How many calories?

[MorgUk]

Although simple carbs from the sweets and chocolate are good during and after riding, I would advise having a meal conisting of a complex carb, fat and protein beforehand.

The complex carb such as sweet potato will prevent any insulin spike, and therefore come down which you get from simple carbs - aiding longer energy.
The fat will simply make the meal simply digest slower, which means longer sustained energy.
Protein wise, cheese is good as it contains casein - a slow digesting protein (unlike whey which is fast) which will be benificial during a long ride.

I'm new to cycling with my bike coming on Tuesday, but just thought i'd give some advice which I have used with other training routines away from cycling.

 

[jimboalee]

Although simple carbs from the sweets and chocolate are good during and after riding, I would advise having a meal conisting of a complex carb, fat and protein beforehand.

The complex carb such as sweet potato will prevent any insulin spike, and therefore come down which you get from simple carbs - aiding longer energy.
The fat will simply make the meal simply digest slower, which means longer sustained energy.
Protein wise, cheese is good as it contains casein - a slow digesting protein (unlike whey which is fast) which will be benificial during a long ride.

I'm new to cycling with my bike coming on Tuesday, but just thought i'd give some advice which I have used with other training routines away from cycling.

Wrong way round.

 

[MorgUk]

How do you mean?

 

[jimboalee]

How do you mean?

Before a ride, do some 'Carboloading'. Any type of Carbohydrate at least two hours before the start of the ride. The majority of the energy required for the first 2 - 3 hours of the ride should be consumed during the previous evening. Simple carbs during the ride for instant energy.

AFTER a ride, your skeletal muscles will go through a process called 'Hypertrophy', ie increasing in size and therefore strength in reaction to the work they have just done.
Muscle is made of protein, so its a good idea to eat this foodstuff when the muscles need it. If you don't, the worked muscles will rob your unworked muscle for the necessary proteins.

It is quite pointless eating protein before or during a ride, as the muscles are too busy working to utilise it and energy will be wasted digesting it.
Likewise, eating carbs when the ride is over encourages adipose storage. Fat, which you don't want.

The exeption to this is on multiday rides where the post ride carbs is tomorrows fuel.