The key to riding long distances is food and drink.
Sure, training is important—but nutrition and hydration are even more vital. According to renowned former ultramarathon rider and Coach John Hughes of Boulder, Colorado, “Nutrition, not necessarily training, is the limiting factor in endurance cycling.”
The reason? Even the best-trained riders pack only enough muscle fuel (glycogen) for a couple of hours of hard cycling. Fluid stores vanish even faster.
For everything from century rides to multi-day tours, remember these time-tested tips:
- Enjoy the Last Supper. Eat aggressively the night before a long ride so your muscles are crammed with glycogen the next morning. Emphasize carbohydrates such as pasta, vegetables, bread, whole grains, and fruit. Don’t forget dessert!
- Don’t Skip Breakfast. Cycling’s smooth pedaling motion means you can eat just before a long ride without risking stomach upset. You’ll need a full tank. Cycling consumes about 40 calories per mile, or 4,000 calories in a century ride.
Three hours before the start, eat about 60 grams of carbohydrate if you’re an average-sized woman, 80 to 100 if you’re a man. (Cereal, skim milk, a banana, and a bagel with jam equals about 90 grams of carb.) Many riders find that adding some protein and fat, like scrambled eggs or an omelet, keeps their stomach satisfied longer.
- Prehydrate. The day before the ride, drink to thirst. Don’t skimp but current studies indicate that there’s no reason to overhydrate.
- Eat and Drink During the Ride. Drink during the ride to satisfy your thirst. About every 30 minutes, eat 20 grams of carbohydrate—the equivalent of half an energy bar, several fig bars or half a banana. Some riders prefer smaller portions more frequently.
On unsupported rides, use a backpack-style hydration system and carry food in your pockets. Stop at convenience stores along the way, if necessary. Most organized rides have aid stations every 20 miles or so, but always carry food and fluid just in case.
- Hydrate After the Ride. No matter how much you drink on a long ride, you’ll finish dehydrated. Weigh yourself before and after, then compare the figures. Lost weight means you’ve failed to replace the fluid you’ve sweated out. Drink 20 ounces of water or sports drink for each lost pound of bodyweight.
How do you know you’ve caught up? Your urine will be pale and plentiful, and your weight will be back to normal. Rehydrating is especially vital during multiday rides. If you get a little behind each day, by the end of the week you’ll be severely dehydrated, feeling lousy, and riding poorly.
- Eat for Tomorrow. Muscles replace glycogen better if you consume carbohydrate immediately after riding. So within minutes of getting off the bike, eat or drink 60 grams of carbohydrate (if you’re an average-sized woman) or 80 to 100 grams if you’re an average male.
The re-fueling process becomes progressively less efficient as time passes. Eat or drink a high-carb snack while chewing the fat with your riding buddies.
Thanks for this! I struggle with fuelingy body on long rides. I’m sure I don’t drink enough either. I’m just so afraid to eat so many carbs. I’ve always struggle with be a large man trying to do a little guy sport.
Thanks Kent
Don’t worry about carbs mate they don’t make you fat they just cause water storage in your muscles. When you’re dehydrated that water is stored in fat cells. Calories will make you fatter or thinner but water weight can cause havoc. Aim to drink 3-4 litres per day and you’ll drop 10 pound in excessive water retention trust me
Hello to all cycling enthusiasts. My Fiance and I are about to get ready for a 10 year tour of the United States. We’re beginning our initial journey in Iowa heading south west. We will be visiting every capital in every state. I will be documenting this and we’ll also have a daily journal and videos of landmarks in various states.
please email your blog name
Just cycled and drove from East to West across Canada and the USA
8 plus weeks 15.000 km of driving and over 2000 km of cycling
My wife is almost 70 and I am that.
Thats amazing, I am planning to do across country. Do you have a blog you can share?
What’s the name of the website that I can follow your bike ride good for you guys happy for you that you can do the 10-year ride
I’m a beginner cyclist. The longest ride I have done is 62 miles. My concern for nutrition during the rides I do as I’m a type 2 diabetic. I have to be careful about the carbs I take in. I usually try to limit my meal time carbs to 45 grams or less to keep my blood sugar down. Can you give me any advice on how to keep my energy up and keep my blood sugars in the normal range?
In general, you are going to be burning a lot more carbs during the ride.
WebMD has an article that you might find helpful: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-fuel-your-workout#1
I am preparing for a 25 bike ride, and so excited to participate in this as I didn’t know how to ride a bike until 10 years ago and I don’t ride too much… so for me is a big deal 25 miles. thanks for the article.
Hi,
Last year I did a few 100km rides during the Summer and this tear I want to do a 100 miler, a true Century ride, fairly early in my schedule.
My concern is that I bonked fairly big on one of my rides last year because I didn’t consider the reality of refueling during the trip.
My concern was that when I’m riding I don’t handle eating very well ….
Normally I can eat just about anything, but on the bike I don’t seem to digest the same way.
Any food and drink suggestions would be gratefully received!
.
Not knowing your particular body hard to say.
But I think the key is trying one food at a time on your longer training rides to build up a few things you find work for you.
Best of luck!
OR https://www.levelshealth.com/blog/ultra-runner-mike-mcknight-just-ran-118-miles-completely-fasted
Contrary ??
That guy specifically trains as a low carb runner and also runs at a very even pace as an ultra runner. I think what’s interesting about that article is that it’s possible, but I don’t think it’s realistic for most people. There are also not really any low carb pro cyclists who are doing the mainstream world tour level events, even though some cyclists are taking ketones.
I seem to be having this issue where I am not hydrating enough or eating enough before the ride. I had bariatric surgery about two years ago and this year I have tried to increase my intensity on my rides. The issue is that due to 80% smaller stomach I can’t put alot in before the ride so now I am starting to bonk on a couple of my rides that as of last year where not an issue.
Is there something that I can do to pack in the fuel before the ride for tiny tummy me. I don’t have an issue during the ride as I use gels to fuel and cut energy bars into small bite size chunks to also eat and hydrate every 15 minutes.
There are many people who are enjoying a keto or carnivore way of eating. Ketosis completely eliminates the need for carbing up before the ride or consuming carbs during a ride or even a multi-day tour. When your body is using fat for fuel, you can skip a morning breakfast and ride while fasting. You will be consuming your own body fat for fuel. Just completed a 3-day tour with low carbs and intermittent fasting. Doing great.