What to eat when cycling long distance

How to fuel your ride for success and avoid the dreaded bonk.

When cycling for long durations, you need to eat to sustain performance.

If you do not eat or under fuel on the bike, you are likely to run out of energy and your performance will likely suffer.

You are more likely to hit the wall and bonk as well. This is when you run out of energy and struggle to continue.

This article will explain what to eat when cycling long distances to help you maintain optimal performance.

What you will learn:

• How to fuel before, during, and after your ride to maintain energy and avoid bonking 

• Which foods and drinks to consume for consistent energy levels

• How many carbs to eat during a long ride

• Why it’s important to experiment with your ride nutrition to find what works best for you

What is a long distance ride?

Your definition of a long distance ride is likely different from that of another rider.

This depends on your training experience. 

For example, if you’re a complete beginner, anything more than 1 hour might be your longest ride yet.

However, for nutrition purposes, I will say anything more than 90 minutes is a long ride. Even if this is your usual ride length, it’s long enough that you might want to play around with your cycling nutrition.

Some riders won’t eat for rides under 2 hours. 

Other rides eat on rides longer than 75 minutes.

It’s all about finding what works best for you. You may find after a breakfast packed with complex carbohydrates like porridge or toast with jam or peanut butter, you have plenty of fuel to comfortably finish a ride of less than 2 hours.

What should I eat when cycling long distance?

Most people only think about eating during the ride but not what to eat the evening and morning before saddling up.

Your long ride cycling nutrition should begin the night before.

What to eat the night before 

The night before your ride, you want to fill glycogen stored in the muscles and liver.

Slow-to-digest complex carbohydrates like sweet potato, pasta, and rice are great options. Pair this with a lean source of protein like chicken or salmon and a portion or two of your go-to vegetables.

Also, avoid eating at least 3 hours before bed, if possible, says Dr. Rhonda Patrick. This gives your body time to digest your last meal and for your blood sugar and insulin levels to return to normal. Doing so may improve sleep, particularly how well-rested you feel the following day.

Getting a good night's rest before a long ride is a must.

What to eat before cycling in the morning 

On the morning of a long ride, eat easy-to-digest carbohydrates for a quick energy boost and to top up your glycogen stores. 

Avoid refined or sugary carbs like pastries and snack foods because these can lead to feelings of fatigue and even cause stomach upset, impacting your performance later on. 

Additionally, you want to hydrate before your ride. Starting in a dehydrated state can affect performance.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends consuming a fluid volume of 5-10ml/kg BW 2-4 hours before exercise to achieve optimal hydration.

For example, if you’re 70kg, you should get 350-700ml before riding. Aim for urine that is pale yellow in colour. 

Cycling nutrition during ride

If you’re a new cyclist, you might be shocked to learn that you should be eating during long rides.

For rides longer than 90 minutes, aim for 30-60g of carbohydrates, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). This will give you enough energy for your long ride.

When riding, eat little and often. The same applies to drinking.

But what should you eat while on the bike?

You have a few options. Lots of riders prefer energy gels for their convenience. GEL30 has 30g of carbs. 1 to 2 of these per/hour is a great place to start.

You can also try energy bars like BAR50, which contains 50g of carbs.

If you prefer solid foods, you might want to try:

• Bananas 

• Dried fruit 

• Rice cakes

• Jam sandwiches 

• Flapjacks 

• Homemade energy bars

Play around with your long ride nutrition to find what works best for you.

Additionally, pay attention to hydration. 

A good goal to aim for is 400ml/hour of water — give or take. You can increase this as needed.

You want to drink during exercise to prevent excessive dehydration and changes in electrolyte balance, which may negatively impact performance, says the ACSM.

Also, you may wish to consume some beverages which contain electrolytes and carbohydrates as these deliver more benefits than water alone under certain circumstances (such as hot days, extra long rides, or high-intensity rides).

If you struggle to eat food while cycling, carb drinks are a great alternative. 

Play around with it, see what your stomach responds best to, and go from there.

What to eat after a long bike ride? 

After a long bike ride, your glycogen stores are depleted — even if you ate on the ride. 

You should eat a mix of carbs, protein, and fluids to jumpstart muscle repair and recovery. This is especially important if you’re riding the following day.

Complex carbs like sweet potato and whole wheat bread have minimal effect on blood sugar levels. This means you get more consistent energy over the following hours vs. a peak and then a crash.

While you can have a protein shake — more on this in a second — if possible, prioritise whole protein sources. Example protein sources include:

• Eggs 

• Chicken

• Turkey

• Fish

• Greek yoghurt

• Beans, lentils, and chickpeas 

If you’re short on time, you can take a protein shake for a quick hit of 20-30g of protein.

You can get some protein shakes that also include carbohydrates. Often, these are labelled as “recovery drinks.”

These are excellent after a ride when you cannot refuel with proper food. But ideally, avoid high-sugar options because these are more likely to cause spikes in blood sugar.

If you’re looking for a hit of protein and you prefer a bar, you can try a protein bar like STYRKRTHON, with 22g of plant-based protein. We also have a range of recovery bars with a mix of carbs and protein to kickstart your recovery.

As well as refuelling your energy, you should rehydrate. 

Ideally, weigh yourself before and after exercise.

If you lose 1 KG, drink 150% of this in the following hours. So that’s 1.5 litres after training.

If you’re a salty sweater, exercised in the heat, or it was a particularly long ride, you may want to get some electrolytes, too. 

Replenishing electrolyte levels helps ensure proper hydration. It also helps remove waste products built up during your ride. 

Getting electrolytes also helps nerve and muscle function and delivers the right nutrients to the muscles to help with the recovery process.

Explore the STYRKR range of electrolyte products to fast-track your recovery and get the most out of your performance.

Key takeaways

• Start fueling the night before — eat slow-digesting carbs like sweet potato, pasta and rice to maximise glycogen stores and avoid eating too close to sleep.

• Before your ride — especially if riding in the morning — choose easy-to-digest carbs like oats and avoid refined sugars to prevent blood sugar spikes.

• When riding over 90 minutes, aim for 30-60g of carbs per hour and 400ml of fluid. Experiment with solid foods, gels, and carb drinks to find what works best for you.

• After a long ride, refuel with carbs, protein, and fluids. Drink 1.5x fluid loss and consider electrolytes if needed.