. The team I ride with no one eats the same.


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## indysteel (Jul 21, 2006)

ewitz said:


> Usually 5-5.5 hrs, slow enough.
> 
> I don't claim anything, I just get on my bike and ride. It's not rocket science.


If that works for you, then great, but I think you're likely the exception. Heck, I get hungry over 5 hours even if I'm just sitting at my desk at work. I can get by on a century with a few cookies and a couple of bananas. If I didn't eat even that, however, I would feel like crap. Plus, I get incrediably irriitable when my blood sugar starts to drop. Plus, in my experience, if I don't eat properly during a long ride, I'm a lot more likely to overeat afterwards. I'd rather just eat enough during the ride.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Good for you*



ewitz said:


> Usually 5-5.5 hrs, slow enough.
> 
> I don't claim anything, I just get on my bike and ride. It's not rocket science.


Well apparently it is rocket science, because none of the scientific literature suggests that what is working for you will work for any range of "normal" people, including trained athletes. Study after study shows a dropoff in performance if no calories are consumed in the 1.5-2 hour range. You're doing roughly triple that. It's not a recommendation to make to anyone else.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Water in one bottle, Gatorade in the other. Fig Newtons & trail mix are my staples. I drink a lot. Within 30 min of the ride start I drink at least 1 16oz glass of water, sometimes a Little more. Depending on the temp/humidity, I try to drink a full bottle per hour. That's just what works for me. YMMV.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Kerry Irons said:


> Well apparently it is rocket science, because none of the scientific literature suggests that what is working for you will work for any range of "normal" people, including trained athletes. Study after study shows a dropoff in performance if no calories are consumed in the 1.5-2 hour range. You're doing roughly triple that. It's not a recommendation to make to anyone else.


Ever read 'Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story Of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium by Joe Parkin'

Pro Kermis racer's weren't reading these studies.


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## fliowa (Aug 13, 2008)

I'm 6'3" 205-210lbs. When I do a century ride I do the following. 
1. carbo load for three days leading up to event.
2. eat about 600 calorie breakfast 2 to 3 hrs before start of century ride 
3. Sip on a sports drink until about a hour before start of ride.
4. 10 minutes before start I eat a gel pack.
5. During ride I eat about 100 grams of carbs for every hour of riding
6. I drink about 4 to 5 ounces of a sport drink every 15 minutes during ride
7. post ride I consume about 100 grams of carbs and 25 grams of protein within 30 minutes.
8.two to four hours after the ride I eat another 100 grams of carbs and 25 grams of protein 
9. four to six hours after the ride I eat another 100 grams of carbs and 25 grams of protein.

This works for me. You need to experiment with your nutritional needs during your training rides. You need to find foods and drinks that do not cause you problems.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

fliowa said:


> I'm 6'3" 205-210lbs. When I do a century ride I do the following.
> 1. carbo load for three days leading up to event.
> 2. eat about 600 calorie breakfast 2 to 3 hrs before start of century ride
> 3. Sip on a sports drink until about a hour before start of ride.
> ...



...and by the end of this whole process you have ridden 100 miles and gained 5 pounds.


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## seany916 (Feb 8, 2006)

but it will get him through the century


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## fliowa (Aug 13, 2008)

ewitz said:


> ...and by the end of this whole process you have ridden 100 miles and gained 5 pounds.


The ride itself burns about 7000 calories depending on the course and how fast I do it. Steps 7,8,and 9 assists me with the quickest recovery for the following day which may include another long ride or a long day at work. The important thing is for each individual to find out what works best for them. I don't get sick and I don't bonk. I have never seen a five lb weight gain but I don't expect to lose weight either. I try to come as close to starting weight as possible.


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

I usually just keep eating and drinking constantly. If you find yourself being thirsty or hungry you should probably stop for a while and recover before continuing on. You should probably have to stop to pee a few times. If your not peeing fairly clear drink more.


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## HikenBike (Apr 3, 2007)

kytyree said:


> I like perpetuem from Hammer nutrition, once you test it a little bit and know how much you need its pretty easy to mix up a bottle that will cover you for several hours.


+100 for perpetuem. Doesn't taste great, but it works and it's easy on the GI.

Be aware that eating too much will make you sick. Your body can only process so many carbs per hour (30-60g). 

Drinking too much water can also make you severely sick: google "hyponatremia". One of my riding buddies spent several days in the hospital due to hyponatremia.


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## Pelvic_Banana (Jun 30, 2009)

Fiber-one bars, kashi whole grain bars, quaker chewys, clif bars, power bars- those kind of carb-loaded bars work wonders for me on centuries. I've tried the sport beans, the clif shot blocks and vanilla hamerhead gel and liked them all, but it's just easier, cheaper and more convenient for me to snack on bars I just buy at the grocery store.

I guess I could try to buy the beans, gels and blocks in bulk, but I find that for those 5 hour long rides, a simple bar full of carbs is all I need.


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## Darth Moots (Jun 7, 2009)

I eat a banana, 4 fig newtons and drink 16 oz water before leaving the house. 

I throw down another 4 fig newtons after every 25 miles. 

Two water bottles - one with lemon-lime Nuun and one with just water.

Works for me


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## worst_shot_ever (Jul 27, 2009)

Re hyponatremia: a guy I worked with, here in Wash, DC, killed himself on a training ride this way. As I heard it, no one he was with on the ride had a clue this was possible, and some suggested he drink more water when he started to get head pain. My point is, Hikenbike makes a good point.

That said, I've been wondering about the eating issues as well, especially as I'm a Type I diabetic and new to cycling, so this has been a helpful thread.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I do solo unsupported long rides and I also do some Ultra events. I've found the Hammer stuff works well for me (disclaimer: Not sponsored or affiliated with them) after plenty of trial and error on long races and rides. By reading various sources that outline nutritional and fluid requirments and then some trial and error I've worked out what will let me perform at my best. Having the nutritional contents of the products listed on the containers and the ability to mix up and carry an appropriate amount of calories is useful. For longer ultra races, the better eaters are usually the better finishers. I seem to do well at ~300 calories an hour...that is what I mix up, though I sometimes finish with some leftover. For "12-hrs" I use that Perpetuem mixed up as a paste.(12 scoops=6hr bottle) Gel and Heed also, as needed for variety. I also make sure to keep some electrolytes coming in...I am still working on getting that right...


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## seanyboy501 (Jun 28, 2009)

I thought eating that much was silly.. but yesterday I hit a wall badly. I did 25 miles in an hour (which is good for me as a newbie to road cycling), on the way back I realised that the 500ml bottle I had was empty, and I'd eaten a chocolate bar. Even though it was only a 50 mile ride, I needed much more than just one bottle of water and one large bar of chocolate.. I should of eaten wayyy more carbs! I'm never going to miss out on food again! 
Yesterday was a pretty scary experience.


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## MarshallH1987 (Jun 17, 2009)

seanyboy501 said:


> I thought eating that much was silly.. but yesterday I hit a wall badly. I did 25 miles in an hour (which is good for me as a newbie to road cycling), on the way back I realised that the 500ml bottle I had was empty, and I'd eaten a chocolate bar. Even though it was only a 50 mile ride, I needed much more than just one bottle of water and one large bar of chocolate.. I should of eaten wayyy more carbs! I'm never going to miss out on food again!
> Yesterday was a pretty scary experience.


Hitting the way is exactly the reason why I eat as much as I can during long rides without making myself sick. Eat earlier on in the ride so you have the fuel in you before your body starts searching.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Beginners should ignore the accepted basic facts about cycling...not. All this 'collected wisdom' has been proven over and over to be true for almost every human who turns the cranks on a bike. If it's widely accepted by all that eating and drinking properly is necessary on rides over a few hours long..then why would you think..."Oh, that's BS, that doesn't mean ME...I am different"? Yeah, there is some variation for individuals and some circumstances may allow for minor deviations from the accepted known facts, but the experts, (to use a loose term) aren't just making this stuff up ...

Bike fit, conditioning, fueling and hydration needs, aerodymanics..on and on...there is a huge body of knowledge out there and it applies to everyone..

.No need to 'rediscover the bonk' your own self....though it happens (usually due to events beyond one's control) to almost everyone at one time or another...


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

scottyr7 said:


> Hey everyone, I am working my way up to my first century on August 30. This weekend I am doing an 80 mile supported ride.
> 
> My question is, what are some eating habits of some of you on longer rides. Everyone that I talk to says drink before you are thirsty and eat before you are hungry. I have done some 30 and 50 mile rides and never really felt the urge to eat. Just curious what everyone else does.


Basically all of the answers you got are right from the perspective of the person giving the answer, but nobody asked the key question--how hard are you going to ride?

Food requirements during a century ride depend on the exertion level. If you ride at an easy pace you can eat like you do on a normal day. Riding an easy touring pace for 100 miles with only a good breakfast and a stop for a normal lunch and maybe a snack or 2 is just fine. If you ride 100 miles at a high level of exertion, like a race, then you need to eat roughly 300 calories per hour of high carb, easily digested food.

Drinking requirements depend on heat and humidity as well as exertion. You should drink enough that you don't get thirsty and you should need to urinate a few times. If this is a large volume (more than 4 liters), then the drink should include electrolytes.


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