Hungry yet?
How to eat and drink while on your bicycle has become a highly analyzed, scientific, and endlessly debated topic. One wonderful thing about cycling is that you can eat while you are riding (unlike running). Eating and exercising at the same time: why would anyone want to miss out on the best of both worlds? It’s easy to spend hours reading about the best fuels for your body. Below, we provide some links that discuss nutrition in great detail. Hydration and nutrition are incredibly important to enjoying a long day on the bicycle.
The Basics:
Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty. If you stay ahead of your hungry and thirst, you'll stay more energized and have more fun.
Eat a nutritious meal at least 1 hour before beginning your ride, and be sure to eat carbohydrate rich snacks within 1 hour of completing your ride. As a basic rule, drink 1 bike-sized bottle of water during every hour of cycling. This will vary based on terrain and weather conditions. If you are feeling thirsty, that means you are getting dehydrated.
According to nutritionists, the human body can absorb about 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour (~70 grams per hour for a 150 lb cyclist). That’s about the same as 1-2 energy bars or 1-2 bananas. If you eat and drink energy drinks too much, you might feel sick. If you do not eat and drink enough, you could experience the dreaded BONK. The ability to eat and drink varies by body type and level of exercise. One thing we all have in common is we need to eat and drink while we are cycling, so don’t neglect what your body craves!
Check out this link for a plethora of information about cycling nutrition.
Your training period before Climate Ride is a great time to find out what foods work best for your body.