What to eat before a ride??
What to eat before a ride??
Author
Discussion

DeanR32

Original Poster:

1,840 posts

212 months

Thursday 6th June 2013
quotequote all
Training for London ride 100.
What is the best food/drink to have before and during a ride
What works for u??

itsnotarace

4,685 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th June 2013
quotequote all
Early morning rides of 30-35 miles, nowt apart from water beforehand and 500ml bottle water on way round. Toast and coffee when returned. Nothing special the night before

Later morning rides, upto 100 miles will have pizza or pasta the night before, but without overdoing it. Then a stload of calories in the morning with a bunch of full fat croissants and 2x OatsoSimple in a bowl. Then flapjack, jelly babies and sandwich and some salty crisps on the way round. Probably coffee and delicious cake at a stop.

No energy gels or isotonic type sports drinks. Prefer blackcurrant squash or plain water. Proper old school me wink

Rob_T

1,916 posts

280 months

Thursday 6th June 2013
quotequote all
i'm doing the ride as well. you should have received a course map which indicates there are food stops about every 25 miles and multiple water stops. there is a danger you will have put on weight by the time you finish the ride if you fill up at all the stops. don't worry about changing your diet or all the 'carb loading' nonsense.

Jimbo.

4,221 posts

218 months

Thursday 6th June 2013
quotequote all
DeanR32 said:
Training for London ride 100.
What is the best food/drink to have before and during a ride
What works for u??
Before: what I normally have every day i.e. porridge.
During: bananas, flapjack, soreen - drink: water + orange juice + salt.

Energy gels/bars/drinks are overpriced, sugary ste and needless for training rides.

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

256 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
It's a good excuse to go banzai on the day. Once you get up to those sorts of miles you can more or less get away with anything. Just make sure you keep eating and drinking, starting early in your ride.

Unlike those who do a couple of laps round the block and are discussing fuelling strategy....

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
For a 100 mile ride at a steady pace around 25-28 km/h, I normally plan a good meal the night before but not necessarily a carb-fest then I'll have half a bowl of cereal in the morning and a coffee. I'll take with me a 2-3 cereal bars, a gel or two and something like a ham and cheese roll, just utilise your jersey pockets!.
If I pass a cafe on the route - and I usually do! wink - then I'll have another coffee. One bottle with water, one with SiS go-electrolyte and that usually lasts me if I can top up the water at the cafe.

The more you ride, the more you learn what your body wants and when it wants it. Its natural to think you will need more than you will actually eat because 100 miles seems like a long way. I've learnt the first twenty five miles I need just fluid, then I eat something every 10 miles or so thereafter. I normally bring at least a bar and a gel back too.

I have found the key is what you eat the night before and the morning of the ride, not during.
Eat too little and its difficult to meet the requirement whilst on the bike, eat too much and you just feel bloated and lethargic.

As others have said, I think I counted 11 water stations on the map for the London 100...

TwistingMyMelon

6,514 posts

234 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
pablo said:
For a 100 mile ride at a steady pace around 25-28 km/h, I normally plan a good meal the night before but not necessarily a carb-fest then I'll have half a bowl of cereal in the morning and a coffee. I'll take with me a 2-3 cereal bars, a gel or two and something like a ham and cheese roll, just utilise your jersey pockets!.
If I pass a cafe on the route - and I usually do! wink - then I'll have another coffee. One bottle with water, one with SiS go-electrolyte and that usually lasts me if I can top up the water at the cafe.

The more you ride, the more you learn what your body wants and when it wants it. Its natural to think you will need more than you will actually eat because 100 miles seems like a long way. I've learnt the first twenty five miles I need just fluid, then I eat something every 10 miles or so thereafter. I normally bring at least a bar and a gel back too.

I have found the key is what you eat the night before and the morning of the ride, not during.
Eat too little and its difficult to meet the requirement whilst on the bike, eat too much and you just feel bloated and lethargic.

As others have said, I think I counted 11 water stations on the map for the London 100...
Good common sense post.

Steve vRS

5,395 posts

270 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
I'm aiming to do a 50mile run first thing in the morning. I'm having pie and chips for tea, washed down with at least 3 beers.

Tomorrow morning I'll have a big bowl of porridge with sugar and take 2 or 3 SIS bars with me along with 500mls of water.

I'll let you know if I survive biggrin

Steve

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
Steve vRS said:
I'm aiming to do a 50mile run first thing in the morning. I'm having pie and chips for tea, washed down with at least 3 beers.

Tomorrow morning I'll have a big bowl of porridge with sugar and take 2 or 3 SIS bars with me along with 500mls of water.

I'll let you know if I survive biggrin

Steve
what pie?

Steve vRS

5,395 posts

270 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
I'm a Cumbrian exiled in Cheshire. We're actually having home made quiche (Cheshire) but I prefer to call it bacon, egg and cheese pie (Cumbrian). It sounds better...

getmecoat

Steve

frag68

273 posts

173 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
As Pablo said, be sensible and listen to your body. You will gauge yourself what you need.

I cycled 35 miles to work this morning and last night I had take away pizza and some chips washed down with 3 cans of Red Stripe. This morning I had 2 slices of toast with jam and had about 600ml of water. I have a samdwich on my desk here and will eat this about 4ish for the journey home.

I have been caught out before on a 90 mile cycle where the last 8 miles, I was running on empty with no energy bars left or water with nothing between there and home, so make use of your pockets and stock up well. At least with an organised event there will be water stops etc to keep you going at regular intervals

Matt London

815 posts

197 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
Loads of good advice above.

I always think its better to come back from a Century ride with a spare gel and energy bar nineteen times out of twenty rather than be in dire need of them one time in twenty.

Jimbo.

4,221 posts

218 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
pablo said:
For a 100 mile ride at a steady pace around 25-28 km/h, I normally plan a good meal the night before but not necessarily a carb-fest then I'll have half a bowl of cereal in the morning and a coffee. I'll take with me a 2-3 cereal bars, a gel or two and something like a ham and cheese roll, just utilise your jersey pockets!.
If I pass a cafe on the route - and I usually do! wink - then I'll have another coffee. One bottle with water, one with SiS go-electrolyte and that usually lasts me if I can top up the water at the cafe.

The more you ride, the more you learn what your body wants and when it wants it. Its natural to think you will need more than you will actually eat because 100 miles seems like a long way. I've learnt the first twenty five miles I need just fluid, then I eat something every 10 miles or so thereafter. I normally bring at least a bar and a gel back too.

I have found the key is what you eat the night before and the morning of the ride, not during.
Eat too little and its difficult to meet the requirement whilst on the bike, eat too much and you just feel bloated and lethargic.

As others have said, I think I counted 11 water stations on the map for the London 100...
HOW frequent?!

anonymous-user

83 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
Jimbo. said:
HOW frequent?!
About 1/3 or 1/2 a bar every ten miles of so, not the whole thing!!!

rtbpfd

446 posts

162 months

Friday 7th June 2013
quotequote all
A banana

anonymous-user

83 months

Saturday 8th June 2013
quotequote all
Porridge is the best for me. Also before any endurance running events .
Overpriced scientific energy foods are a poor imitation in my experience!

tonto1

442 posts

231 months

Saturday 8th June 2013
quotequote all
Porridge with honey!

TSCfree

1,681 posts

260 months

Saturday 8th June 2013
quotequote all
Before my century rides I find a good balanced evening meal protein/carbs the night before keeping well hydrated. Porridge with chopped dates and nuts and a coffee. On the bike water with electrolyte tabs. No food for the first 1hr and then small top ups every 30 mins. I alternate between Small slices of soreen and Jelly beans with a couple of gels in case of emergency.

I've used banana's, jam butties, fruit & nut mix but settled on the above after a experimenting. Everyone will be different just get out there and try out different combinations to see what works for you.

Oh and no food on training rides of around 1-2 hrs

Steve vRS

5,395 posts

270 months

Saturday 8th June 2013
quotequote all
Steve vRS said:
I'll let you know if I survive biggrin

Steve
I did 45miles at 17.5mph powered by porridge and 1 SIS bar.

I might do 20 miles tomorrow night fuelled by roast potatoes and chicken biggrin

Steve