50 mile ride help

[James Blackwell]

Hi guys,
I am hoping to do the Sky ride from Bristol Jaguar this Saturday and am seeking some advice. My normal cycle is 18 miles, which I do twice daily. I am not so concerned about the mileage as I believe I am capable of doing a 50 mile stretch (over confidence will be the end of me).

What I dont really know about though, is how best to keep me fueled cycling that long. My commute is easy to keep fueled as I have a days work/nights sleep between cycling to replenish.

Tips welcome on how to keep going for 50 miles appreciated:

Hydration: Usually just take water.
Food: Long energy release + short term top up.

Thank you in advance.

James

 

[Berk on a Bike]

Are they having you doing the 50 miles without stopping or do they have a coffee stop en route?

 

[vickster]

How long is it expected to take, some sky rides are leisurely with breaks, others more intense

I'd take a couple of flapjack/cereal bar/figroll type things and a bag of jelly babies, maybe a banana

Fluids will depend on how hot it is, I'd take two bottles, one with water, one with squash/watered down fruit juice, with a pinch of salt if you are a heavy perspirer or it's very hot

 

[Dave7]

Having just got back into cycling and asking similar questions (and getting some good advice) I am now doing 40/50 milers as follows.
Before...........I have a breakfast of Porridge & toast.
Just before..........I drink 300ml of Isotonic drink.
During the first 20-25 miles I drink plain water (I take 500ml)
I also take malt loaf & a banana or cerial bar.
AND OF COURSE.........Jelly babies
On Friday's ride.......as it was hot.......I indulged in an icecream at halfway
This is my own made up formula and it works for me..........variations should works just as well or better.

 

[HeroesFitness]

How long is it expected to take, some sky rides are leisurely with breaks, others more intense

I'd take a couple of flapjack/cereal bar/figroll type things and a bag of jelly babies, maybe a banana

Fluids will depend on how hot it is, I'd take two bottles, one with water, one with squash/watered down fruit juice, with a pinch of salt if you are a heavy perspirer or it's very hot

I concur with vickster, a good reply :-)

 

[vickster]

I did 78 miles on Saturday - porridge & tea beforehand, a decent sized bit of Victoria sponge & a tea around halfway, bites of a Powerbar nut bar thing at intervals through the ride, a cheese and ham sarnie at around 60 miles and a couple of small lattes (at 20 miles and 60 miles).

I did drink more than usual as a) it was warm and b) I had a very dry and sore throat from a developing cold (water, watery squash and at 72 miles a pint of lime and soda).

It was a leisurely jaunt - moving time of 5h30, elapsed time of 9 hours, too much gossping with @jefmcg at breaks

I didn't feel hungry or especially in need of any more food. I had some fruit when I got home and then went out for Thai dinner

 

[jefmcg]

It's a Team Sky ride "like a pro". It's a continuous ride in a peloton, if you can manage that. So you won't be getting much nutrition on the ride. I'd attempt to fuel up enough so you'd survive if you couldn't grab something on the ride. Vicksters advice is good, maybe get a tri-bag and put some opened and broken up bars in there, so you can grab a quick mouthful as you ride. Similarly for the jelly babies. Or gels, if you fancy them.

 

[vickster]

Hmm, to the OP, do you have group riding experience if it's such a ride? Get some practice in eating and drinking on the go. Might be quite tough for other reasons if you've not ridden so far before in a fast-moving group scenario

 

[James Blackwell]

Hi guys,
It is the ride like a pro, a little nervous and currently a bit disappointed. The promise of the route up "2 weeks before" still has not materialised, neither has any requests for more info and we are now 5 days away. As much as I would like to do it, the lack of effort on the organisers part is putting me off slightly.

There are lots to consider, nutrition on the go and what would be a good idea to eat, was obviously going to affect how confident I would be eating it on the move. Trying to weigh it all up and work out whether to risk it or not. Love to do it, but dont want to fall short and become a pain on the ride.

Cheers for the advice so far. I had already purchased some jelly babies, gels and had borrowed the Mrs water bottle and cage to give me a 2nd on the go. I dont sweat that much, only if it is very hot, so was thing water and and 2nd supplemented juice/drink.

Banana's are always an winner for me as is a flapjack.

James

 

[Mike!]

You already do 36 miles a day (in two halves)?

You'll be fine with 2 water bottles and a banana / flapjack!

 

[Hip Priest]

You could probably do it on water alone. I wouldn't normally eat on a 50 miler.