How to eat before you ride

Get maximum adaptations from your training rides

We are not going to debate whether or not you should eat before a ride here. While fasted training is currently popular, I approach it with a certain amount of trepidation. Rather, we will discuss how much you should eat and what that meal should consist of.

New research from the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) has shown that consuming too much carbohydrate (more than 75g) before a session can affect the cell signalling post-ride, thus lowering the amount of adaption you get out of it.

There’s evidence too, of course, that fasted rides improve cell signalling and adaption, but we now know that eating carbs before a longduration session doesn’t prevent that from happening as long as it’s less than 75g of carbs – for example 50g of oats with one banana. Basically, you can eat (within these restrictions) and still get the benefits of fasted riding.

WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT?

1. Four hours pre-session choose low to moderate Glycaemic Index (GI) carbohydrates of the amount needed above, plus a small snack (20-30g carbs) less than 20 minutes pre-session.

2. Two to three hours pre-session choose low to moderate GI carbohydrates to the amount needed above.

3. Less than one hour pre-session choose moderate to high GI carbohydrates to the amount needed above.

Choose between 1, 2 or 3 depending on when you train and the time available. If it’s an early morning session then the <90-minute session will suffice, just keep your carb intake below 75g.