What's your nutrition plan

[DANger-is]

I don really have a clear idea of what good nutrition looks like whilst riding.

In the past for a 60km ride I've basically used electrolytes in one bottle and water in the other and then a banana mid ride

I've just started with a group in which we do a 45km ride averaging 36km over the ride. I'm finding due to the pace that I'm running out of energy towards the end of the ride. On this ride I'm only using water with no food, should I Be using something like high5 4:1 drink mix for these fast paced rides?

As a guide I'm 5'8 and 70kg so I don't have much fat to burn

[singlespeedscott]

I just use pitted dates. Chuck some in your back pocket and eat a couple every 1hr. I don't use electrolytes just plain water, wether the rides an hour long or 12hrs long.

[jlh]

I also use pitted dates if its a long ride over 100 km, but find I need more that SSS (e.g. I eat 20 for a 150 km ride).

[DANger-is]

Cheers guys, I recall after reading your comments that I used to use dried apricots but I'll try dates and see how they go.

Do you eat before a ride? I usually have 2 weetbix about 30mins before a morning ride

[singlespeedscott]

I usually eat to much for tea the night before so I ride on just a couple of glasses of water.

[jlh]

I might have a few dates and glass of water before a ride if the worms are biting

[Xplora]

Eat much more 3-4 hours before the ride, OR just before bed. 2 weetbix isn't enough to prevent bonking - you need a full belly before starting out. You shouldn't need 2 bidons unless you're in a desert for such a short ride. I rode 70kms at 73kgs for 38kmh av on half a bidon during the ride. I drank half a bidon of electrolytes/protein mix 45 minutes before rolling out and another half just before rolling out.

It's easy to take food and drink before starting so do that. Take it easy and stay seated to ensure you aren't sloshing it in your guts. Easy. If it's an early ride, get good amounts of food in as soon as you wake. Bananas, toast etc. While you muck around getting ready, you can digest a little. You only need 20 minutes to get past the worst of it.

[NeillS]

another fan of dried dates here. they're 80% natural sugar so perfect for our purposes. Just fill up one of the jersey pockets with them, I eat five every 20 minutes (so 15 per hour) as well as a carbohydrate-heavy drink (not electrolytes)

[DANger-is]

I tried eating two bananas (small ones) before my ride yesterday and then about 5 dates during the ride. I felt like the nutrition was good and now I just need to get the legs working harder.

Great to get some ideas, cheers for your input

[Farmer Elvis]

I'll try the dry dates thing, I used to go gels, muesli bars, nowadays only bananas less than 120km and over 120 I throw In a muesli bar or 2 as well. Got really sick of over priced gels, sickly sweet etc.

[g-boaf]

Eat much more 3-4 hours before the ride, OR just before bed. 2 weetbix isn't enough to prevent bonking - you need a full belly before starting out. You shouldn't need 2 bidons unless you're in a desert for such a short ride. I rode 70kms at 73kgs for 38kmh av on half a bidon during the ride. I drank half a bidon of electrolytes/protein mix 45 minutes before rolling out and another half just before rolling out.

It's easy to take food and drink before starting so do that. Take it easy and stay seated to ensure you aren't sloshing it in your guts. Easy. If it's an early ride, get good amounts of food in as soon as you wake. Bananas, toast etc. While you muck around getting ready, you can digest a little. You only need 20 minutes to get past the worst of it.

Agreed - 2 weetbix doesn't do enough. I used to ride without breakfast - and maybe a double-espresso. Not now. I eat before riding - and I love my coffee. Not because it is some sort of beneficial thing, I just like strong coffee.

I used to drink heaps, but I don't do so now. Unless it is really hot and I'm riding at my limits.

My worry used to be cramping, rather than bonking out. But consistent training and lots of riding has seemed to solve that.

I always do keep a gel sachet or two in the pocket just in case I need them, but normally I don't. Out of the gels, SIS seem to be the easiest to take and don't have the negative effects (at least for me) that some others do. They aren't sickly sweet for one.

I'll usually take two bottles, one filled up with water and a powder, the other with powder only and empty (can fill it if needed). I'll generally use half the first one over 65km and the top it up leaving the other one unused. That works for me most of the time.

[jlh]

I did 160 km through perth hills on the weekend and consumed 21 dates, 3 torq bars and about 3L of water, and this was a cold day. Took 3 leaks over 5 hrs and didn't feel bloated at any stage so guess different people need different things.