After more than a decade racing bikes, I learned something the hard way:
Most cyclists don’t bonk because they’re not fit enough — they bonk because they didn’t fuel enough.
If you’re training for long days in the saddle — like the 50+ mile stages of Arthritis Foundation Cycling Experiences — fueling becomes just as important as your training plan.
The goal isn’t complicated:
Steady energy for hours and enough recovery to do it again tomorrow.
Here’s what to know about why, when, and how to fuel your long rides.
Step 1: Know Your Carb Target
Your body stores enough glycogen for roughly 90 minutes to two hours of riding.
After that, your energy depends on what you're eating and drinking on the bike.
For most endurance rides longer than 90 minutes, aim for:
60–90 grams of carbohydrates per hour
That number sounds big, but it becomes manageable when you combine high-carb drinks with small fuel bites.
Step 2: Fuel Before the Ride
Your pre-ride meal sets the tone for the entire ride.
About 2–3 hours before riding, aim for:
- carbohydrates
- a little protein
- minimal fat
Examples:
- oatmeal with banana and protein powder
- sourdough toast with eggs
- smoothie with oats, berries, and protein
Then about 30 minutes before rolling out, add a quick carb boost.
Think of this as topping off the tank before you start riding.
Step 3: Start Fueling Early
One of the biggest mistakes cyclists make is waiting until they feel hungry to eat.
By the time hunger hits, your energy is already dropping.
Instead, start fueling within the first 30 minutes of your ride and keep eating every 20–30 minutes.
Think of fueling like cadence — smooth and consistent.
Step 4: Use High-Carb Drink Mixes
One of the biggest upgrades in endurance nutrition over the past few years is high-carbohydrate drink mixes.
Instead of trying to eat every calorie, you can drink a large portion of them.
For example:
A bottle of Flow Formulas delivers roughly 90 grams of carbs, which can cover most of an hour’s fueling needs.
Other excellent high-carb drink mixes include:
Step 5: Choose Real Fuel That’s Easy to Eat
On long endurance rides, many cyclists prefer real-food style fuels instead of relying on gels.
Bars, waffles, and bites tend to feel more satisfying after a few hours on the bike.
- AMG Bites — a great choice when I want something that actually feels like food
- Supra bars — a personal favorite. Made with real ingredients by a female pro cyclist. You will love these.
- Kate’s Real Food Bars — a carb powerhouse and treasure trove of nutrients
- Vafels — simple ingredients and steady carbs that will make you feel like a Euro pro
- SaltStick chews — perfect for quick flavorful bites between drinks
A typical fueling hour might look like:
- bottle of Flow Formulas
- half a Supra bar
- a few SaltStick chews
Or:
- bottle of Flow Formulas
- a Vafels waffle
That combination easily lands you in the 60–90g carbs per hour range.
Step 6: Don’t Forget Electrolytes
When you sweat, you're losing more than water.
You're also losing sodium and other electrolytes, which help regulate hydration and muscle function.
Without replacing them, riders often experience:
- cramps
- headaches
- heavy legs late in the ride
- sudden energy drops
400–800 mg sodium per hour is a good starting point.
- Skratch Hydration Sport Drink Mix — about 380 mg sodium per serving
- Precision Hydration packets (PH 500 / PH 1000 / PH1500) — great for dialing in higher sodium needs
- SaltStick capsules — convenient if you prefer taking electrolytes separately from your drink mix
Step 7: Recover So Tomorrow’s Ride Feels Good
Because many riders are traveling or heading straight to a hotel after the ride, portable recovery options are often easiest.
- Momentous Whey Protein — shaken in a bottle with water
- Skratch Recovery Sport Drink Mix — carbs and protein in one drink. The Horchata is AMAZING.
- Honey Stinger Protein Bars — a post-ride top-up that tastes like a Reese’s
- REUP portable smoothie — it’s ridiculous how many of these I have during big training blocks
You don’t need anything fancy — just something easy to get down while your body is still in that recovery window.
If you're riding multiple days in a row, this step makes a huge difference in how your legs feel the next morning.
What I Pack for a 4–5 Hour Training Ride
People ask me this all the time, so here’s a typical fueling setup I’ll bring on a longer ride.
In my bottles
- 1 bottle Flow Formulas
- 1 bottle Skratch electrolytes
In my pockets
- 1 Vafels waffle
- 1 Supra bar
- 1 pack SaltStick OMG Chews
- 1–2 gels (just in case I want quick carbs)
That gives me flexibility depending on how I feel.
Some hours I drink most of my carbs. Other times I want something more substantial like a waffle or bar.
The goal is simple: steady energy without overwhelming your stomach.
Want to try my whole stack? You can get it HERE.
Pro Tip: Set a Fuel Alarm
One trick I recommend to athletes is setting a fuel reminder on your watch or bike computer every 25 minutes.
When the alarm goes off, take in something small — a sip of drink mix, a few chews, or part of a bar.
It sounds simple, but it prevents the most common fueling mistake:
forgetting to eat until it’s too late.
The Fueling Cheat Sheet (Save This for Your Next Ride)
Before Ride (2–3 hrs)
Carb-focused meal + small protein
30 min before
20–30g quick carbs
During Ride
60–90g carbs per hour
Eat every 20–30 minutes
Drink Strategy
1 high-carb bottle (Flow Formulas is a great option) and 1 electrolyte mix bottle
After Ride
Carbs + 20–30g protein within 40 minutes
Fueling Mistakes Cyclists Make
After years in the sport, the same mistakes come up again and again:
- Waiting until you're hungry to eat
- Underestimating carb needs
- Drinking only water
- Eating too much at once
- Skipping recovery nutrition
- Trying new foods on event day
The best athletes don’t wing their fueling — they practice it during training.
The Takeaway
Training for long rides isn’t just about riding farther.
It’s about building habits your body can rely on.
Fuel early.
Fuel consistently.
Hydrate with electrolytes.
Recover well.
Do that, and long rides start to feel very different.
Instead of hanging on during the final hour, you finish thinking:
“I could keep riding.”
Dial your strategy in and end each day ready to conquer the next.
Fuel good → feel good → ride strong. 🚴♀️
You’ve got this,
Laura
PS - If you want to fuel like a pro I've put exactly what's in my pockets HERE.
