Real Food for the Long Ride
24. Aug, 2010 
23 Comments 
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A cyclist’s endurance is limited by one thing: the gradual depletion of stored glycogen. Over the course of a long ride, the glycogen levels decline and the body begins to depend more on blood glucose for fuel. If you keep riding on “empty” you will become lightheaded, dizzy and fatigued and you will “bonk.” The body needs to keep up those sugar levels with some carbohydrates. Often cyclists have an energy drinks with just enough carbs to keep going for rides that last a couple hours.
BUT for the long rides of 2½ -3 hours and longer, cyclists need solid food. There are a lot of “energy bars” on the market that are convenient to buy and take along and they work very well. Yet one personal experience made me wish for more than just an energy bar. Last month after a long 4-hour strenuous ride with sprints and climbs and with another 40 minutes to go, I just couldn’t choke down my sugary energy bar; I craved “real” food.
Bananas, bagels and peanut butter sandwiches are often the go-to foods for endurance cyclists and I wondered if there were other great choices of quick energizing real food that is packable for cyclists. I asked sports dietician Kristi Spence for more ideas and these are her suggestions:
- Baby new potatoes rolled in a salt and herb mixture
- Small white rolls filled with 100% fruit jam
- Fig Newtons
- Pretzels
- Homemade peanut butter cookies
- Zucchini or pumpkin bread (made with applesauce or extra fruit and less oil
- Squeezable applesauce pouches (they make little ones that are easy to eat for kids)
We have a few other homemade ideas as well. Check out the recipe for Pumpkin Energy Bars and Island Cruiser Mix—both are great take-along foods for the long ride.
For a long day in the saddle, you’ll need to pack enough food. In the years I trained for long-course triathlons, I learned to appreciate having a FuelBelt Fuelbox on my bike. For long rides they can conveniently carry food and even a cell phone. It is often easier to access items in the fuel box than in a back jersey pocket. For a very long unsupported ride, I can cram food both in my jersey pockets and my Fuelbox and I’m set.
A Contest!
Fuelbelt has graciously provided 3 Fuelboxes (in black, pink & red) for a give-away for readers of Cycle & Style. We’d love your feedback on this article. What foods get you or your friends through a long ride? Tell us about your experiences (good or bad.) Your comment below (with a valid e-mail) will be your entry for the FUELBOX CONTEST.
Contest runs from today until September 17th. Three lucky winners will receive a large-size Fuelbelt FUELBOX (large enough to easily hold a sandwich) and Fuelbelt Water Bottle. (I can only mail within the US or Canada.)
I wish this had come out a few months ago as I really needed options to the sweet bars on my half ironman.
After trying all different sorts of bars, I found one that really helped me, the Builders bar. It has protein, 20gms, and for the very long rides, it helps my system to have some protein.
I like the idea of baby potatoes quite a bit. I enjoy having more salty options rather than sweet ones. The zucchini bread is another favorite of mine, perhaps I can try it too on my next long ride.
I typically take orange slices, and either Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich (1/2 slices) or a Think Thin bar! The Think Thin bar travels well, but the PB&J usually gets squished. I’ve also been experimenting with making a protein peanut butter cookie
so glad to hear about real foods to eat on the long ride besides the energy bars, thanks for all the new ideas.
I realy enjoyed the new ideas. I like that they are things that I already have at home. One thing that I do is dry fruit to take with me they are a natural sweet, but still real food. I haven’t tried this yet, but a friend of mine suggested grapes and cantaloupe as good food for a ride.
I usually take a frozen Smuckers Uncrustable with me on the super long rides. It’s very convenient and since it is highly processed, it absorbs relatively quickly into my bloodstream. I also eat LUNA protein bars (chocolate and peanut butter rock!). If I stop along the way, I buy a banana or two, but have not carried one with me on a long ride, so I may try that soon.
I just bought some Cashew Clusters at Costco, which are nice, little squares of nuts and honey, and I will be bringing a few of those along with me this weekend, too.
PB&J and sometimes w/rice cakes which travel fairly well. I make my own bars with dried friut & nuts, but I do get tired of those as well. Honey bars with w/w flour, honey, nuts & dried fruit give a different texture than the typical bar.
After going on several “epic” rides and having my PB & J (or PB & honey)go soggy, I finally got smart and started using sandwich thins/deli flats instead of regular bread. They work perfectly! (I believe Arnold, Pepperidge Farms & Orowheat make them.)
I try to take almond butter cookies with raisins and extra homemade trail mix. Even if the cookies get crushed I can still eat them from a bag.
I have a real hard time with bars. PB&J is a typical stand by. Uncrustables are good and thaw as you ride and won’t get soggy. I also like single serving packets of almonds or mixed nuts.
Would love to figure out how to pack a cheeseburger…only half kidding!
I also like the frozen uncrustables and firm bananas. I also take thick pretzels or break pretzel rods to fit. Ripe bananas and grapes are too sweet for me after the first hour.
The Island Cruiser Mix is awesome and very filling ! Easy to take anywhere.
There’s been a few times when I’ve forgotten to bring snacks with me because I’m so excited about the ride. After 2 hours, I hit the wall and can barely pedal home. I’ve started taking a banana or a larabar with me. Those little Fuelboxes would be wonderful to have, right now I put my snacks in a ziplock in my back jersey pocket, ewww.
I have used PB&J sandwiches,fig newtons, granola bars, honey, prime by gatorade and gels. I’m looking forward to trying some of your suggestions. The new potatoes rolled in salt and herbs sounds good.
July 17, I took out on my biggest challenge of my life. This ride was 160 miles across the state of Indiana (The Rain Ride). During this ride, my body started shutting down around mile 92. The medical team had to pack my jersey in ice in order to cool my core temperature. My temperature played a key role in being able to eat and drink. Needless to say this made for a very long day. I finished the ride strong in under fourteen hours.
I really appreciate all the great suggestions and ideas from everyone here! I learning alot from you all as well. I do have one new suggestion: I stopped 2/3 of the way through a 6-hour ride at Einstein’s Bagels and bought a bagel spread with hummus. It was so-ooo good at that point! It would also be very packable.
After long mountain bike rides up hill in the Park City, Utah mountains the last thing I want to eat is peanut butter or something dry. Water is my go-to, but sometimes you need a little extra. My friend introduced me to Clif Shot Bloks (http://www.clifbar.com/food/products_shot_bloks/). They are chewy, refreshing, and tasty and exactly what I want when I reach the top or needed something to get me there.
I really like all your suggestions about eating something close to real food. The bars are good but on the longer rides my body seems to crave some real food as well.
I take an idea from my Native American ancestors and have a baggie with beef jerky, dried berries or cherries and maybe some nuts to eat for long rides.
Variety seems to be the best solution for me. I have found that the ultra carb approach with energy bars, gels, shot blocks, etc, focus too much on carb replacement. If the body was ONLY using carbs to fuel a long ride, that approach may be adequate. However, our complex system is using other fuels such as fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, etc. “Real” food will compliment the depeltion of all those elements much more than carbs alone. I agree that protein replacement is crucial. Muscle Milk is a great product as it is lactose free and easy on the stomach. Ultimately, I eat what sounds good on long rides. After all, forcing the issue with an item that you have to choke down will only keep you from eating at all. Once behind in the calorie count, rebounding is very difficult, if not impossible. The Fuelbelt is a great item, perfect size, and indispensible on long rides.
I go for grapes and bananas — easy to pack and eat. I also like to roll up deli turkey in a tortilla with cheese or mayo — very portable, real food, some protein and takes up very little space.
I really like medjool dates. They’re the perfect size so if I just eat one here and there as needed. Lately I’ve cut them up prior to riding thus eliminating the large seed. I just put them in a plastic bag for easy transport. Other go to items include dried fruits and nuts and the occational bar. My favorites include Lara Bars, Pro Bars, and Clif Bars.
For long rides (25-50 miles) I usually carry one of the following:
Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich
Cliff Builders Bar
Burrito with beans, rice & cheese
Quinoa seasoned with some veggies
I like to plan a stop at a nice restaurant with healthy food choices mid-ride to re-fuel and rest up for the ride back home.