What Food do you bring out on a cycle

ulinbac

Hey,

Just wondering what are the best foods to bring out on a cycling trip.

I always bring a litre of water with a pinch of salt in it and the belvita oat bars. If I stop mid-trip I try to pick up a coffee or lucozade sport but have found that i tend to be starving during the trip but when I come home and neck a protein shake, it goes away. This doesn't happen on gym days as it's usually a protein shake followed by dinner.

The more I google the more I find about gels (particularly High5??) for cycling. If it helps my rides atm are about 40-50k.

Thanks

Oryx

I prefer solid food on the bike. Too many gels can be sickening. Power bars, nougat, flapjacks and banana are good to kill that ravenous feeling. (Sounds like a picnic )

Clif blocks are really good too. Theyre jelly squares. Three = 1 gel, but they are nicer and handier.

Lumen

You shouldn't need to eat anything on a ride of less than two hours.

Brian?

Lumen wrote: »

You shouldn't need to eat anything on a ride of less than two hours.

Let the man eat if he feels hungry.

I bring gels and cliff bars. Small and calorie dense. On a longer spin I just eat more of them.

Maciej_D

For my 2hrs evening rides I'd usually only have a banana or two before leaving the house and would bring 750ml bottle of water.

For longer weekend spins 5-6hrs I'd fuel with nutritious breakfast up to 1.5-2hrs before the ride. I bring 2 high5 power bars and 2 sis gels + 750ml and 500ml bottles of water. Coffee and a scone at the half way stop. Often I end up bringing 1 gel back home.

Raam

I've been bringing the same gel around NCD for a couple of years now. He enjoys it.

Lumen

Brian? wrote: »

Let the man eat if he feels hungry.

I bring gels and cliff bars. Small and calorie dense. On a longer spin I just eat more of them.

I'm not stopping anyone from eating anything. Even if it might give them cancer.

ford2600

If cycling for general fitness/health and perhaps aiming or doing sportives even audax IMO there is no need for gels/energy bars etc.
Don't see point in eating healthy and then loading up on synthetic sugars just to cycle.
For two hrs spins I bring no food but won't get on bike hungry.
Longer spins eat very well before hand and bring two bananas and very weak isotonic drink or just plain water.
Over 4hrs will stop for something small.
If racing or training then you may need something, others can help with that.
Generally most people over estimate calorie burn.
Just because it's for sale doesn't mean you need it.
Get your body used to burning fat stores may be better all round

Brian?

Lumen wrote: »

I'm not stopping anyone from eating anything. Even if it might give them cancer.

Energy gels are usually about 80% maltodextrin.

Does that give you cancer as well?

If not an energy gel is less carcinogenic than an apple.

Bikerbhoy

Brian? wrote: »

Let the man eat if he feels hungry.

.

If he feels hungry on short spins like that then he hasnt eaten enough before he even gets on the bike.

Fluid is all you should need up to about 60 k or so spins

Lumen

Brian? wrote: »

Energy gels are usually about 80% maltodextrin.

Does that give you cancer as well?

If not an energy gel is less carcinogenic than an apple.

Firstly, here is a breakdown which shows that the average maltodextrin content across "all the current energy gels either produced in the US and/or readily available in the US" is only 56% (of total CHO). Feel free to provide contrary data.

Secondly, there been has a great deal written about why refined fructose has a different effect on the body than that contained in fruit, because fruit contains antioxidants and fibre which respectively counteract and moderate the effects of the fructose.

Brian?

Lumen wrote: »

Firstly, here is a breakdown which shows that the average maltodextrin content across "all the current energy gels either produced in the US and/or readily available in the US" is only 56% (of total CHO). Feel free to provide contrary data.

Well would you look at that. I was wrong. The energy gels I buy, Gu, are 80% maltodextrin. I thought that was the norm

Secondly, there been has a great deal written about why refined fructose has a different effect on the body than that contained in fruit, because fruit contains antioxidants and fibre which respectively counteract and moderate the effects of the fructose.

Anti oxidants eh. Much has been written about them indeed. Do you know what they do and why they have nothing to do with fructose absorption in the body?

Lumen

Brian? wrote: »

Anti oxidants eh. Much has been written about them indeed. Do you know what they do and why they have nothing to do with fructose absorption in the body?

They prevent stuff from oxidizing.

feck sake lads

ok girls back on topic.;)
btw where did 2 hour spin come from are you guys tied to time or what the (crown i used to cycle with would always have to be back by one o clock jesus).
anyway food what to take
slab of fruit cake
banana
jam sambo ,better that any high energy bar.;)

1 water bidon and one home made energy drink
water fruit juice pinch salt spoon glucose powder.

Lumen

feck sake lads wrote: »

btw where did 2 hour spin come from

...

ulinbac wrote: »

If it helps my rides atm are about 40-50k

feck sake lads

ah didn't realize it was a time trial:D:D

migozarad

For <50k cycles,I would take a banana and for longer cycles up to 120k,would eat oat biscuits with peanut butter and additional bananas depending on how flat or otherwise the route is.

manwithaplan

Up to two and a half hours - nothing
2.5-5 hours - banana and fig rolls
Racing - gels

colm_gti

20 pack of fags and a bottle full of coffee

Bikerbhoy

colm_gti wrote: »

20 pack of fags and a bottle full of coffee

Are you off the booze ? ?

colm_gti

Bikerbhoy wrote: »

Are you off the booze ? ?

Only when I'm on the bike

Paranoid Mandroid

Raam wrote: »

I've been bringing the same gel around NCD for a couple of years now. He enjoys it.

Hey Raam, I bought an altura jacket off you a few weeeks ago. There was a nature valley bar in the pocket which I binned. I feel bad now, poor fella.

Raam

Paranoid Mandroid wrote: »

Hey Raam, I bought an altura jacket off you a few weeeks ago. There was a nature valley bar in the pocket which I binned. I feel bad now, poor fella.

Eh... you owe me a nature valley bar now!

ROK ON

I did an event last year with a few lads here. Long days and lots of climbs.
I got heatstroke and couldn't really eat properly for about two days. On the third day I was seriously hungry and a bit delerious.
We stopped in a bar and I ate a rare steak with lashings of salt washed down with about half a gallon of orange.

My strength returned immediately. The remaining 100k that day were pish easy. Steak is the only food you need on a long cycle.
I bring one in my jersey pocket for emergencies.
If you think this is a bit OTT, then maybe bring a knife and simply ambush a cow and make your own steak if necessary (I presume this is what the Audax crowd do - they are prepared for everything on a cycle, even a zombie attack).

Raam

ROK ON wrote: »

I did an event last year with a few lads here. Long days and lots of climbs.
I got heatstroke and couldn't really eat properly for about two days. On the third day I was seriously hungry and a bit delerious.
We stopped in a bar and I ate a rare steak with lashings of salt washed down with about half a gallon of orange.

My strength returned immediately. The remaining 100k that day were pish easy. Steak is the only food you need on a long cycle.
I bring one in my jersey pocket for emergencies.
If you think this is a bit OTT, then maybe bring a knife and simply ambush a cow and make your own steak if necessary (I presume this is what the Audax crowd do - they are prepared for everything on a cycle, even a zombie attack).

That's just ridiculous... you need some garlic for the steak as well as salt.

ROK ON

I know Raam, but LennyMc would complain about the smell.

Jocry

Jelly Babies

marketty

A hammered banana, you can eat it like a gel, best of both worlds

colm_gti

marketty wrote: »

A hammered banana, you can eat it like a gel, best of both worlds

Hassle of bringing a hammer out cycling with you though...

petethedrummer

A boiled egg, chorizo sausage, almonds.

Water with a dash of salt. Flask of tea on a miserable day.

petethedrummer

On the subject of gels, wouldn't you be as well off just bringing a bag of sugar and a spoon? It would be cheaper too. The initial investment in the spoon could be spread across multiple cycles. Sure even if you bought a new spoon each time it would still be the same price and you'd have a lovely spoon collection.

fixie fox

Nothing for under two hours. A gel before the start of Cat4 race (for insurance purposes only). A fig roll every half hour if over two hours. I see lots oh guys scoffing gels and bars on pretty handy spins. They are nearly always heavy.

Darkstrike

What's the idea with the salt in the water?

Raam

Darkstrike wrote: »

What's the idea with the salt in the water?

Electrolytes, to prevent cramping.

Darkstrike

Raam wrote: »

Electrolytes, to prevent cramping.

Cheers! I'll have to remember that.

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

Electrolytes, to prevent cramping.

No, it's because salt masks the rank taste of water in Dublin. The electrolyte thing is a pure myth.

Darkstrike

ROK ON wrote: »

No, it's because salt masks the rank taste of water in Dublin. The electrolyte thing is a pure myth.

Well, if that's the case, I'm ok without the salt, got nice water handy.

allez

generally il bring nothing on anything under 30/40km unless i was stupid enough to not eat beforehand. usually have a bowl of porridge with some sultanas and agave syrup or honey before any meaningful spin as its usually morning time when i go and thats my breaky.

i do like the taste of coconut water and celebrities drink it too so you know your in with the right bunch before you even sip it. in all seriousness it is pretty tops for you.

i try to stay way from all those energy gels, bars, jellies and fairy dust because id rather eat something that resembles food. i did try a cnp gel today only on the basis that its stated flavour was 'victory' and ive never tasted victory before. turns out its not dissimilar to cheap red bull mixed with saw dust and bird droppings.

i like my bananas on the bike, i typically bring a lot of dried fruit like dates, figs, apricots and even dried banana which is proper tasty! if i need a bar something like a nature valley or flapjack works for me.

drinks wise unless im gonna be pouring sweat il drink water for the most part, if im planning something a little more intense then il pop a little sis tab that makes the water all sugary and sweat and has whopper super deadly turbo yokes called electrolytes and salts added in which is all lost through sweat.

Mycroft H

petethedrummer wrote: »

A boiled egg, chorizo sausage, almonds.

Water with a dash of salt. Flask of tea on a miserable day.

We've similar tastes right there! Flask of tea ftw.

josealdo

On 50-70 k spin , I don't bring any food and waterbottle with 750ml water

on 70-100k spin , I bring banana , apple and gornola bar and waterbottle with 750 water

on 100k-200k , I eat sandwiches , chocolate bars , jaffe cakes and coffee and water at food stops .

VERY IMPORTANT . before all spins I have bowl of porridge with banana , cup of coffee and 2 pints of water .

works for me , I don't use gels . I do use rehydration tablets after events just in case .

marketty

colm_gti wrote: »

Hassle of bringing a hammer out cycling with you though...

Bringing the hammer along is only required for audax, in case you buy another banana on the way

Darkstrike

marketty wrote: »

Bringing the hammer along is only required for audax, in case you buy another banana on the way

You could just cycle over it.

Stollaire

Where do you keep all these bananas, gels, and sambos?
Including pump, levers and tube(s)?

t'bear

Saddle bag for levers & tubes, three arse pockets for all other stuff. My support car with wet bag is in for a service :-)

Planet X

Larks tongues in Aspic between 40k-60k.

GreyEagle

Stollaire wrote: »

Where do you keep all these bananas, gels, and sambos?
Including pump, levers and tube(s)?

In your saddle bag, of course!

codie

I used to use the High 5 4:1 but found it kinda messy on sportive days trying to bring small bag of it around.Last year I started using Nuun tablets ,I think there the best thing since slice pan(as they say).
0-40km I bring 1 banana and 1 750 ml of Nuun and one 750ml of water. Usually don't use the water but bring it anyway just in case.
40km + 2 bananas and 2 750ml of nuun.
On a sportive day just bring water and tube of nuun.Plenty of sambos ,cake etc available at food stops.

feck sake lads

when you young bucks get a dose of the dreaded BONK then you will know how important it is to take food on every ride even it's only a short ride.
so don't be a plonker take food

colm_gti

feck sake lads wrote: »

when you young bucks get a dose of the dreaded BONK then you will know how important it is to take food on every ride even it's only a short ride.
so don't be a plonker take food

Couldn't agree more, regardless of how short the ride is, I always have a banana and nutrigrain bar in my pocket, rarely eat them in a >1hr spin, but would rather have them with me just in case....

petethedrummer

You don't need food, you just need this

feck sake lads

Still a bit early for those peter.:)

good man colm a man with savvy, better to be looking at it that looking for it.