NutritionAnswer

WHAT SHOULD I EAT DURING A LONG BIKE RIDE?

By Anthony WalshRoadman CyclingUpdated 9 July 2026

ANSWER

Aim for 60g of carbohydrate per hour starting from 30–45 minutes into the ride. Use a mix of glucose and fructose (2:1 ratio) for better absorption — this combination allows your gut to process more carbohydrate per hour than glucose alone. Rice cakes, bananas, energy bars, and gels all work; the best option is whatever you can eat reliably without stomach issues. Set a timer every 20 minutes to remind yourself to eat, because by the time you feel hungry it is already too late.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

60g of carbohydrate per hour is the target for rides over 90 minutes — this matches what your gut can absorb and what your muscles demand.
Start eating at 30–45 minutes, not when hunger strikes — waiting until you feel depleted means glycogen stores are already critically low.
A glucose-fructose mix (2:1 ratio) allows absorption of up to 90g/hr because each sugar uses a different intestinal transporter.
Set a 20-minute timer to eat — the biggest fuelling failure is simply forgetting until it is too late.

WHO THIS IS FOR

IS THIS YOU?

The long-distance rider preparing for a sportive or century

You have a 100+ km event coming up and want a clear fuelling plan that prevents bonking without causing stomach distress.

The cyclist who regularly fades in the last hour of long rides

You start strong but consistently blow up after 2–3 hours, and you suspect under-fuelling rather than fitness is the problem.

THE ROADMAN VIEW

If Anthony has said it once on the podcast, he has said it a thousand times: most amateur cyclists dramatically under-fuel their rides. The research from Sam Impey and the World Tour nutritionists is unambiguous — you need carbohydrate during rides over 90 minutes, and you need to start eating well before you feel hungry. By the time your body signals hunger on the bike, your muscle glycogen is already depleted and your blood sugar is cratering. At that point, no amount of gels will rescue the ride in time.

The practical target is 60g of carbohydrate per hour. That is roughly two gels, or one gel and a banana, or two rice cakes and a bottle of carbohydrate drink. For rides over 3 hours or very hard efforts, you can push toward 80–90g per hour if you use a glucose-fructose mix — the two sugars use different transporters in the gut, so your intestine can absorb more total carbohydrate than with glucose alone. This is exactly what World Tour teams do on mountain stages, and it works just as well for amateurs riding a 100-mile sportive.

The number one practical tip: set a 20-minute repeating timer on your bike computer or watch. Every time it goes off, eat something. Do not wait until you feel like it, do not convince yourself you will eat at the next café stop, do not think one more hill and then I will have a gel. Eat on schedule, every 20 minutes, from 30 minutes into the ride until you finish. This one habit prevents more bonks than any other intervention in cycling.

EXPERT EVIDENCE

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Dr Sam ImpeyWorld Tour nutritionist and sports science researcher
The biggest mistake amateur cyclists make with in-ride nutrition is starting too late and consuming too little. Professional riders begin eating within the first 30 minutes of a stage, even before they feel any need for fuel. The gut needs time to absorb and deliver carbohydrate to working muscles — if you wait until you are depleted, the lag between eating and fuel availability means you have already lost 20–30 minutes of performance.
Hear it: Why Pros' 120g Carb Rule Fails Amateurs | Roadman Cycling
Roadman CyclingRoadman Cycling fuelling experiment coverage
The under-fuelling, optimal-fuelling, and over-fuelling experiment showed a clear performance difference. The optimally fuelled ride produced higher average power, lower perceived effort, and faster completion time than the under-fuelled attempt — despite identical pacing strategy. The data confirmed what the nutritionists have been saying: fuelling is not optional on rides over 90 minutes.
Hear it: Under vs Optimal vs Overfueling on the Bike | Roadman Cycling Podcast

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

DO THIS WEEK

Build a per-hour fuelling plan before the ride
Calculate the total carbohydrate you need (60g x estimated ride hours) and pack accordingly. For a 4-hour ride: 240g of carbohydrate total, which might be 4 gels (100g), 2 rice cakes (60g), 1 banana (30g), and 1 bottle of carbohydrate drink (50g). Lay it out in your jersey pockets in the order you plan to eat it. Use the Roadman Fuelling Calculator to get a personalised plan.
Train your gut in training, not on event day
If you are not used to eating 60g/hr, start at 30–40g/hr and increase by 10g/hr each week. The gut is trainable — repeated exposure to carbohydrate during exercise improves absorption rate and reduces GI distress. Do not try 90g/hr for the first time on race day; build up over 3–4 weeks of training rides.
Mix your carbohydrate sources
Alternate between real food (rice cakes, bananas, jam sandwiches) in the first half of the ride and faster-absorbing options (gels, chews) in the second half when intensity often rises and digestion is harder. Keep a bottle of carbohydrate drink (40–60g per 750ml bottle) as a constant baseline, with solid food on top. Variety reduces flavour fatigue and provides different textures to keep eating tolerable over 4+ hours.

COMMON MISTAKES

WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG

MISTAKEWaiting until hungry or depleted before starting to eat.
FIXSet a timer from 30 minutes into the ride. Eat every 20 minutes whether you feel like it or not. Hunger on the bike is a crisis signal, not a dinner bell — by the time you notice it, glycogen stores are already compromised.
MISTAKERelying entirely on energy gels for rides over 3 hours.
FIXGel fatigue is real — after 2 hours of nothing but sticky, sweet gel, most riders stop wanting to eat at all. Mix gels with real food (rice cakes, sandwiches, fruit) and carbohydrate drink. Variety keeps the calories going in when your appetite rebels.
MISTAKEDrinking only water and ignoring carbohydrate in the bottle.
FIXA 750ml bottle with 40–60g of carbohydrate mix provides steady fuel without needing to unwrap anything. On hot days you will drink more and automatically get more carbohydrate. Plain water on rides over 90 minutes is a missed fuelling opportunity.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I eat too much during a ride?

Yes — exceeding your gut's absorption rate causes nausea, bloating, and GI distress. For most riders, the ceiling is 60–90g of carbohydrate per hour, depending on the glucose-fructose ratio and how well trained the gut is. Start at 60g/hr and only push higher after confirming your stomach tolerates it in training.

What about savoury food on the bike?

Savoury options — mini sandwiches, salted rice cakes, boiled potatoes with salt — are excellent, especially in the first half of long rides. They provide variety, settle the stomach, and replace sodium lost through sweat. World Tour riders eat savoury rice cakes for most of the stage and only switch to gels in the finale.

Do I need to eat on rides under 90 minutes?

For rides under 60 minutes, no — your existing glycogen stores are sufficient. For rides of 60–90 minutes at moderate intensity, a small amount of carbohydrate (20–30g) in the last 20 minutes can help maintain power. For anything over 90 minutes, full fuelling is essential.

What is the best gel for cycling?

The best gel is the one you can tolerate and will actually eat. Look for a glucose-fructose blend (often labelled as maltodextrin + fructose) with 25–30g of carbohydrate per sachet. Isotonic gels do not require water, which is convenient. Beyond that, it is personal preference — try several brands in training before committing to one for events.

How much should I drink alongside food on a long ride?

Aim for 500–750ml per hour in temperate conditions, more in heat. A portion of that should be carbohydrate drink (40–60g per bottle) to top up fuel alongside what you eat. Total fluid needs depend on sweat rate — weigh yourself before and after a ride to estimate losses. A loss of more than 2% body weight indicates you need to drink more.

Should I eat differently for training rides vs events?

Events typically demand more fuel because intensity is higher and duration is longer. For training rides, you can experiment with lower carbohydrate intake on easy days to train metabolic flexibility. But for key sessions and long rides, fuel them properly — the session quality and the adaptation it produces depend on having enough energy available.

RELATED EPISODES

HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS

Why Pros' 120g Carb Rule Fails Amateurs | Roadman Cycling

Under vs Optimal vs Overfueling on the Bike | Roadman Cycling Podcast

Fuelling For A 100-Mile Sportive | Roadman Cycling Podcast