Always eat properly before riding ...

[Rhythm Thief]

... because I can think of little worse than getting five miles into an 18 mile commute on unlit A roads at 3.30am and realising the three bananas and two bags of crisps you've eaten in the previous 8 hours just aren't going to cut it when it comes to keeping your legs turning.
That was hard. It was my first cycle commute for some time and I was expecting it to be fairly hard work, but it would have been an awful lot easier if I hadn't hit the wall so early!

 

[numbnuts]

It must be just me, but today I had a banana for my breakfast and an apple for my lunch and then went out on a hilly 31 mile ride and felt fine, I can run on empty and I have never felt hungry in my life – maybe I don't need food

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Maybe I'm just not fit enough yet.

 

[Sittingduck]

Do you really think you 'hit the wall' after 5 miles? Doesn't sound quite right to me... could there be another reason, such as getting over illness or something? You checked the rear brake wasn't rubbing against the rim, I assume

 

[Andrew_P]

Clearly it is memory loss, you have forgotten how difficult it was. Takes me 4 weeks+ to get the commute to feel semi normal.

+1 with Numbnuts, I do my morning commute 8 hours since my last food.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Well, maybe I didn't. But it certainly felt like it. I'd ridden in the previous evening and I don't think I'd had anything other than a bowl of cereal before that when I got up around lunchtime, so I hadn't exactly eaten much over the previous 24 hours or so.

 

[Fnaar]

I normally eat for England, but 3 weeks or so ago I did 47 miles on a pint of lager and a packet of peanuts

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I normally eat for England, but 3 weeks or so ago I did 47 miles on a pint of lager and a packet of peanuts

A well balanced diet, Fnaar!

 

[Manonabike]

Last year while I was trying to lose weight, I took my doctor's advise and I learnt to ride through what I think was "the bonk"...... not easy but it gets better with practice. After that I could ride 50 miles with nothing but water..... what's more, I would return home and be in total control, where as before I would run for the cereal box . the thing is that I managed to lose nearly 3 stones (with the help of a better diet too) in 6 weeks. I was the easiest way to lose weight I have ever tried. I have lost a bit of practice since but yesterday I managed 22 miles on just water and came home beginning to feel hungry.

 

[Furkz]

got bored of my chest infection and after 4 days i decided to have a latte today and a fat slice of choc birthday cake and went out for a quick 10mile sprint! about a hour and half later and i felt great. normally if i prepare and eat well before a ride it doesnt do wonders for me. my advice stick to latte and cake

(please dont, joking)

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I just did 29 miles on water alone but had to stop for a big full English to get me through the next 30. I then bonked 10 miles from home. That night, in a very advanced state of bonkitude, I got up to go to the toilet and passed out before I'd got out of the bedroom. I was roused by the sound of something big falling - it sounded like something hitting the deck next door but when the pain kicked in I realised that it was me. I think I may have cracked a rib on the way down so I'm off the bike for a couple of days. That'll learn me not to have had 2 full Englishes.