Are you wondering what you should eat before a ride?
What do I eat before cycling?
What do I eat during cycling?
What do I eat after cycling?
Should you eat something and risk an upset stomach? Or should you skip your pre-ride snack and run out of energy midway through your bike ride?
If neither of those options sounds good, then stay tuned. Because in this post, we’ll dig into some guidelines on:
- What to eat before cycling, for rides under 90 minutes, and for rides over 90 minutes
- Your cycling nutrition during a ride, including the best bars to eat when you’re cycling
- And finally, what to eat after a bike ride to help you recover
Whether you’re a runner looking for running tips or a cyclist searching for cycling advice, this site is here to help you elevate your fitness game.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NUTRITION FOR CYCLING ENDURANCE
The goal here is to give you guidelines to use to continue riding. But while these guidelines are from research, they are no substitute for specific, professional advice. If you need a tailored nutritional strategy, please see a sports nutritionist.
You’ll notice that the cycling nutrition advice here focuses on eating carbohydrates.
That’s because when you eat carbs, your body transforms it into sugar to use as energy.
The more carbs you eat, the more energy you’ll have.
WHAT TO EAT BEFORE CYCLING, WHEN YOUR BIKE RIDE IS LESS THAN 90 MINUTES
Consume 7—12 g of carb/ kg of body weight 24 hours before a ride.
That’s 567g—972g of carbs for a 180-pound (81 kg) person.
WHAT TO EAT BEFORE CYCLING, WHEN YOUR BIKE RIDE IS OVER 90 MINUTES
Consume 10—12 g of carbs per kg of body weight per day 36—48 hours before a ride.
That’s 810g—972g of carbs for a 180-pound (81 kg) person.
You could increase the serving size of high carb items—oatmeal, muesli, pasta.
Or, you could consume more dried fruits, pretzels, cereal, popcorn, or sweet potatoes.
Or, you could drink juice or smoothies if you’re tired of eating.
Whatever works for you and your lifestyle, do that with a focus on carbs.
CYCLING NUTRITION DURING A RIDE
If your ride is 2—3 hours you’ll need…
60 g of carbs per hour.
THE BEST FOODS TO EAT WHILE CYCLING
- Bananas
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
- Fig bars
- Chia energy gel
If your ride’s more than 2.5 hours you’ll need…
90 g of carbs per hour.
THE BEST FOODS TO EAT WHILE ENDURANCE CYCLING
- Homemade granola bars
- Dried fruit
- Fruit leather
- Stroopwafel
If you’re curious about the best bars to eat while cycling
Then give these a try:
- This variety pack so your taste buds are never bored.
- This variety pack that’s free of gluten, dairy, soy and GMO.
- Or this one for all day rides.
WHAT TO EAT AFTER A RIDE
Carbs and protein help your muscles repair. (And so does recovery after a ride.)
But what you eat and drink post-ride depends on two things: the ride you did today and the ride you’ll do next.
Easy ride + no ride tomorrow…
It’s unlikely you’ll need specific recovery nutrition because you didn’t tax your muscles nor used your carb stores.
Medium-hard ride + medium-hard ride tomorrow…
Eat a higher number of carbs.
Hard ride + hard ride in less than 8 hours…
Eat 1.0—1.2 g carbs/kg/ hour for the first 4 hours. Then, eat as normal.
CONCLUSION
Nutrition for cycling is about fueling your body to sustain your performance and energy when you’re on a ride.
Though we’ve gone over what you could eat pre-ride, during your ride, and post-ride, it’s no substitute for specific individual advice.
If you need specific individual advice, see a qualified professional.
Want to eat like Tour de France pros? Then you might like this book, from the chef who created performance-based recipes to fuel a professional cycling team. Also featured in the documentary Eat, Race, Win.
If you want to stay on topic, then you might like this—Nutrition for Cyclists: The best cookbooks from team chefs.
Sources
Role of nutrition in performance enhancement and postexercise recovery