I make rice ’sandwiches’ which I started with recipes from the Feed Zone portables book. I use glutinous rice - it was hard to find, but I got it from a normal supermarket in an area with a high asian population. I also invested in an inexpensive rice cooker. I thought it was a bit extreme to have a piece of kit to cook rice, but it makes it soooo much easier and the resulting sticky rice is perfect for rice cakes.
My latest favourite is one layer of cooked rice, a layer of peanut butter (just started making my own - yum!), a layer of jam and another layer of rice. I cover it and let it get properly cold in the fridge and then cut it up into quite small pieces.
I know that ‘proper’ road riders are very rude about top tube bags, but having one has made my nutrition strategy work for me for long rides. I tend to fill it with a combination of rice cakes, jelly sweets and flapjack (my new fave is lemon drizzle flapjack, which has lemon curd in it and lemon icing on the top).
I find that eating on long rides is much easier if I can graze - taking small bites regularly rather than trying to eat a whole bar of something. I struggle to eat and breathe at the same time!
I also fill both bottles with an electrolyte & energy powder and take energy/electrolyte tablets with me to use when I refill my bottles.
The above got me through 7 days riding 600 miles through the Pyrenees with 21,000 metres of climbing this summer, so no one ride was as long as 200 miles, but day after day nutrition was challenging as I didn’t feel very hungry in the evenings, which surprised me completely.
I am a big fan of rice cakes too, and also have a rice cooker and buy sushi rice. It’s fool-proof. I find that if I store the cakes/sandwiches in a plastic bag (I know, not very green) in the fridge, they stay moist for days.
Top tube feed bags for the win @jenny! I love mine and cram it full and smile serenely when I zoom by the rude guys when they are bonking because their jersey pocket gel or banana wasn’t enough to get them through the ride
I typically start munching raisins 20-30 minutes in and eat something more substantial at around the hour mark (fig bar or similar). Getting an entire bottle of drink down every hour is hard for me, although I usually manage at least 3/4 of a bottle. I think I did fall behind on drinking yesterday though. I also need to see about clock time vs ride time. I usually eat bigger things by ride time but maybe for longer rides I need to try and stay closer to clock time, especially since I fall behind so easily.
I nixed the beans because I was worried about the fiber content. I would say I mostly ate rice and some of the meat and I thought it sat and burned pretty well. Honestly I considered the Chipotle a pretty decent success- I felt great for miles 60-95 or so. We typically stop for fast food on long rides so my options there are limited- I’m notorious for downing an order of fries midway and then stashing half in my top tube bag to eat later. Most of the people I ride with can polish off a burger, fries, and a large coke and then ride like crazy afterwards.
I think our rice balls included cream cheese as a binder. It tasted ok and they burned ok but the texture was a bit mushy.
Anyone have any brilliant ways of making oatmeal portable? I think I also need to try pancakes.
Another top tube bag fan! And none of us give a hoot what pseudopro roadies thing anyway, right? After all, the TRUE pros are randonneurs, who can churn out 1200k rides like I do 100k! And randos all use efficient and well designed top tube & saddle bags. After all, no one is staying alongside them in a hot car handing them snacks. One big shout out to Outershell Adventure’s handlebar bag as well. Made in SF (as are all of his items), by hand. This bag and his saddle bags are superb! Now to crack open my shiny new copy of the Portables cookbook and plan some time in the kitchen
I’ve done pancakes, very easy on my sensitive stomach. I’d usually stop at a place that has a deli, with a self service salad bar. I’d get hard boiled eggs, and selective veggies. Sandwiches or a lot of food at one time is really bad for me. I’ve also done baked sweet potatoes. Put them in a zippy bag since they’ll pretty much melt in the heat (in your pocket).
I was wondering for oatmeal, if these type of baggies might work? https://www.amazon.com/Reclosable-Ziplock-Storage-Plastic-Jewelry/dp/B076WXLYZH/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=2+ounce+baggies&qid=1573606008&sr=8-3
@Coach_Theia, if you’d like to be green, perhaps try “Stasher”. They are a silicone ziplock baggie type storage thing. You can get them at Bed bath and beyond and probably Amazon. I actually put quinoa with oat milk, banana and maple syrup in mine. Put it in my jersey pocket and eat it at every rest stop.
When I was waiting for a return flight from London Heathrow a couple of years ago, I had breakfast at a chain called E.A.T. and they served the most amazing vegan/gluten free porridge! I am not vegan and have no problem with gluten, but have since made this often before long rides and find it easier to digest and longer lasting fuel than regular straight oat porridge. Here’s the recipe for anyone interested: https://eat.co.uk/our-menu/breakfast/porridge-toppings-and-yoghurt-pots/coconut-quinoa-porridge_10000289.html
I need to bookmark this post! I have done, and will do a 100 km MTB race ( 70 % on techy singletrack) called Ultrabirken here in Norway. I have used between 7 and 8 hours on this, average speed is not to great when your out on trails here in rugged Norway.
The first year i did something horrible wrong. Had to pee three times the last hour, and it was a mess getting off all the clothes and big in the strong gale force winds and fog. Brrr. The next year i was better and not drinking too much and minerales. I dont remember what I did but i will definitly use your advice and try a few long rides with the nutrition before the race in august 2020.
I use similar bags for drink mixes since I carry my own refills for that. I got a bunch at Michaels- they are marked as not food safe but I don’t worry too much since I am just using them for powdered drink mix. I never thought to use them for food. I wonder if it would be like those Go-gurts and just squeeze it into my mouth. That might be worth trying, although I wonder about the texture.
I’m definitely a fan of the top tube bag also. I keep raisins in there and usually stash whatever bar I’m working on eating as well. I’m debating getting a bigger bag but my frame is really small and I need something that I won’t hit my knees on when pedaling.
Anyone have any suggestions for what to do if you get to the point where food makes you want to be sick? I actually fully gagged and nearly threw up at the 96 mile mark. After that I made it the next 25 miles just sipping Vitalyte but I don’t know that I could have gone another 100 miles that way. I’ve never gotten to that point before, and I’ve always joked that if I ever got sick on a ride that would be the end of it because there’s no way I could make that up again by eating and drinking.
Silje’s comment made me realize that I didn’t use the bathroom at all during the 120 mile ride. I didn’t appear to be dehydrated later though, although I certainly could have been. I can also say that I seem to have recovered relatively well, which is good.
I think I really need to get the Feed Zone portables book.
@stacypro I am starting to wonder if you are one of those athletes with out-of-the-ordinary hydration needs, something more unique to you that if addressed, could make a big difference on how you feel, including the nausea. Have you done a sweat test and/or have you heard about Precision Hydration? Just made me curious…
This is the first time I’ve ever gotten to that nausea point, and I’ve ridden longer (although not further) and hotter, so I’m not sure exactly what happened. I don’t know about hydration but I think I have odd nutrition needs. I eat more on the bike than almost anyone I know, male or female, regardless of their size, intensity of the ride, or anything else, and if I don’t it is bad news.
I used to crash and burn at about the 4 hour mark, but changing to regular food instead of gels/gummies/Gatorade helped a lot. My doctor did bloodwork and told me I’m hypoglycemic but when I asked what to do about that on the bike her only suggestion was to ride less. Google was also not super helpful I’ve been opting to eat more instead, and it has generally helped for my normal riding, but I’m pushing new limits now.
I just did the online test at Precision Hydration and came up as a moderate sweater, although I’m in Phoenix so we are almost always riding in some sort of heat. The temp topped out at about 87 on our Sunday ride and that wasn’t really even, “hot”. I got this recommendation, “Typically used by athletes with moderate sweat/sodium losses when competing. Or by athletes with lower sweat/sodium losses when exercising in more extreme conditions.” The ONE time I attempted to preload hydration (per Stacy Simms’ ROAR recommendation) it didn’t go well at all.
Thanks! I need to keep this one in mind. I often find myself eyeing up those prewrapped hard boiled eggs, or the bins of jerky on rides. I have also started mixing some BCAA into my drink mix and that seems to be working well.
Thought I’d come back here to report. My 200 mile ride is only 2 weeks away, and my nutrition plan is looking pretty different than I expected. On a whim I tried Perpetuem a few weeks ago, and it seems to be working for me as a primary fuel so long as I mix it a little heavier than recommended and I add some electrolyte drops to each bottle.
I did a 140 mile ride last weekend (80 outside, break with food and then 62 more on the trainer) and used Perpetuem as my primary source of calories with food as a supplement for the entire 9 hours of riding. My energy levels were nice and stable for the whole ride, and I recovered well. My only concern is that by the end of the ride I was SO tired of the taste that I don’t know if I could have kept drinking it for another 3 hours, but I also typically have trouble eating on long rides.
My current debate is whether to use Perpetuem for the entire 200 miles or whether I should start with Vitalyte and food and then switch partway through in hopes of minimizing palate fatigue and the amount of time late in the ride where I’m forcing things down.
I’ve been opting to eat more instead, and it has generally helped for my normal riding, but I’m pushing new limits now.