When you’re planning a long bike ride, your sports nutrition is an important part of the preparation alongside training and equipment. What you eat and drink before you ride can help support your energy level and your comfort along the way.
Here’s a practical guide to what you can choose to eat before (and a little during) a long bike ride, so you can plan your energy intake and have enough left in the tank for the final part of the ride.
Why your pre-ride meal makes a difference
On long bike rides, the body primarily uses carbohydrate as a fuel source. Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver, but these stores are limited and can run low after 1–2 hours at moderate to high intensity. When stores are getting low, some people may experience, among other things:
- Heavy legs and a drop in performance
- Fatigue and reduced concentration
- Sudden fatigue and irritability
- Increased cravings for sweet or fast carbohydrates
That’s why it’s not only about how hard you train, but also about how you top up your stores in the hours beforehand and how you plan your energy intake during the ride. An energy plan can contribute to a more stable energy intake throughout the ride.
If you want to dive deeper into how much energy you typically need on the bike itself, you can read PurePower’s article about energy for cycling, carbs per hour and products.
How to put together the meal three to four hours before
The most important meal is typically three to four hours before departure. The goal here is to:
- Help top up glycogen stores
- Reduce the risk of a heavy, unsettled stomach at the start
- Stick to foods you know and tolerate
A suitable pre-ride meal is often characterized by:
- High carbohydrate content
- Moderate amount of protein
- Low to moderate amounts of fat and fiber, making it easier for many to digest
Examples of meals three to four hours before the ride:
- Oatmeal with banana, a little honey and a spoonful of skyr
- Wholegrain bread or toast with a lean topping, for example chicken, turkey or cottage cheese, and fruit on the side
- Rice or pasta with a smaller portion of chicken and tomato sauce
- Yogurt with muesli that isn’t too high in fiber and berries
Knowledge from sports nutrition suggests that a carbohydrate-rich meal before prolonged endurance exercise can help you start with better-filled glycogen stores and thus have a better foundation for energy supply during the ride.
The final touch-up three quarters of an hour before the start
The main meal needs time to settle in your system. Many people do choose a smaller snack 30 to 60 minutes before the start, especially if there’s a long time between the main meal and departure.
In this period, the focus is often on easily digestible carbohydrates with limited amounts of protein and fat, for example:
- Half or a whole banana
- White roll or toast with a little jam or nut butter
- A small yogurt or skyr with a bit of fruit
- A simple bar or energy snack you know your stomach tolerates
At the same time, it can be an advantage to show up well hydrated. Drink water in the hours leading up to it, and consider electrolytes if the weather is hot or you know you sweat a lot. Here, electrolytes, Hydro Tabs, for fluid balance can be a practical way to add minerals and salts to your bottle.
Energy during long bike rides
The question of what you should eat before a long bike ride is closely linked to what you plan to consume once you’re underway. If you expect to ride for several hours, it can be relevant to have a plan for energy and fluids in place.
Typical guidelines for rides longer than about 90 minutes are:
- For the first 60 to 90 minutes you can often ride on the energy from your stores and your pre-ride meal, possibly supplemented with small sips of sports drink
- After about 90 minutes, many choose to begin a more systematic carbohydrate intake
- A commonly used level is around 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and some experienced endurance athletes work up toward 90 grams per hour if they’ve trained their stomach to handle it
A concrete example of 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour could look like this:
- A bottle with a carbohydrate drink, about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrate
- An Energy Gel for quick energy on the go, about 20 to 25 grams of carbohydrate
- Optionally some energy chews as chewable energy on long rides spread throughout the hour
In energy guidelines for longer events, people often work with concrete examples of how about 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour can be put together from drink and gels. It can be a practical model to use as a starting point and adapt to your own body and pace.
If you want to see how PurePower recommends structuring your energy on shorter rides, you can find inspiration in our guide to an energy plan for cycling under 60 minutes and adjust upward from there as your training sessions get longer.
Food choices during the ride without living only on gels
Gels can be a practical format, especially when you’re riding at high intensity, but they’re not the only option on long rides. The most important thing is that overall you hit your planned carbohydrate intake per hour, and that your stomach does well with the products you use.
Possible sources of carbohydrates on the bike can be:
- Gels, which are easy to bring and quick to consume along the way
- Chews and gummy candies, which are easy to chew and can be taken in small bites continuously
- Energy snacks and bars, which give you more to chew and can feel like real food on very long rides
- Dried fruit, fig bars and bananas, which can be good as a supplement if logistics allow
- Carbohydrate drink, which provides both fluids and carbohydrates and can serve as a stable base throughout the entire ride
A classic strategy is to use carbohydrate drink in your bottles as a base and supplement with gels and chews at regular intervals, depending on pace and duration. If you want to test different gel varieties and flavors, you can, among other things, try a sample pack of energy gels.
If you want a more detailed overview of how you can combine the different energy sources, you can read on in the article about energy for cycling, carbs per hour and products.
For a simple bottle-based setup, you can also look at carbohydrate drink powder as an easy way to hit your hourly carb target.
Diet the day before, protein, fat and recovery
The day before a long ride, you rarely need to make major changes to your diet unless you’re facing very long stages or multiple days of racing in a row. For most recreational riders and ambitious cyclists, it’s typically sufficient to:
- Eat a normal, balanced diet with extra focus on carbohydrates
- Keep an eye on your fluid intake throughout the day
- Avoid major experiments with new or very heavy dishes
Protein and fat still play a role in the days around your ride:
- Protein from, for example, chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt and skyr can contribute to maintaining muscle mass and to satiety
- Fat from, for example, nuts, avocado and oils is energy-dense, but large amounts right before the ride can, for some, slow digestion
A simple rule of thumb can be:
- The day before, choose a normal, healthy diet with extra carbohydrates
- Three to four hours before, focus on carbohydrates and moderate protein as well as low to moderate amounts of fat
- 30 to 60 minutes before, stick primarily to easily digestible carbohydrates
When the ride is over, many choose to get carbohydrates and protein as part of a meal or post-workout snack as part of overall recovery and replenishment of energy stores. A practical solution can be a shake like Recovery after the bike ride, followed by a solid meal.
If you struggled with hydration (or cramps) on the ride, consider adding electrolyte tabs to your recovery routine to help replace minerals lost through sweat.
Frequently asked questions about food before and during long bike rides
What is the most important energy source before a long bike ride?
Carbohydrates are a key energy source because they are stored as glycogen in muscles and the liver and can typically be used efficiently during prolonged work.
When should you eat before the ride?
Plan a larger meal about three to four hours before the start and optionally supplement with a light snack 30 to 60 minutes before. This often gives better time for digestion and can contribute to a more stable energy intake.
Which foods are suitable for breakfast before cycling?
Oatmeal with fruit, wholegrain bread or toast with a lean topping, yogurt with moderately fibrous muesli and bananas are typical choices that many tolerate well.
How much carbohydrate should you consume during a long ride?
A commonly used rule of thumb is about 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour after the first 90 minutes of riding. With gradual adaptation, some riders can increase to around 90 grams per hour.
What can you eat during the bike ride?
Gels, bars, dried fruit, bananas, energy chews and carbohydrate or isotonic drinks are all options. Choose the formats that fit both the intensity and your stomach.
Do you need to change your diet the day before a ride?
Often, a regular, balanced diet with extra focus on carbohydrates and fluids is enough. Avoid very heavy food or completely unfamiliar dishes.
What about protein and fat before the ride?
Moderate amounts of protein and fat can work well, especially in the meal three to four hours before. Close to the start, many choose primarily easily digestible carbohydrates.
Can you eat too much before the ride?
Yes, very large meals can cause a heavy stomach, bloating and discomfort. Aim to be comfortably full without feeling overly stuffed.
All recommendations here are general guidelines. Children, pregnant women and people with medical conditions should talk to their own doctor before making major changes to diet and training. Use your training sessions to test your nutrition strategy, so you know what works for you before heading out on the long bike rides.