Nutrition for long rides

[MongooseMan]

12 minutes ago, W@nted said:

I am also a huge fan if 32 gi race pro for any rides longer than 2.5 hours. Just makes the nutrition plan so much simpler. Cost wise it is actually cheaper per ride compared to say 3 bottles of cadence, 3 gels and 3 bars (3 hours ride and similar amount of carbs)…

Interesting, was just doing some sums on Race Pro now.

So do you use it exclusively? No food/bars?

[Murrob]

29 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

Interesting, was just doing some sums on Race Pro now.

So do you use it exclusively? No food/bars?

Yes, work out your required intake requirements and then mix your racepro accordingly. I do keep a bar and gels on hand, sometimes it’s nice to actually chew something. But I’ve found it really keeps me fuelled for longer rides. Races I hit a gel, anti cramp and coffee shot to make sure I can hammer at the end for the last 30-45 minutes. 32GI have videos to explain the process of working out your required intake.

[Jewbacca]

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

If I go out on a 100km plus bike ride I will ride until I get to my planned stop usually between 60 and 70km, stop, eat a something small and have coffee and then ride home. If I bonk I bonk and I just ride slower to coffee. It doesn't happen often

If I do a 200km plus ride I just stop at a shop and buy a fanta and some food.

When I run I don't take food with me for anything up to maybe 3 or 4 hours. But I would drink some cool drink mix and water alternately. 

If I race I make sure my body is fuelled and stuff, but general riding/running I honestly couldn't care. 

I ran 13 peaks a while ago by stashing a 500ml coke, 2 peanut butter and syrup sandwiches and some biscuits in the bushes above muizenberg, drove to town, parked below signal hill and ran up to the start.

I had 1.5L of water, a bivvy bag and some warm clothes/waterproof. I stopped in Hout bay and bought a coke and some food, then smashed 2 other gu's outside of my sandwiches and coke in Muizenberg. Filled up my bottles with delicious mountain fresh.

18 odd hours later and I was in my car looking for a coffee on my way to work.

I get the science and the bla bla bla but it's boring and mostly inconsequential unless you're a top level athlete.

I don't think many of us here are (other than JBR, Sid and a few others).

I guess I'm just pretty interested in whether average people follow this sort of regime on general rides and why? 

[Murrob]

6 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

If I go out on a 100km plus bike ride I will ride until I get to my planned stop usually between 60 and 70km, stop, eat a something small and have coffee and then ride home. If I bonk I bonk and I just ride slower to coffee. It doesn't happen often

If I do a 200km plus ride I just stop at a shop and buy a fanta and some food.

When I run I don't take food with me for anything up to maybe 3 or 4 hours. But I would drink some cool drink mix and water alternately. 

If I race I make sure my body is fuelled and stuff, but general riding/running I honestly couldn't care. 

I ran 13 peaks a while ago by stashing a 500ml coke, 2 peanut butter and syrup sandwiches and some biscuits in the bushes above muizenberg, drove to town, parked below signal hill and ran up to the start.

I had 1.5L of water, a bivvy bag and some warm clothes/waterproof. I stopped in Hout bay and bought a coke and some food, then smashed 2 other gu's outside of my sandwiches and coke in Muizenberg. Filled up my bottles with delicious mountain fresh.

18 odd hours later and I was in my car looking for a coffee on my way to work.

I get the science and the bla bla bla but it's boring and mostly inconsequential unless you're a top level athlete.

I don't think many of us here are (other than JBR, Sid and a few others).

I guess I'm just pretty interested in whether average people follow this sort of regime on general rides and why? 

Sounds like you have a well exercised engine and are not to sensitive to sugar dumps with soft drinks. I am definitely in the weekend warrior category at this stage of my cycling career, with rides 2-3 times a week at best. I also got tested in my youth and my burn rate of glycogen and carbs is very high. Also for me it really is a case of I want to enjoy my riding as much as possible and suffering through a bonk is not fun. So I try to stay fuelled as much as possible, but if I wanted to invest in a massive base block I am sure I could train myself to be more fuel efficient, but being a fair weather weekend cyclist means that’s not really something I want to pursue at this stage. 

[Frosty]

44 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

Interesting, was just doing some sums on Race Pro now.

So do you use it exclusively? No food/bars?

I used RacePro at the MalutiD90, but 3 hours would be equivalent to 12 scoops in one bottle; that’s too thick. The other bottle would have hydration, i.e. electrolytes.

So I used 8 scoops (120g) in one bottle and the Race product (68g per serving) with electrolytes in the other bottle. I had 2 gels and a caffeine shot for just in case. I then refilled the same at halfway for the second 3 hours. Was what I had been using at long rides and high intensity training (in grams per hour).

 

6 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

I get the science and the bla bla bla but it's boring and mostly inconsequential unless you're a top level athlete.

I don't think many of us here are (other than JBR, Sid and a few others).

I guess I'm just pretty interested in whether average people follow this sort of regime on general rides and why? 

Today was a 3.5 hour MTB ride, at 0.68 IF. For simplicity, I had one bottle of 32GI RacePro (120g) only, which was enough for about 2-2.5 hours. I had about 40g for breakfast as I was on my way to the start, and another 40g at the halfway stop. 

 

Why?

1. Do you find yourself feeling tired later after a long ride? I did when I didn’t eat sufficient. When I consume enough, I was less fatigued.

2. The next training session

If you want the gains from training, then you need to fuel adequately for each workout, otherwise you won’t be ready for tomorrow, or the day after.

Intensity drives the demand, and then your tolerance to the total amount of carbs per hour (stomach limit). An easy 2 hour ride at low intensity could easily burn close to to 50% fat and 50% carbs, perhaps 60/40 or 40/60. There are adequate fat stores in us, and each Calorie has 9g of fat. So we 

[Murrob]

4 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I used RacePro at the MalutiD90, but 3 hours would be equivalent to 12 scoops in one bottle; that’s too thick. The other bottle would have hydration, i.e. electrolytes.

So I used 8 scoops (120g) in one bottle and the Race product (68g per serving) with electrolytes in the other bottle. I had 2 gels and a caffeine shot for just in case. I then refilled the same at halfway for the second 3 hours. Was what I had been using at long rides and high intensity training (in grams per hour).

As I understand it from Mark from 32GI you want to be careful of mixing race/endure and racepro as they can work against each other and cause stomach distress. I have in the past kept a soft pouch of concentrated racepro in my back pocket to increase what I can carry. But also carry bars to supplement.

 

[Frosty]

6 minutes ago, Murrob said:

As I understand it from Mark from 32GI you want to be careful of mixing race/endure and racepro as they can work against each other and cause stomach distress. I have in the past kept a soft pouch of concentrated racepro in my back pocket to increase what I can carry. But also carry bars to supplement.

Thanks, I am aware, have tried it a number of times and have yet to find problems. 

[Jewbacca]

6 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I used RacePro at the MalutiD90, but 3 hours would be equivalent to 12 scoops in one bottle; that’s too thick. The other bottle would have hydration, i.e. electrolytes.

So I used 8 scoops (120g) in one bottle and the Race product (68g per serving) with electrolytes in the other bottle. I had 2 gels and a caffeine shot for just in case. I then refilled the same at halfway for the second 3 hours. Was what I had been using at long rides and high intensity training (in grams per hour).

 

Today was a 3.5 hour MTB ride, at 0.68 IF. For simplicity, I had one bottle of 32GI RacePro (120g) only, which was enough for about 2-2.5 hours. I had about 40g for breakfast as I was on my way to the start, and another 40g at the halfway stop. 

 

Why?

1. Do you find yourself feeling tired later after a long ride? I did when I didn’t eat sufficient. When I consume enough, I was less fatigued.

2. The next training session

If you want the gains from training, then you need to fuel adequately for each workout, otherwise you won’t be ready for tomorrow, or the day after.

Intensity drives the demand, and then your tolerance to the total amount of carbs per hour (stomach limit). An easy 2 hour ride at low intensity could easily burn close to to 50% fat and 50% carbs, perhaps 60/40 or 40/60. There are adequate fat stores in us, and each Calorie has 9g of fat. So we 

I exercise a lot. I run 4 or 5 days a week, I ride 2 or 3 times a week and I surf in between.

I change up intensity and have an active rest week one in ever 4 when I surf more, run less and ride, same and play more music. 

Gainz aren't really that important to me anymore, so there's that. I eat some food, have some tea, ride/run, go to work, have breakfast, work, have lunch, run/surf then work or dad or try to do both and fail at both.

Like I said, on race day I eat and drink stuff, but general day to day is as above. 

I don't find stats, science, data etc fun wrt exercise, so it's probably just me. The thought of monitoring my food intake while I'm out having fun sounds terrible 🤣

[Frosty]

44 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Gainz aren't really that important to me anymore, so there's that. 

what about performance? Is that important?

[Jewbacca]

Just now, Frosty said:

what about performance? Is that important?

I perform fine for my needs these days. 

I've done most of the 'performance' goals I had. I don't enjoy intervals, I don't like track work and these days I go long, so speed is negated by experience, attitude and years and years and years of living in a certain way.

I'm not a complete hack (kind of). I managed to finish a 200 mile trail run last year within cut off time after doing 240km with torn ligaments in my knee. 5 people finished the race.

I've been at the pointy end of various sports, it isn't fun, which is why I'm asking the average Jo's if they follow this on normal days out. 

If you do, then I'm guessing it's because you believe in the performance aspect of it. That's cool. My next question then asks what it is about performance that is appealing enough to run equations etc

I'm honestly not being facetious, I'm genuinely interested in what drives 'normal' people who aren't winning stuff or really in a position to win stuff to try seek performance.

I find it fascinating

[NotSoBigBen]

7 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

If I go out on a 100km plus bike ride I will ride until I get to my planned stop usually between 60 and 70km, stop, eat a something small and have coffee and then ride home. If I bonk I bonk and I just ride slower to coffee. It doesn't happen often

If I do a 200km plus ride I just stop at a shop and buy a fanta and some food.

When I run I don't take food with me for anything up to maybe 3 or 4 hours. But I would drink some cool drink mix and water alternately. 

If I race I make sure my body is fuelled and stuff, but general riding/running I honestly couldn't care. 

I ran 13 peaks a while ago by stashing a 500ml coke, 2 peanut butter and syrup sandwiches and some biscuits in the bushes above muizenberg, drove to town, parked below signal hill and ran up to the start.

I had 1.5L of water, a bivvy bag and some warm clothes/waterproof. I stopped in Hout bay and bought a coke and some food, then smashed 2 other gu's outside of my sandwiches and coke in Muizenberg. Filled up my bottles with delicious mountain fresh.

18 odd hours later and I was in my car looking for a coffee on my way to work.

I get the science and the bla bla bla but it's boring and mostly inconsequential unless you're a top level athlete.

I don't think many of us here are (other than JBR, Sid and a few others).

I guess I'm just pretty interested in whether average people follow this sort of regime on general rides and why? 

No ...

I ride a 'fair' bit and hardly take anything but before I say anything else, the last time i commented about how much and what people take on training rides I got a right bollocking so I leave them be now 😜

[_David_]

23 hours ago, TDFN said:

I don't do things right but fueling depends on want you want to achieve. I would typically not eat breakfast or take anything but water on the bike for base rides up to 100km. I don't really have enough time in the morning. Normally alarm goes off and I am out on the bike in max 15 mins.

However if you are doing hard intervals etc or a hard 100km ride breakfast a fueling on the bike would be needed.

See here: https://trainright.com/what-to-eat-and-drink-during-bike-rides-of-any-length/

 

I'm the same on long slow rides I can easily do 4 to 5 hrs with only water.

[W@nted]

11 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

Interesting, was just doing some sums on Race Pro now.

So do you use it exclusively? No food/bars?

Yes, that is the whole purpose of race pro. You add you whole rides required carbs in the single bottle. Then continue drinking it through the ride. No gels/food required as they don’t recommend mixing the carb types. I have made a bottle for a 4 hour ride. I think it was about 12 scoops. Was a thick mixture, but still tasty even when warm. I found I never hit a hunger patch and felt stable throughout the ride. In my other bottle I use 2 tablets of hydration. 
 

It works for me. Especially on the mtb. Races shorter than 3 hours I use the 32gi race and gels to get my carb intake right.

[Jbr]

11 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

If I go out on a 100km plus bike ride I will ride until I get to my planned stop usually between 60 and 70km, stop, eat a something small and have coffee and then ride home. If I bonk I bonk and I just ride slower to coffee. It doesn't happen often

If I do a 200km plus ride I just stop at a shop and buy a fanta and some food.

It's not so much to avoid bonking but mostly (for me) to make sure that the hard days are as hard as can be and get the best quality workout as possible.

If I go out for a ride that I know won't put any stress on my body, I won't bother taking anything with. But the minute I know there will be stress, wether it's intensity or time, I want to make sure the session is done properly and that I recover properly for it. So it is driven by the fact that I train to race / to improve. When I'm in off or base season it's a lot more chilled.

Also I don't do maths for each and every ride. Only for the races or 5 hour rides where I want to keep track. For daily rides I just take what's there and avoid the bars/gels that I save for the harder days. I ride 6 days a week so that would be expensive to ride on gels/bars every day.

Right now I'm in week 3 since testing positive for Covid, 2 weeks off the bike, +2kg. It's a bit tricky now that I can ride again with limited hours, to try and get back to fitness with a little bit of intensity and a little bit of duration, but also to try and lose the weight I picked up. Yesterday I did 3 hours with 30mins at threshold on 1 banana/40g on carbs drink, I didn't really bonk but my legs/lower back felt like when I bonk.

Eitherway, I just got involved in this topic because when that other guy said "eat less train more" I thought that was a very bad advice. Other than that, everyone should just keep doing what their doing as long as it works for them. But know that when you race a car or a motorbike, you don't put the crappiest gas you can find in a two year old jerrycan, or the cheapest oil. If you want to perform, you need to fuel. If you just want to have fun or lose weight, then you can just take what you need to do that (so basically keep you out of bonk-land)

Edited April 28, 2022 by Jbr

[Baracuda]

11 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

Is this for racing to avoid bonking or do you guys follow these formulas when out riding every day?

If I go out on a 100km plus bike ride I will ride until I get to my planned stop usually between 60 and 70km, stop, eat a something small and have coffee and then ride home. If I bonk I bonk and I just ride slower to coffee. It doesn't happen often

If I do a 200km plus ride I just stop at a shop and buy a fanta and some food.

When I run I don't take food with me for anything up to maybe 3 or 4 hours. But I would drink some cool drink mix and water alternately. 

If I race I make sure my body is fuelled and stuff, but general riding/running I honestly couldn't care. 

I ran 13 peaks a while ago by stashing a 500ml coke, 2 peanut butter and syrup sandwiches and some biscuits in the bushes above muizenberg, drove to town, parked below signal hill and ran up to the start.

I had 1.5L of water, a bivvy bag and some warm clothes/waterproof. I stopped in Hout bay and bought a coke and some food, then smashed 2 other gu's outside of my sandwiches and coke in Muizenberg. Filled up my bottles with delicious mountain fresh.

18 odd hours later and I was in my car looking for a coffee on my way to work.

I get the science and the bla bla bla but it's boring and mostly inconsequential unless you're a top level athlete.

I don't think many of us here are (other than JBR, Sid and a few others).

I guess I'm just pretty interested in whether average people follow this sort of regime on general rides and why? 

I wasn't aware that Chuck Norris moved to Muizies. Hope to spot you soon dude..

[Jewbacca]

42 minutes ago, Jbr said:

It's not so much to avoid bonking but mostly (for me) to make sure that the hard days are as hard as can be and get the best quality workout as possible.

If I go out for a ride that I know won't put any stress on my body, I won't bother taking anything with. But the minute I know there will be stress, wether it's intensity or time, I want to make sure the session is done properly and that I recover properly for it. So it is driven by the fact that I train to race / to improve. When I'm in off or base season it's a lot more chilled.

Also I don't do maths for each and every ride. Only for the races or 5 hour rides where I want to keep track. For daily rides I just take what's there and avoid the bars/gels that I save for the harder days. I ride 6 days a week so that would be expensive to ride on gels/bars every day.

Right now I'm in week 3 since testing positive for Covid, 2 weeks off the bike, +2kg. It's a bit tricky now that I can ride again with limited hours, to try and get back to fitness with a little bit of intensity and a little bit of duration, but also to try and lose the weight I picked up. Yesterday I did 3 hours with 30mins at threshold on 1 banana/40g on carbs drink, I didn't really bonk but my legs/lower back felt like when I bonk.

Eitherway, I just got involved in this topic because when that other guy said "eat less train more" I thought that was a very bad advice. Other than that, everyone should just keep doing what their doing as long as it works for them. But know that when you race a car or a motorbike, you don't put the crappiest gas you can find in a two year old jerrycan, or the cheapest oil. If you want to perform, you need to fuel. If you just want to have fun or lose weight, then you can just take what you need to do that (so basically keep you out of bonk-land)

So this sort of insight from a race car is pretty good.

I'm sorry you're recovering/in the throws of COVID. That sucks.

I'm also recovering at the moment. My prognosis is for a long road, but I can run/ride/surf and drive now which is amazing. 

Working myself back to try to race at the pointy end of a 400km non stop trail run in July, so it suits me at the moment just rolling out low intensity miles. 

Thank you for the insight and I hope you start being able to rev the engine again properly soon!

14 minutes ago, Baracuda said:

I wasn't aware that Chuck Norris moved to Muizies. Hope to spot you soon dude..

hahahaha That seems to have stuck.... 🙈