Most Cyclists get their Fuelling Wrong (while on the Bike)

Work with Steph: www.performdietetics.com.au
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About the RCA: roadcyclingacademy.com
Cycling nutrition on the bike can be quite confusing with all the different types of products available all claiming to help you perform at your best. In this video an experienced sports dietitian, Steph Cronin, gives as the best simple guidelines to follow to ensure you are fuelling correctly on the bike.
#cycling #supplements #Performance

[@wsbygt]

These series are so important, thank you!

[@gavinbutler1109]

Another great video . Love listening to Steph always makes it sound so simple.

[@ceftx2375]

Getting my fueling dialed in has been like trying to solve a Rubik's Cube. Thank goodness for Steph! Her videos are extreeeeemley helpful. 👍

[@CycoWarriorx]

It's definitely a lot of tinkering with it until you find the right method that works for you. Even tho I've pretty much figured mine out and am comfortable with it, I still tinker with it via new different gels, hydration mixes, etc.. Then I learn some more stuff when Cam interviews her. All this to say, keep at it and don't get frustrated! 🍻

[@Necromonger69]

Really great info. This lady really knows her stuff. Fueling is a big issue I have. Can never seem to get it right.

[@LittleJulio.]

Brilliant breakdown. Learning so much!

[@elizabethmcgovern9731]

Fantastic in depth you couldn't buy this information thank you so much RCA your truly a one off and the best .E

[@mstrasser]

Great video and second the Maurten. Easy to use, easy to digest and the new bars are also fantastic.

[@julesselmes]

It’s good to find out that I’m doing things correctly. I appreciated learning that the grams/hour is not absolute for everyone. I’ve been worrying that I’m taking too much carb compared to people I ride with who are my weight. Good reminder to wash down ‘thick’ carbs with plenty of water too. I end up doing anyway because they are so craggy!

[@Advcrazy]

One an hour!! Man! When I was racing I was aiming for three gels an hour. Always isotonic. Gels stuffed into two jersey pockets, third pocket was for empty gel packets to prevent gaffing and accidentally pulling out an empty gel when your working hard and need to concentrate. Depending on the race I’d Sometimes also take a carb/electrolyte drink in one bottle and just electrolytes in the other bottle. There was no time for solids in races. Too difficult to eat and digest in the breakaway ;)

[@robertwhyte3435]

As always great info. I make my own drink and follow those guidelines. The only thing I add is salt and that seems to really help both with muscle cramps and handling higher amounts of fuel. The 100 milligrams of caffeine per bottle doesn't hurt either but that's something I think is specific to a person's tolerance.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Make sure you get a balance of salts. Pure table salt may not be sufficient.

[@nikgracanin6180]

Caffeine is proven to be more effective when consuming a high dose all at once. So instead of consuming 100 mg of caffeine per hour on a 4 h ride, rather consume 400 mg at once before a hard effort. If your ride is zone 2 with no hard efforts, I would avoid caffeine althogether, so the body does not get too used to it (it lowers the efficacy). Ofc be sure you can tolerate such high does as you've mentioned and some people are caffeine non-responders so caffeine suplementations do nothing for them.

[@townegr]

Great info!

[@aroundtheblockmag]

I have been using Infinite Nutrition’s custom blends for a few years now and it was a game changer on my 2-5 hour rides. No more bonking, muscle cramps, hunger, GI issues, or power falling off. Since switching I have under fueled on a few rides and I immediately run into performance decline. I am completely sold on this product’s ability to get my through big days of vert, mileage, and high temperatures.

[@brandonevans2588]

I started with powders in water, 750mL bottles. Then decreased to 500mL bottles while maintaining the same volume. Then introduced gels. Then shortened the interval between the doses. Seemed to work for me with gut training. I don’t think twice about 90-100 gm/hr now.

[@richardlocke7264]

I'm not a racer, more of an endurance rider. I fuel with dried mango strips (1 mango strip/10 miles) approx 10 grams carbs/half hour. Starting at the first half and hour. However, I only fuel on rides over 40 miles. I have had upset stomach on rides of 100 miles (approximately 10 dried mango strips- which are natural, taste great, and are almost per Sugar- Also they require no packaging, I just stack them up in the right hand jersey pocket.

[@TheRst2001]

Sounds good

[@edwarding4355]

This is very helpful. I had several questions, but as the video progressed she and the commentator brought out the proper answers to my questions. There is one question that I had that was not elucidated. When she talked about glucose and fructose those are only simple sugars. Most carbohydrates are not simple. Should ingestion be only simple sugars. For instance most gels have maltodextrins -- which are long chained glucose molecules which require your bodies enzymes to break down. And fructose and glucose is bound in table sugar as a disacchride sucrose which also requires enzymes. When the proportions are to be 2-to-1 is she talking about 2-to-1 mix of simple forms of the sugar, or can we go 2 parts by weight of sucrose (to give 1 part fructose and 1part glucose in the disacchride) plus 1 part by weight maltodextrin (for the additional part of glucose) to get 2-to-1 glucose/fructose? .

[@devinmorrison7131]

White table sugar is usually around $2 per kilo and perfect fructose/glucose mix! Equal to 50 gels worth of carbohydrate and 4 cents per gel equivalent. You don't have to remortgage your house to afford Maurten gels 🤣

[@mikenarayan5622]

Good advice. Save your money

[@surferboycoolable]

No one ever talks about the salt ..

[@tommyrq180]

Table sugar is sucrose. If you’re a serious athlete you should use commercial products that control for all manner of bad additional additives.

[@devinmorrison7131]

@@tommyrq180 As a cyclist racing cat 3 road, I would consider myself medium-seriousness. Please enlighten me what are these "bad additional additives" you speak of? How can you guarantee your $7 gel doesn't have any?

[@tommyrq180]

@@devinmorrison7131 Look at where the bulk sucrose and dextrose comes from. You have no idea what’s in there. Think PRC. With SIS or Maurten or Skratch you have the knowledge that people who’s careers depend on it, as well as their reputation to uphold, all trust it. Could something get adulterated? Sure-humans are involved. There are no guarantees. But athletes who get tested don’t necessarily trust the bulk fructose/dextrose/fentanyl that you buy in bulk. (That’s tongue-in-cheek for the humor impaired). It’s a jungle out there. White table sugar (sucrose) is pretty much pure if from a reputable company and sold in a store. Buy on Amazon or EBay, then buyer beware. If you buy it from the local bro lifting store, you have the same control problem-never know what’s in there. When it comes to gels, there are real differences. I only use the ones not requiring any additional H2O (e.g., SiS, Maurten). But every athlete is different so experimentation is always, always required no matter how many docs or PhDs are giving your team advice. FWIW from decades of coaching cyclists at all levels in all disciplines (except BMX), just my two cents.

[@adamcurpier]

Great information ❤

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Cheers Adam. RCA Team.

[@n22pdf]

Excellent info guys.. definitely some trial and error with fuelling correctly and finding what works best for you 🏅🚴👍🤩 I use my homemade flapjacks, dates and OTE products work well for me and clif especially bloks when on the bike 🚴

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Interesting to hear Pete, thanks for sharing on the thread. RCA Team.

[@durianriders]

The guy on the BMC at the start needs to check his steerer. With spacers on top of the stem I bet his steerer is cracked and ready to fail. Especially the D shaped ones.

[@rihssty]

Another very helpful video. Thank you. If I plan to consume more than 90grams of carbs, do I start taking the 2:1 fructose from the start or only after consuming 90 grams of the usual stuff? Again thank you.

[@cyclotaur6315]

I tried Infinite Nutrition last summer and found it improved my very long rides a fair bit. I was finishing much stronger, much less fatigued, and felt way better afterwards and next few days. I think I’d been ‘under fuelling’ on big rides in the past. 😉

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Interesting to hear, thanks for sharing on the thread. RCA Team.

[@johannpretorius1620]

About a month ago I consumed 150gram of carbs per hour for the first two hours of a three hour race. No stomach issues. Had an awesome race. I weigh 87kg.

[@kestralrider313]

GCN had a TDF team nutritionist a while back stating that up to 120g/hr is ideal for that level of effort, but admitted that riders need to train their body to work up to that intake level. I can't imagine taking an entire case/box of gels on one ride to accomplish this over 5hrs of riding. Steph's recommendations seem spot on and align with more recent research and recommendations from other experts. I tend to be able to tolerate gels for up to 5 hrs, but after that, the wheels start to fall off the cart and I have to really force myself to keep taking in carbs. My body does best on the Gu Liquid Energy gel packs (will try the SIS), but carrying 10+ of those becomes an issue with volume and weight that I don't want early on a longer ride.

[@8584zender]

This is what boggles my mind. A SiS gel is 100 calories so 25g of carbs. So you carry 4 of those per hour plus some in your water bottles. And eat a gel every 15 minutes? I know the grand tour coverage doesn't show everything, but if they were eating a gel every 15 minutes, a bunch of riders should be eating in every shot. When you watch the breakaway during the last 1-2 hours, you see them eating but no way they're downing a gel every 15 minutes.

[@pierrex3226]

And cost... Long distance athletes often carry a master sugar bottle, and a water one they refill. They basically do a DIY gel bottle. Sip of that, sip of water. Refill the water, and aim to finish the gel bottle as per your calcs. There's no way I'm spending ten bucks per ride on sugar solutions, and producing 5 wrappers or more to feed my bin, when i can just make sugar bottles with sugar types i can buy online, add electrolytes powder, add citric acid, add caffeine and so on. Sports drinks and gels have profit margins that are just insulting when you start looking under the hood

[@kommentar1709]

If taking gels remains a scientific challenge, it may be easier (and cheaper) to prepare a simple blend of maltodextrin and apple juice in the bottles. 70 g/h malto plus 400 ml apple juice per hour plus water will do the job for moderately fuctose-compliant folks. In case of very hot days and long (> 3 h) exercises, add about 0.5-0.7 g salt per liter.

[@mrjoshuagordon]

During my last ironman while riding a 4:41 bike split, took 130g/hour then 90g/hour on the run. They key is drinking enough water and salt. Check of Dr. Alex Harrison's content.

[@philholdsworth8280]

I've had an oesophagagectomy so don't have much of a stomach, what's your advice for not going into calorie deficit and for maintaining energy level?

[@ashleighross4937]

Does this high carbohydrate intake also apply to 1-1.5 hour high intense training sessions for better performance?

[@troycollett8540]

It also depends on your individual metabolism as well

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Yes very true Troy. Steph goes out of her way to mention 'individuals' are different and the approach may vary. Cheers, RCA Team.

[@davidwinston1627]

What about Age of the rider. How does that factor into this calculation?

[@xGshikamaru]

Having GI issues is the worst thing that can happen during a race, if it was me I would stay a bit under what I could tolerate during training because dehydration can occur faster, but I admit I haven't really tested my limits in that area, all that stuff gets expensive really quick as well

[@AdamJStoryDC]

How come when I say this stuff on my KZbin channel, the keto police attack ?

[@ArashFallah]

I've set up an eating reminder on my head unit for every 200 kCal burned, which is calculated from KJ out of my powermeter. As every kCal is ~4 KJ, and every gram of carb is 4 Kcal, it's easy math to just plan eating habits during the ride and post rides. And pretty much for all my training rides, it's always bananas, but sometimes I go with a rice cake or bar. I don't like the taste and texture of most gels and have pretty much eliminated fructose from my diet, unless it comes directly from a fruit.

[@durianriders]

Fructose is fructose boss. Look at the chemical structure. It DOESNT change no matter the source. Ive had a spinal injury the last 3 years and can't train like I used to yet Im still razor lean as most of my calories come from fructose. I smash in unlimited fruit, table sugar and corn based on my cravings. Fructose keeps you lean because it doesnt require insulin. My liver is also very healthy (doctors words) because I eat low fat year round the last 21 years.

[@SenorNuttypoo]

Starting slow is key, I just went for it going from under 40/hr to 90+/hr, and have came back from plenty of long rides with just one sock, sometimes none. I do notice a huge difference after long rides, Im able to do a run feeling relatively fresh afterwards.

[@michaelsingh843]

Could I get all my carbs with drinks and gels? Tried eating bars not a fan

[@Konzuug]

I am looking for some powder like maurten but in bigger bulk. Any tips?

[@pr1712]

Why should you use that sport drinks, if you can use HONEY or table sugar. It is around 1:1 ratio glocose : fructose, but can i use that ?

[@Gledii]

so, if i prepare a 500ml bootle containing 60g of carbs to consumer in 1 hour its better to get a sip every X min? how people manage the "sip time" when they prepare a bottle with concentrated sugar? thanks

[@markmccann-wood2225]

Lets say you're doing 90g per hour of glucose/fructose - 500ml carb drink, 1 gel & 1 bar/solid, would you include 1 bottle of just water in that equation let's say in hot conditions to avoid gut issues with undigested carbs?

[@jirihutecka9020]

Can I ask you about micronutrient deficiencies in cyclists? What I mean by that the body needs things like vitamins B to metabolize glucose properly. So I can imagine if some cyclist is eating even daily high amounts of refined sugars with no vitamins and minerals can run into issues? For example vitamin B1 is needed for glucose metabolism. Does pro cyclists take high doses of vitamins/minerals?

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

I tend to mix it up. Half hour mark having a sis gel, then some bars on the hour mark. On this ride, I had the sis gel and it did nothing for me. I am on the brink of give up and go home. Then on the hour mark, I had a Mars bar. Then it just clicked in. I started to feel better and stronger as I ride. By the end, I PBed two very tough climbs in close succession. Was I under fuelling before the bar? Or was it that SIS and I just didn’t get on? Maybe I should try these other brands. I used to down almost 14 gels on a 4-5 hours ride.

[@CycoWarriorx]

You were probably under fueling (sounds like it)... the beauty of this process is the personal discovery... One thing to keep in mind is palate fatigue... switch up your bar options and try/test out some other ones on your easy ride days... you don't want to burn yourself out on those Mars Bars! 😁🍻

[@richardyoung5201]

63kg age 59 80gph of duel carb (sis beta fuel 80g in a 600ml bottle works perfectly) Styrka works exactly the same......

[@smefour]

What if I'm not racing and just want to do distance am I better to be keto adapted in the long run?

[@posebukse]

Opinions on Vitargo?

[@kuniotsukamoto]

I am consuming 200g carb per hour. With white sugar (so grucose:fructose ratio is 1:1) But.. does it do any good for my performance? Even though I take more and more, there is no GI issue at all. How far should I go?

[@mrx1979ua]

What about Gummy Bears and alike candy type? I don't always feel that my guts like the gels when doing high intensity race that is over 90min, but it seems to not care about the amount of gel candy consumed. Any pro-cons? PS what I mean is - I can easily consume 100g of CH an hour just with candy, and only about 50 in gels and that does not feel "safe"

[@richardmiddleton7770]

What about the potential 1500kcal of stored glycogen plus a 200kcal carbohydrate breakfast? Seems you should be OK for upto 3hrs of fairly intense riding before needing to fuel? 🤷‍♂️

[@JordanHammond7]

Would love to know if there's any difference to fueling with a bar or gel if they have the same calorie count. Say at the base of a long climb. Does the gel get absorbed quicker?

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Here you go kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3XNfaWrociDeJI

[@christianemeiners9224]

Thanks Steph; I have seen Triathletes like Lionel Sanders or Sam Long using maple syrup as a source of carbs (a whole bottle on the bike). What is your take on this? Worth looking into? Thanks again, Chrissi

[@daviddemoise3526]

Check out untapped, they make single serving maple syrup pouches just like any other gel pouch. Can get them with coffee too for caffeine.

[@888jucu]

Maple syrup is about 70% sucrose i.e. "table sugar" and sucrose is 1:1 glucose to fructose. I believe honey is very similar.

[@durianriders]

Maple syrup is just expensive sucrose. Same ratios bro. Save your dollars. Sucrose is sucrose. Just ask any biochemist.

[@kallyltura7918]

@@durianriders you should do another video about it. maybe the 100th will be the one for people to understand this 😂

[@mattyedmonds5652]

@@durianriders I was searching this comments for you name or a comment from you bro. What’s your thoughts on this?

[@pimacanyon6208]

what about taking in fat, is it more difficult for the gut to handle? I have read that short chain triglycerides will go directly into the blood similar to how gels are quickly absorbed. Is there any advantage, or disadvantage, to taking MCT oil for part of your fueling intake?

[@cyclingboss469]

You mean eating fatty foods in the middle of intense training or races?

[@pimacanyon6208]

@@cyclingboss469 possibly. but I'm specifically asking about MCT oil which is derived from coconut oil. MCT oil is very short chain fatty acids that supposedly go straight into the bloodstream without needing digestion, and could therefore theoretically be used for energy soon after ingesting, similar to the way sugars are quickly absorbed and can be used quickly for energy. That's the theory, I just wonder whether it's been tried and what kind of results it gave. I'm not sure whether you could take a small amount by itself or whether it would need to be mixed with something to make it palatable.

[@peteranderson6935]

Might be relevant right at the top end of performance, World Tour, but for your average rider all this just makes you fat. I did my usual weekly long ride yesterday, 4h30, one banana, one 500ml bottle. Anyway, faffing around with Gels every 15 minutes in UK traffic conditions you'd be dead already. You see riders out on a sportive, 100 miles or so, 2 big bottles, gels all over the top tube and down their pockets, stopping at every feed zone. No wonder they're 2 hours down at the end while rocking an XXL distinctly rounded speedsuit. Train yourself, ride out until bonk kicks in - then ride home. Once a week.

[@pitekxpan5845]

Dry mango works plus a water 50/50 apple juice and salt

[@szbert]

Most of the World Tour peleton is taking about 200 grams of carbs per hour for the past few years. This is also becoming common with other elite cyclists. I'm taking about 140 - 160 grams per hour now and feel much better than I did at 80-100 per hour. But it seems to be highly individualistic

[@DeanPattrick]

This summer I swapped over to the SIS eta fuels from their standard stuff. It did take a few weeks to get used to it, but I ended up using a Beta fuel and normal gel every half hour. Taking just Beta fuel was too much for my stomach.

[@mindfreebodyfree5770]

Yeah, it's because of the fructose. The normal person only tolerates 25g per day. Most even less (fructose malabsorbtion). Then there are this 33% of human population that can't digest fructose at all (fructose intolerance). The fact that Fructose is really difficult for the body and is proven to have serious health impacts is widely ignored. Fructose is also very very slow. It tales awhile until it has reached the liver and is broken down to glucose. That's why all studies only recommend Fructose for moderate to high immensity workouts that last > 2.5h. Those studies even say that based on other studies that clearly prove that digesting Fructose will lead to fatty liver which results in liver cirrhosis and diabetes and other metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, they don't recommend to fuel with fructose. It's wiser and more effective to invest into your training regime and train at low intensity to improve you aerobic system to work based on fat for higher intensities.

[@mindfreebodyfree5770]

For you info, fructose in fruits is easier to digest because it is ingested together with an high amount of fibre. So if you need fructose better eat fruits. Fructose in it's natural form is believed to significantly reduce the risk of diseases. However, fibre impacts the glucose oxidation negatively. So fibre during moderate to high intensities is not recommended.

[@DeanPattrick]

@@mindfreebodyfree5770 when I'm running round the forest and swimming in lakes gels are the better than having a bowl of fruit to carry around. If you are going to post, write something realistic.!

[@mindfreebodyfree5770]

@@DeanPattrick What are you talking??? So bringing a banana in your pocket or dates is not realistic. I see. What a stupid comment in a very harassing and arrogant way. Many athletes carry food. Bakery or fruits. Nothing new. If this is feasible for or not doesn't matter. the point was that if you think you need fructose you should consider to consume it in its natural complex composition. "If you are going to post, write something realistic.!" - If you are going to post better cool down your temper and think before you go on a rampage for nothing.

[@DeanPattrick]

@@mindfreebodyfree5770 my main sport is SwimRun whereby you run through the forest in a wetsuit, then swim in our trainers. Gels are the only thing you can carry underneath your wetsuit 😎 5 bananas an apple and orange simply does not work in this sport 😔

[@daviddemoise3526]

Good info, I just went to look up Beta Fuel though and it appears to no longer be available.

[@SenorNuttypoo]

It sells out. I just got some a couple weeks ago. I have used both products mentioned, SIS Beta an Infinite. Of the two, Infinite has a better Nutrition profile, as it has more sodium and some Protein. Plus you can customize the formula.

[@pedalandypedal]

What are potential issues with using products that contain mostly maltodextrin?

[@pisstaker5552]

The shits...

[@aussiefreediver]

Beta fuel and Maurten are doing 1:0.8 glucose/fructose which has been the general consensus for the past few years (As opposed to the outdated 1:0.5 mentioned). She also mentions 60g glucose being the upper limit per hour but has an athlete on 110g which means said athlete can’t be doing 1:0.5. SIS gels shown have 22g of carbs not 30.

[@suisinghoraceho2403]

110 g of carb of which 60g are glucose based.

[@latte6878]

A lot of the info she gives seems to be quite outdated. By the way sugar has the ratio of 1:1 which is very close at a fraction of the cost. You can easily make your own drink mix of 100g of sugar and a pinch of salt as a cost-free alternative and it will have the same effect as those 4 euro per pack drink mixes. Just yesterday I did a 6 hour 250w ride with efforts and what I took with me was two 550ml watter bottles with 100g of sugar / pinch of salt in them as well as a 2 gels, 1 banana and 1 small bottle with another 100g of sugar/salt in it for refilling. And also stopped to eat a kebaba mid ride. Ended the ride feeling almost fresh and almost no cardiac drift. Sugar works, no need to overpay for the drink mixes that are esentially the same thing anyways just with a brand sticker on it.

[@888jucu]

Assuming she had an athlete on 110g total carbs/hr and in that 110g you had max glucose being 60gm then you could include 30gm fructose + 20gm maltodextrin which brings your total to 110gms

[@aussiefreediver]

@@suisinghoraceho2403 60g of glucose and 50g of fructose is not 1:0.5 it's 1:0.83, which again is current recommendations.

[@aussiefreediver]

@@888jucu Incorrect. Malto and glucose are the same thing. that would be 90g glucose 20g fructose. which is even worse.

[@deondebeer4373]

I am using ketones as energy and on a 230km MTB event I only consume 3500kj during the event of 11hours with no lost of energy- carbs also is the reason for my cramping and this also is something from the past

[@lynskeyti9940]

Yes, road cyclist here. Once I got used to riding in ketosis I'll never go back.

[@krzychjkx6311]

After few years of cycling on carbs and feeling horrible 5-6 hours into the ride. Now over two years riding in ketosis, never hitting the wall, have more energy the longer I ride without refueling.

[@DavisStraubOz]

Most gels seem to be 16 gr carbs and less than 100 calories. 60 gr would mean a gel every 15 minutes, 90 gr would mean, one every ten minutes, and 110 gr would mean, one every 7 minutes.

[@GoustiFruit]

I usually bring dates. Mazafati dates, to be more precise. Obviously, pitted, beforehand. So good. And that's about 50% glucose, 50% fructose. They melt in your mouth.

[@zardozica]

What do you think about a mix of 750 ml of coconut water with a tablespoon of honey?

[@jhvisual5393]

@5:44 - bottom left corner. The most horrible thing I've ever tasted 🤢 Otherwise very good info! Did my first IM 70.3 this summer and really pushing in gels(80g/h) gave me the power and endurance I didn't know i have!....and I was 1 week out of covid. Though I also had severe diarrhoea after the finish 🫠....which may have also been due to a pack of diasporal I took in the end of the run for cramps.

[@Li_gogas]

So can I just put 50 g of maltodextrin and 20 g of sugar into my drink and eat one banana per hour?

[@Zwiftsushi]

What about fuelling for women??? What are your thoughts on that??? 60-90 is that generalized for everyone? Or the study is for men. I start with 40g an hour. Would love to hear more please for women

[@yannickokpara4861]

It should be the same as it is output-based i.e. how many kJ of work you are doing. The reason daily recommended intakes are lower for women is that it takes less kJ to sustain a smaller person :)

[@thisiknowwithjohnfield5067]

I have a permanent Illiostomy, shortened small intestine, no large intestine, colon or rectum. So a severe restriction on nutrition uptake. I do Infinit and it's not bad, but what about us in these conditions. Thanks!

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

Hey John, we'll see if we can get Steph in here to answer this. Cheers, RCA Team.

[@reflectionsdetail]

how does one calculate how many grams per hour they need?

[@beautoxt3482]

Start with 0.5g of sugar per kg body weight per hour. Aim for 1g/kg/h.

[@GabrielAntonioFernandezDiaz]

Are we really as humans design for taking all this stuff and perform on our high potential or this thing in the long run is dangerous? Don’t take me wrong, I cycle and like go far and fast, but sometimes is like taking so much stuff to go further and harder that I wonder if is not better to just go natural and push the body using natural food/ drinks etc?

[@JFomo]

What if I'm aiming for Zone 2 power for a 210km ride? Around The Bay is next week and I am not confident I can do it or complete it.

[@latte6878]

If your z2 is 150w - 60g of carb / hour if, 200w - 80g/hour, 250w - 100-120g/hour. 1g of sugar is 1g of easily digestable form of carbs so you can fill both of your watter bottles with enough for an hour and you already got fuel for 2h. Next step - bring 2 bars that have little to no protein or fat and are mostly carbs if 1 bar has 30g of carbs that will give you your 3rd hour. 3rd step is to bring a little pouch with you in the jersey pocket that has something like 80grams of sugar in it so when you're refilling your watter bottles you get another hour of fuel. So already 4 hours of fuel a coumple more to go. If you stop somewhere to buy something which you should for such a long ride dont buy plain water or mineral water, buy a soda drink, cola, fanta, mountain dew whatever you like. Try to consume a little bit of salt every hour as you sweat it out, replenishing sodium will minimize cardiac drift (you can just add a pinch of table salt to your water bottles and buy something salty mid ride). This formula is tried and tested many times on my 6hour+ rides, never bonked or had gut issues.

[@JFomo]

@@latte6878 Wow thanks! So I have to eat 2 bars within an hour? I've never eaten 2 full bars in an hour before, it seems a lot, I will try this weekend on my "training" ride. Clif bars make me bloated. Yes my Z2 is 150w.

[@yannickokpara4861]

@@latte6878 You don't need to stop though, since you can have a lot more than 2 bars and a pouch of sugar/powder in your jersey.

[@georgemichaelides4500]

Just eat a bunch of carbs the night before and slam in some food on the ferry ride no need for 2829392 gels every hour

[@latte6878]

@@georgemichaelides4500 carb loading the day before is important but dude.. he;s doing 210km ride, hitting his hourly carb needs is a must or he will bonk 3 hours in.

[@lynskeyti9940]

Fueling... why? Just ride in ketosis, once you trained on it you can do it all day. Not racing mind you, training

[@nikgracanin6180]

How can you train high intensity without sugar huh? Seek professional help for your carbophobia and probably also your ED.

[@christopherandstephaniehil5782]

Does this work for 70yr old male

[@micajahnordyke-fg6gt]

Ugali is amazing

[@VINCAO11M]

Maurten and Betafuel is 1:0,8 ratio, not 2:1.

[@TheGazavman]

Fruit jellies are the best, one each 30-40 minutes.

[@cypriano8763]

killian jornet doesnt bring food or water on any training run or ride. dont sweat it, just get out there, keep it simple. a handfull of dates is plenty good enough

[@markasej]

Water + Suggar + Getorade Powder = Game Changer $$$$

[@anthonylarson7919]

maybe I am just lucky....... for decades I have used TANG in my bottles and Fig Newtons as food. I've only bonked once, but then again never won anything..lol. a

[@TomashDXB]

Simple table sugar = 2:1 ratio. You’re welcome. Don’t waste your money on expensive sugar from SIS etc.

[@TomashDXB]

And 2:1 ratio no longer ideal based on latest research.

[@stevosUSN]

What about cyclist with type 2 Diabetes, I wish we could take in all those Carbs but it'll only make my blood sugar go up.

[@graffix11us]

Check out Hammer Nutrition they have a lot of fueling options for Diabetics.

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

We'll see if we can get Steph in here answering this for you Stevo. Cheers, RCA Team.

[@XxxxTxTxxxX]

I've been getting like 30-50g carbs per hour and it doesn't have much effect on my blood sugar because i'm constantly burning and exercising. Maybe it's different for everyone

[@stevosUSN]

My Dr. said that the stress that I put on my body by riding 40-60 mile bike rides also causes my blood sugar to go up , it’s pretty confusing

[@durianriders]

You have T2D because you eat too much fat mate. Ive been working with T2D and T1D since 1999. Cut your fat under 10g a day and get back to us in just a week how much better your GM readings are. ALL the T1D who do my protocols have the lowest units of insulin in their lives and lose a lot of fat.

[@nikgracanin6180]

Why 2:1 glucose:fructose ratio, it has been proven time and time again 1:1 ration (just sucrose-table sugar) is more effective? Why is this still being promoted, to sell those overpriced sport drinks instead of cheap table sugar or what?

[@tawfeeqalsulais3330]

Simple sugar and water will do the trick!😅

[@czeckson74]

MvdP does 120g/h in race

[@durianriders]

Have a guess where he got that from. ;)

[@czeckson74]

@@durianriders OK, then we know, who´s responsible for the hotel incident ;-)

[@chingonbass]

can i just chug an ensure or a meal replacement shake, they usually have carbs in it

[@issaowaga]

Can sugar water offer the same ratio? Are there any drawbacks to using sugar water?

[@888jucu]

Table sugar "sucrose" is 50:50 glucose to fructose so you cant get the same ratio but you get quite close assuming 1:0.8. Its a good budget hack though but fortifying your drinks with sugar can make them sickly sweet and sticky and can clag up your mouth after a while. Most of these sports drinks and gels are using Maltodextrin for the glucose component of the carbs as its less sweet and greater amounts can be consumed before GI problems start

[@issaowaga]

@@888jucu thanks for this, is there any health risk ie diabetes?

[@latte6878]

@@issaowaga Been using sugar water to fuel my rides for years. At first it's a little to sweet but you get used to it. I'm not the one you asked but no, you won't get diabetes as the sugar you consume on the ride will be basically burned off as fuel, but it will be bad for your teeth, brushing after every ride helps.

[@yannickokpara4861]

Only downside is that adding sodium is hard, because pure salt is saltier than the compounds used in energy powders.

[@888jucu]

@@issaowaga I will assume u mean is there a risk of getting diabetes from consuming high calorie drinks and not that u already have diabetes and how do these drinks effect your diabetes conditon correct? Basically if your are exercising your body will be consuming the calories as you go. If you drink high carb drinks and watch TV all day then yes it could eventually lead to diabetes in the same way as drinking coke and eating pizza all day and doing nothing could lead the same way👍

[@chbrosz]

yoh... this is going to get expensive! ;)

[@philfortner1805]

Pro cyclists pack an entire pizza in their pockets. Then consume one slice per 30 minutes to win races. There's a reason Domino's sponsors the Tour De France.

[@derf9465]

Sausage roll every 30 minutes.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

The fitter you get, the less you need. Example.. The new guy knows nothing about riding easy and just smashes themselves every time chasing average speeds for Strava, he needs carbs! The fit seasoned rider, rides just as fast as the new guy but he's in zone 2 burning primarily fat for fuel! Get it???

[@tomp.7938]

sure, but if you want to race you are absolutely not staying in zone 2. you're not making a relevant point.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

You'll find it's about as relevant as it gets.

[@mikenarayan5622]

instead of gel and drink mixes Put plan sugar in your bottle and jelly sandwich in your pocket. Save your money

[@warrencarswell7814]

How about natural foods like bananas?

[@bryanoliver1900]

Hard to consume enough calories when doing a Audax 1200km ride

[@roadcyclingacademy6476]

I am sure Bryan! Monster rides!

[@simonmiddleton4487]

Im carnivore

[@dsonyay]

Sugar is toxic. I mean wtf are we doing here? I was able to get off of carbs- finally. Nothing worse than carrying all this food- and very unhealthy food at that. It took me a few weeks to get my body running properly on zero carbs (the way the body was designed btw). Once adjusted, you can run elite marathons and cycle all day on zero carbs - just water and salt (electrolytes). I bike up to 6 hours quite a bit and avg 200 miles per week on the bike. Since Mid Jan 2023 Ive only carried water. Thats it. Ive yet to “bonk” and I won’t. Stop this insanity with the sugar People.. eating carbs - especially sugar is just insanity. Dr Tim Noakes has discovered this recently. And he was the founding father of carb loading years ago. He and other scientists have proven conclusive that the body will produce plenty enough glucose without adding toxic sugars.

[@islarun4103]

Sweet potato

[@motostarmx1777]

Smoke more weed..

[@pavanatanaya]

Stop with these terrible synthetic foods

[@MRDTBOSS]

Provide some useful suggestions.

[@dieterbierman9803]

@@MRDTBOSS 40 bananas for a five hour ride ;)

[@WhaJMc]

​@@dieterbierman9803 Thanks a bunch.

[@durianriders]

sugar isnt synthetic lol. Table sugar is ALWAYS naturally derived from cane or beets.

[@pavanatanaya]

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