All the time, we see brands touting new gels, snacks, and drinks that they claim will help riders perform at their very best. With such strong performance messaging, it’s easy to believe that proper nutrition isn’t for the average rider – but in our experience, that’s very wrong. Here’s how to eat and stay fuelled to benefit your average ride.
Although words like ‘performance’ are draped over web pages of brands trying to sell you stuff, nutrition isn’t reserved for pro riders. We at off.road.cc have even written articles on nutrition for performance, which admittedly is rather race-focused.
But it really needn’t be that serious, and every rider out there can benefit from eating right during a ride. In fact, if you find yourself struggling for concentration mid-descent, lacking focus and general energy, I’d be willing to bet that you’ve not fuelled properly. Some kind of nutrition consumed during your ride will fix that.
So yes, fuelling does matter to the average rider, but it doesn’t have to be as serious as racers’ nutrition, which some brands might lead you to believe. It can be a lot simpler, but still incredibly beneficial.
Believe it or not, feeding yourself properly while on a ride can be helpful if you’re trying to lose a bit of weight or maintain it. We’ve all been there, absolutely ruined after a ride, only to stop off at McDonald’s to order half the menu, or get home and absolutely raid the kitchen. Eating while riding will put a stop to that.
Carry some kind of food, always
It doesn’t really matter what kind, but without any food, you may find yourself low on energy and alertness while you’re miles away from home or your car. This isn’t a fun place to find yourself in.
If you’re determined enough, you can carry a roast dinner, but of course, that’s not exactly practical and perhaps not the best food for exercise. Small, easy-to-pack nibbles are the best way to go here. And if they’re small, they’ll be easier to eat as you go.
Jam sandwiches, pancakes, anything that’s a bit sugary and carb-loaded is always an excellent choice. A pack of Haribo can go a very long way, too.
Experiment with different products and foods
If you are going down the sports nutrition route, check out a bunch of products from different brands. Gels, for example, can work for some people and not for others, and that can be dependent on the brand.
If gels aren’t for you, there’s a wide variety of chews and bars to choose from. But have a play, see what works for you and your stomach, and what flavours you prefer.
It doesn’t have to be about proper sporty foods though, as even a sandwich can make you feel lethargic once you get pedalling again. But have a play, find out what works best and keeps you feeling fresh.
Have a loose feeding schedule, and eat before you’re hungry
When racing, I’ve had 45-minute feed reminders on my cycling computer. This is mega handy because when riding against the clock, eating something is rarely at the forefront of my mind. Although it’s very useful, following a strict schedule isn’t imperative on a normal ride.
But setting some kind of schedule is incredibly useful, because it’ll keep you feeding yourself before you get hungry, and getting hungry on a ride is pretty much the beginning of the end. But rather than take things super seriously with something set up on a cycling computer, think about it a little differently.
It could be something like eating after you’ve finished so many descents, or mentally plotting points in your ride that make a good time to get some food in you. It’s not rocket science; just keep it regular and stick to it, but don’t kick yourself if you’ve missed a bit out.
At the very least, stay hydrated
When you exercise, you sweat. As you sweat, you lose minerals and water. When dehydrated, your body won’t function as well as it can, and you’ll notice a touch of brain fog creep in. It goes without saying, but when riding fast or over technical terrain quickly, brain fog is the last thing you want.
So taking a bottle of water, at the very least, will help you replace vital fluids and some minerals, staving off brain fog and keeping you riding fresher for longer. But throwing an electrolyte tablet into your water will make that fluid more effective at hydrating you.
These are better than water alone, because they replace those minerals that help your body hold water and potentially help your muscles work properly, which can prevent cramps.
You don’t need to buy purpose-built performance foods
Although foods concocted for sports are very good at keeping you fuelled for your rides while being practical and easy to consume, they’re expensive. And honestly, you don’t need to be dropping lots of cash on nutrition if you’re just looking for a pick-me-up during your regular rides.
Look for something sugary with plenty of carbohydrates. Carbs and sugars are the primary sources of energy for your body, so don’t ignore them.
As suggested before, food like pancakes, flapjacks and jam sandwiches are easy and cheap to make at home, while delivering carbs and sugar to the body. They can be easy to carry around, as well. Of course, if you can rustle something up from the comfort of your own kitchen, you’ll be saving some cash as well.
What are your top nutrition tips to stay fuelled up on the trails? Let us know in the comments.
