No-Nonsense Nutrition for Cyclists

Cycling nutrition is something that so many riders get wrong, overcomplicate or fall foul to the latest must-do craze or trend. But it's important to keep it simple and to not overthink it.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with one of the best nutritionists in the business, Nigel Mitchell, who's worked for the Great Britain Cycling Team, Team Sky and EF Education First. A big takeaway? Keep it simple and, especially when fueling sportives, Gran Fondos or long training rides, don’t overthink it – you’re just giving your engine fuel.

Pre-ride Breakfast

Before any long ride, you can't go wrong with a simple bowl of porridge. Ideally you want to allow 2-3 hours between having your breakfast and riding to allow for digestion but, if you know you’ll be riding at a steady pace to start with, this can be pushed a bit. Porridge pots are a great option if you’re traveling and not sure what’ll be on offer.

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If you’ve got a really big day (5 hours +) ahead of you, add some protein. I’m a big fan of an omelette but you can always opt for some yogurt or a plant-based protein shake.

If you’re facing a really early start, sleep through your alarm or have travelled to an event and aren’t sure what’ll be available for breakfast, then a humble tin of rice pudding can save the day. Rice is popular for bike fuel too – rice cakes rule the pro-peloton and you’ll find plenty of recipes for them in Nigel’s book as it’s super easy on the stomach, a great source of energy and also contributes to hydration.

On the Bike

On long rides, “early, little and often” should be your mantra. You should think that you’re eating for 10-30km down the road and not that moment. This means not waiting until you feel hungry to eat. Right from the start of the ride you should be having something to eat every 20-30 minutes. It doesn’t need to be huge--you’re only looking for 30-80g of carbohydrates per hour but it does need to be regular. 

Real Food or Gels?

You don’t need to be spending a fortune on gels or specialist energy bars to fuel your cycling (and your stomach probably won’t thank you if you do). Real food – such as rice cakes, flapjacks and filled paninis are all great and what you’ll mainly find in the pros' musettes.

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Keep a Gel in Your Pocket

That’s not to say there’s no place for gels. If you find yourself having a bit of a dip, need a boost near the end of a ride or require a lift on a long climb, then a gel can be exactly what you need--but you don’t need to fuel the whole ride on them. 

Drink to Win

You should be adopting the same “early, little and often” approach to hydration as you do to eating. Aim to take a sip from your bidon every 5-10 minutes and consume about 500-750ml per hour. It makes sense to get some carbs from your drinking, so using an energy drink is a good idea. Powdered commercial products can be convenient on events as you can mix them up with the water at feed stations but, to keep training costs down, a 50/50 mix of water and pineapple juice with a pinch of salt is a great DIY option.

Watch Your Intensity

When riders suffer from cramps or gastric distress, they tend to blame their hydration and nutrition. However, in most cases, it comes down to trying to ride too hard and too fast for their level of conditioning. It’s no coincidence that most of these problems tend to plague riders on event day, when they try and push a bit too hard. Stick to the pacing, fueling and hydration that you’ve managed and practiced in training and you’ll avoid these issues.

Post-Ride

You don’t need to be reaching for commercial post-ride recovery product after every ride. If you’ve fulled well during the ride and can have your lunch within an hour of getting home, then just get showered and keep sipping water to prioritize re-hydration. If your post-ride meal is going to be much longer than an hour, then a recovery drink to tide you over can be a good idea. However, a banana blended with some milk (or soy milk) will do the job just as well as a commercial product.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

The most important thing is to practice all of this in training, tweak it and find what foods work for you. Once you’ve found your fueling strategy, stick with it on your event and don’t be tempted to try any last minute changes.

By ensuring you fuel well on your training rides, you’ll recover faster from them and get greater physiological adaptation. You also effectively train your digestive system to take on and tolerate fuel.

Remember that “early, little and often” mantra and, if you’re one of those riders who tends to let their fueling slide until it’s too late, tape a reminder to your stem or set an alarm on your computer to remind you.

Nigel’s Book

The Cyclist’s Cookbook brings together 67 of Nigel’s most-loved delicious and nutritious recipes from a hugely successful career at the cutting edge of performance cycling nutrition in an accessible, practical and inspirational celebration of food, cooking and cycling culture for every cyclist.