What do you eat on the bike?

35-40miles i can get away with nothing if have eaten well before, longer 3-6 hour rides i have to start eating within 20mins or i'll pay for it later on, a mix of elevenses bars and torq/mule/trek/power bars, will probably have a little gu gel for the end of the ride if the pace picks up a bit or there's a big hill involved. don't have anything in the water though as i don't like sugary drinks. prefer to ride non-stop if possible. i'm really skinny so don't have much fat to burn.

kendal mint cake as well is a great option.

isn't that just pure refined sugar with added mint flavor?

Yes, yes it is.

Its not the best ride food granted and its an acquired taste but there are few things better to get you across the line when you are 370 miles into a 377 mile ride as Ed and I found out in July! Wouldn't count on it for longer periods of cycling though. You'd probably sugar crash.

these in multiple quantities.
I took a banana cake on a ride to brighton but it made my back sweaty where it sat in the pocket so I ate it quickly and it didn't really help.

MrSmyth do you take a bite every 20 mins on the bike on longer rides? I also have a fast metabolism.

I usually carry a banana and a gel even on < 40 mile rides, but they don't always get eaten.
For 40-80 mile rides I usually eat a couple of bananas and a snickers/coconut bar/malt loaf piece.
On longer rides than that I'll be going a bit slower so will probably stop and eat some normal food aswell as all the sweet stuff.

<40 miles rides don't tend to be planned with me, over 40 miles I usually eat some chocolate, but >70 is when I make an effort to take some sandwiches or Mule Bars or whatever.
Wouldn't eating every 20 mins be a right hassle, constantly taking things out your pockets?

You'd probably sugar crash.

i would. i can't do pure sugar foods.
though i have on occasion been forced to stop at wimbledon station to eat 2 milky ways and wait 5 min to get me back home to tooting when my vision has started to go and i'm crawling along in bonkville.

Bitter and cock.

Wouldn't eating every 20 mins be a right hassle, constantly taking things out your pockets?

not if you tear the wrapper first and know what is in each pocket, or have all the food in one pocket, i just stuff the wrappers down the front of my bibs if i can't get it back in the pocket with thick winter gloves on. stopping to eat is pointless on a long ride, much prefer to keep moving.

On ride that's more than a century long, I snacked/drink every 20 miles as the longer the miles, the more you start to feel the effect of certain food in your body affect your energy levels.

I almost crashed due to not knowing how many miles/long I was on the saddle for during the Dunwich Dynamo after my stomach turn inside out trying to grawl on whatever fuel I have left, when I stopped for a bits, I realised I've been riding non-stop for 3 hours.

50-75 miles ride, only a couple sweet and a pub lunch is more than enough to keep me going.

i am the opposite to mrsmyth

am naturally fat and have a lot of energy reserves built in. its crucial for me that i get into fat burning and stay there. for me a slow release carb such as porridge for breakfast is essential, and then little bits of mule bar or similar during the ride

being a man who sweats a lot i use nuun or similar in my water bottle to ensure that i get to replace the lost salts but not a dose of sugar

if i have simple sugars i tend to get an energy spike, continue to burn sugars, run out of glycogen and then bonk

i do agree that its better to eat on the bike than to stop to eat

Porridge before a long ride is a win. As long as I manage to go toilet beforehand.

Stopping to eat... That depends how long the long ride is I guess. I mean over 200k and I'm going to want 25 mins and something to eat in the middle please.

35-40miles...3-6 hour rides...

About my pace.

Porridge

+1 if it's a morning ride.

Plus a coffee of course.

i am the opposite to mrsmyth

am naturally fat and have a lot of energy reserves built in. its crucial for me that i get into fat burning and stay there. for me a slow release carb such as porridge for breakfast is essential, and then little bits of mule bar or similar during the ride

being a man who sweats a lot i use nuun or similar in my water bottle to ensure that i get to replace the lost salts but not a dose of sugar

if i have simple sugars i tend to get an energy spike, continue to burn sugars, run out of glycogen and then bonk

i do agree that its better to eat on the bike than to stop to eat

I'm very similar to you then mate. Taking on enough fluids is the biggest challenge for me. Its a lot better in the winter though.

(crunchy) peanut butter and banana sandwiches

scones

mochas

and those zero electrolyte drinks when I remember to order them.

all the favourites work for me. i think it's largely the psychological effect of eating something when you feel like you could do with a boost. that and instant hit of sugar and salt.

any combination of the following: malt loaf - sliced with butter and jam on a longer ride. bananas, flapjack, coffee, sweets, energy gel, electrolyte powerade

basically it's all good. i'm of the anti xander philosophy, although i prefer to carry a little for back up and buy en route for convenience

(crunchy) peanut butter and banana sandwiches

That remind me - peanuts butter cups.

fucking awesome.

mmmm they look real good.

also, pizza.

One way to get back to your original weight Tom...

pizza.

Cheese, spicy things, acidy tomato, refined flour...

Your breaking all the rules!

One way to get back to your original weight Tom...

Make it Diet coke and I'll be that guy....

Cheese, spicy things, acidy tomato, refined flour...

Your breaking all the rules!

*You're

and the challenge lies not in the digestion, but in the opening/closing/carrying/eating/cycling home from pub.

I'm not ashamed to admit, I've dropped a pizza whilst cycling before, it landed face down, and I picked it up....

...maybe a little ashamed. Crunchy pizza FTW!

crack.