Ditch the gels for Golden Syrup to fuel long rides ?

[Pandatron]

Going to try out this recipe this weekend.

[Sepia]

4 hours ago, Pandatron said:

 

Just some questions from a curious point of view..

How hard do you ride on average?

MTB/Gravel/Road?

Use it for any other disciplines? 

Slow touring 125kms/day fully loaded for several days.  I try not to ride hard if possible🙄

[The Ouzo]

So heres a question on a related note.

If doing a long ride, you can only take so much with you. What can one buy at convenience stores to top up bottles along the route?

I'm planning on being on the road for around 9 hours, low intensity touring pace.

Nutrition that I've planned to take along

Gel (probably sufficient quantity for the full ride)

Some FastBars (I dont like the farbar flavours so went with fastbars)

1 bottle regular cycling drink, plus a small bag with additional powder so i can make a second bottle

1 bottle plain water

Meal stop at a cafe/restaurant half way. 

[Mongoose!]

not sure if this was mentioned already but it really works.

done it with a 100-mile gravel race and also the past Double 90 

the bottles available on Takealot   ....   Orial Soft Flask Collapsible Bottle Set (250 & 500ml) | Buy Online in South Africa | takealot.com

and some droe wors ....

 

 

 

[ChrisF]

On 4/27/2023 at 10:01 AM, The Ouzo said:

So heres a question on a related note.

If doing a long ride, you can only take so much with you. What can one buy at convenience stores to top up bottles along the route?

I'm planning on being on the road for around 9 hours, low intensity touring pace.

Nutrition that I've planned to take along

Gel (probably sufficient quantity for the full ride)

Some FastBars (I dont like the farbar flavours so went with fastbars)

1 bottle regular cycling drink, plus a small bag with additional powder so i can make a second bottle

1 bottle plain water

Meal stop at a cafe/restaurant half way. 

EDIT :  Moved my reply to @The Ouzo to the top -

So, "what can you buy at a convenience store" - for a relaxed tour (certainly not intended as optimal race fuel)? 

- FutureLife energy bars are available at most shops.  I prefer this purely for practical reasons - it is a dry-biscuit type product ... I hate half melted bars that just leave you with tacky fingers, that said, most any energy bar will do in a pinch for these rides

- Energade/Powerade is perfect for the electrolytes.  The normal one being very sweet, so actually perfect as both food and electrolyte.  I normaly use a 50-50% mix of the normal and sugar-free, thus all the electrolytes, without the excessive sweet taste.

PS - 7 hours in the saddle I used 3 energy bars and 750ml of Energade  (one full bottle in the frame, ideally more Energade).  For a longer ride I would take extra Energade along, or have to stop and buy.

 

 

EDIT 2 - the rest of the long post for those new to feeding on long rides -

Interesting (sad) to see this thread on page 4 .... and not a single mention of a dietician ...  Worth noting there are dietitians that specialise in sports nutrition.  I was fortunate enough to have a session with a lady that knows her game 

 

 

Few random thoughts:

- People differ, and what works for one may not work for the next.

- Do you want to feed to "keep going" and recovery, as apposed to race feeding (which your question is clearly a tour)

- BREAKFAST .... getting the right energy reserves going, without being bloated .... and just long enough before the ride so that it actually kicks in at the correct time.  

- So your breakfast carries you into the ride ... but what and how much do you consume BEFORE the breakfast "runs out", early enough for the new energy to work through your system and to keep you going.

- On a 9 hour tour a coffee/lunch stop is often part of the deal ..... I have seen people eat either too much, or the wrong type of food, and 30 minutes later they are bloated on the bike.  Worst case was a friend that actually got sick on the return leg ..... Personally - no more than a slice of bread with avo and an egg.

- "feeding" before, during and after such a long ride is one topic ...

- getting enough electrolytes in is a whole different topic .....

- easy to get fixated on the first two, and to forget about plain common hydration .....

 

 

A couple of Hubbers have noted on various threads about the timing of feeding and drinking on a ride.  Initially I was skeptical about 20 to 30 minute intervals ..... but small regular sips of water certainly seems to give me better results.  Same for small regular sips of the electrolytes.  For 3 to 4 hour rides I take my energy bars out the wrapping and put it in open plastic bags in the top-tube-bag, thus I can have a bite when the Garmin reminder bleeps.

 

Adding a protien and carb post ride recovery meal (chicken fillet on whole wheat), and a Steri-Stumpy has really improved my recovery times !!

Edited April 29, 2023 by ChrisF

[Frosty]

4 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

So heres a question on a related note.

If doing a long ride, you can only take so much with you. What can one buy at convenience stores to top up bottles along the route?

Planning the route to be taken is part of the fueling strategy. Make sure your route passes a garage or town where you can get emergency supplies (if needed). A  double lap or clover leaf shaped route works well in case of a need to bale too (if needed).

[The Ouzo]

1 hour ago, Frosty said:

Planning the route to be taken is part of the fueling strategy. Make sure your route passes a garage or town where you can get emergency supplies (if needed). A  double lap or clover leaf shaped route works well in case of a need to bale too (if needed).

Route is straight out and back. But there should be plenty garages etc. along the way due to the area it goes through. 

the question was more along the lines of what to buy from these garages to replenish nutrition. 
 

baling out will be taken care of by calling on family to come and fetch 😂 although the wife had already said to me “call an Uber”

[Frosty]

I guess one can’t beat a good old red ambulance🚨 in an emergency.

2 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

Route is straight out and back. But there should be plenty garages etc. along the way due to the area it goes through. 

the question was more along the lines of what to buy from these garages to replenish nutrition. 
 

baling out will be taken care of by calling on family to come and fetch 😂 although the wife had already said to me “call an Uber”

If I can think of what I’ve seen at the Caltex garage, where Seattle Coffee is served, are:

Apples, bananas, sarmies, trail mix, energy bars, muffins, etc. Not the most nutritious foods, but as energy goes, it’s fuel not nutrition so should help fill the deficit, and all these items are easily available. Knowing how many grams (carbs) per serving will help too with the amount needed.

I’m planning a triple century for June, so will use my strategy that day, I’m sure.

[The Ouzo]

2 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I guess one can’t beat a good old red ambulance🚨 in an emergency.

If I can think of what I’ve seen at the Caltex garage, where Seattle Coffee is served, are:

Apples, bananas, sarmies, trail mix, energy bars, muffins, etc. Not the most nutritious foods, but as energy goes, it’s fuel not nutrition so should help fill the deficit, and all these items are easily available. Knowing how many grams (carbs) per serving will help too with the amount needed.

I’m planning a triple century for June, so will use my strategy that day, I’m sure.

This will be a double century, never done one before

[Underachiever]

13 hours ago, Frosty said:

I guess one can’t beat a good old red ambulance🚨 in an emergency.

If I can think of what I’ve seen at the Caltex garage, where Seattle Coffee is served, are:

Apples, bananas, sarmies, trail mix, energy bars, muffins, etc. Not the most nutritious foods, but as energy goes, it’s fuel not nutrition so should help fill the deficit, and all these items are easily available. Knowing how many grams (carbs) per serving will help too with the amount needed.

I’m planning a triple century for June, so will use my strategy that day, I’m sure.

300 Audax?  Perhaps I need to join you to kickstart me back into action!!

[Frosty]

30 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

300 Audax?  Perhaps I need to join you to kickstart me back into action!!

No Audax, just a chilled ride from sunrise to sunset. Might include laps on the route; allows those struggling to keep up, to be able to ride at a slower pace without fear of being dropped.

Diarise 16 June, if you’re interested. 

[Akon]

On 4/26/2023 at 2:03 PM, Frosty said:

1cup = 24tsp, so a 1/2 cup = 12tsp (maltodextrin) and 6 tsp (of fructose). The extra 1/2 tsp is negligible, can comes down to palatability (including sweetness)

A cup is 48 tsp?

Hence this is more like 4:1, whereas (updated) conventional wisdom calls for 1:1?

[Frosty]

5 minutes ago, Akon said:

A cup is 48 tsp?

Hence this is more like 4:1, whereas (updated) conventional wisdom calls for 1:1?

Oops, thanks. I might have divided in my head then again while typing.

1:1 is not always possible, as fructose tolerance varies per person. Bloating, diarrhoea and stomach pains are known symptoms for fructose malabsorption.