How To Fuel For a 100 Mile Ride

What do you typically eat on your long rides? 🍌

I did a 260km ride with my pockets stuffed full of muesli bars and the intention of eating 2 every hour. After eating around 15 of the things I learnt 2 valuable lessons. 1) You need a bit of variety in your nutrition and 2) That the choc chip ones are no good as your body heat melts them.

My rule is that the eating starts before the riding does. The first snack happens while I'm getting ready.

I like to measure my efficiency in kilometers per burrito. At least 40km/burrito, but new bike may make that 50km/burrito. Cars use miles per gallon, but I like our fuel per distance better. ;)

I’ve done a few 600-700km no sleep rides and start with oats for breakfast. Then stop to eat every 4-5 hours with bananas, dried apricots and almonds for slow energy release which I snack on all ride. Most of these rides are unsupported so have to eat what you can get on the route. Always crave bacon and egg so stop for a toastie en route and try eat as many carbs/ protein as possible. And always drink a Powerade/ water 50/50 mix to replace electrolytes and the odd coke too. Just keep eating, even if not hungry, and you’ll be fine. One thing most people don’t think about? Eating and hydrating well the day before has a role in how a long ride goes too

63 year old, 15 hour ironman (hopefully faster this year). I very much follow the idea of separating out nutrition and hydration. Bottles on the downtubes contain decanted gels with a small amount of water to make it flow. Hydration in an xlab between the bars, currently Precision Hydration 1,000 electrolyte, as they are the sponsors at Barcelona. One slight mod, I do not eat any solid food after 8pm the night before. I tried flapjack, but just makes me need to go to the toilet. I also tried half a banana on the bike as people keep saying you need proper food, but I really dislike chewing on the bike. This regime works for me.

In the Philippines, we stop at pares and lomi eateries to fill those carbs up. There are also lots of coconut stalls along the roads for electrolytes.

Did my first 100miler April this year, 6hr 18min. I used 6 SiS betafuel 80g in 6 bottles of water with an electrolyte tablet in each one. Was perfectly hydrated and perfectly fueled, had about half a bottle left over at the end which i drank on the car journey home. Ive sinced started mixing my own maltodextrin and fructose energy powder for 1/3 of the price of SiS stuff and just as good.

Really needed this boost Brianna!! You are so inspiring

52 years old and getting ready for my first century ride, in July in Texas...🥵. Timely video and informative, thanks!!!

I cycled from Norway to Spain (approximately 120kms a day on average on a 50 kilo bike) Macdonald’s, pizzas and gallons of beers were sufficient. After the challenge I didn’t just need a new hole in my belt, my work trousers just fell off my waist … Not the best tip probably…but it worked for me . All the best to you GCN guys. Love your channel 🙌👍

Always great Conner! Nice new ride!

Thanks Conor, great information well presented

Conor !!! Great high five ✋ the weekend at King Square ! Was great to spot you I wish we could have had a chat ! Welcome to the GCN show lol😂

Sports gels and bars are ridiculously expensive. Don't even think of buying these for a second.

Andy nailed it. Conner, not so much. Conner, as a former top-level pro cyclist, is used to ingesting lots of carbs. His suggestion of 60–120 grams or more per hour during a century may work for him as a former pro or other pro-level riders (Pogi will take up to 140 grams per hour), but for the average rider, you will probably have stomach distress. Andy's suggestion of between 30 and 90 grams is more realistic. I do a double-century race in under 10 hours. I make a liquid fuel that consists of 40 grams of carbs (UCAN), 10 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fat taken every 75 minutes. Consistency when racing over long distances are very important.

Perfect timing! Looking to ride 100 miles in the next month or so - thank you!

Nicely done Conor! :_Beer:

Yeah, I did centuries for years. Anything for a T-shirt I was around when they only had power bars and no STI shifting!!!❤❤

Thanks. Gatorade works for me. Be safe!