Train to Eat: Fueling on the Bike

A former US National Team lightweight rower once proclaimed that he converted to cycling largely because the sport favored feed-zones rather than weigh-ins. He was onto something. Fueling on the bike is not only a perk of the discipline, it is also a key factor in strong training and racing, especially during events or training sessions over 90 minutes. For triathletes, the bike leg is a golden opportunity to refuel from the swim and prepare for the run. Still, before you can trust that your snacks will affect your muscles, and therefore your performance, you must ensure that your fuel makes it into your mouth. Who has not dropped a Clif Bar on the roadside? Who has not, then, rescued the bar, brushed off the gravel and scarfed the snack as if it were the last morsel of food on earth? Such are the kinks better worked out in training than in competition.

Training rides and early season races are occasions to master the mechanics of fueling on the bike. Are you comfortable reaching into a cycling jersey to grab your snack? This entails becoming secure eating with one hand while continuing to control your bike with the other. To facilitate the process, keep the snack in the pocket nearest to your retrieving hand, and avoid burying the fuel under spare tubes and tools. Also, consider opening any wrappers before your ride. Or you could place a bagel, crackers, fig cookies or pretzels into sandwich baggies; if using Ziplocs, keep the bags unlocked for easy access.

You may not race in a cycling jersey so you should consider alternative options for carrying fuel. Contraptions such as a Bento Box or Aero Pocket sit between your aerobars and act as a discrete basket designed to hold multiple bars or gels. For longer events, including a half or full Ironman, it is important to carry more fuel and this additional storage space becomes useful. For shorter distances, however, it is possible to haul all you need directly on your bike. For example, try using electrical tape to attach pieces of snacks (Clif Bar bites work well) to your top tube. Powerbars wrap themselves; simply bend the bar length wise around the tube. Another option is to tape a gel pack to your top tube or aerobars by the tab, which you will want to tear just slightly; the gel pack, when released from the tape, is already conveniently opened. You may opt to bring one extra in case the pack does land on the road; during a race you won't want to take the time to retrieve the hapless gel. Perhaps a more secure place to store your gel would be in a gel flask holder attached to your bike; the flask is refillable with your gel of choice (for example, Hammer Gel from Hammer Nutrition, is available in multiple-serving jugs).

Regardless of your preferred fuel, make a selection that will withstand the elements. In particular, bars with chocolate and yogurt coatings tend to create an undesirable mess if exposed to sweat, rain and intense heat. If the snack falls apart or becomes too unappealing to eat you could miss out on the energy necessary for optimal performance. Consider, too, that your increased rate of breathing might hinder your ability to chew. Some foods melt in your mouth more easily than others, but the preference is individual. For instance, a Nutri-Grain cereal bar may work well for one while a Quaker Chewy Granola bar might be better for another. Establish what works for you, and training sessions are the best time to do so.

Similar to your food selection, fluid choice comes down to a matter of personal preference. Particularly for sprint or Olympic distance races, you could perform well relying solely on liquid fuel. And the bike leg, according to a study by Jeukendrup et al. in 2005, may be the best opportunity to ingest fluids. Again, you have several options for fluid storage on the bike. You can store a couple of bottles in cages mounted to your frame, saddle or seat-post. Other bottles are designed to sit in between your aerobars and the fluid is consumed through a straw, allowing you to maintain your "aero" position while drinking. So that you don't run dry during the bike leg, you may want to practice refilling your aerobar-mounted bottle with solution from a bottle stored elsewhere or from one acquired in an exchange. It is easiest to refill your aerobar-mounted bottle by squirting fluid from a flexible bottle, and avoid doing so while descending at high speeds.

When using fluids as an energy source, you should select a drink that has 5 to 8 percent carbohydrate solution, such as a Gatorade. Athletes who drink a concentration of 10 percent or higher (straight orange juice, for instance) may experience gastro-intestinal discomfort. The high sugar content can cause a slower release of fluid into your intestines and delay absorption. It can also result in gastrointestinal distress.

Whether you choose fluids, foods or gel for fuel delivery, carbohydrate remains your best source of energy for training and racing. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends ingesting 60 to 70 grams of carbohydrate per hour, or up to one gram of carbohydrate per minute of exercise. Certainly, energy bars and sports drinks, as well as the hybrid gel packs, are marketed to enhance performance. In addition to providing easily digested carbohydrates (with various combinations of glucose, glucose polymers, sucrose and fructose), they often have additional nutrients that are beneficial to athletes, such as sodium and potassium. These electrolytes are minerals that, among other functions, help regulate normal body fluid levels, acid-base balance, maintain blood pressure, and assist muscle contraction. Consuming fuel-whether as sports drinks, energy bars or gel packs-with sodium and potassium during endurance events is beneficial because electrolyte balance can be disrupted through sweat loss.

However, you need not shun real foods, which often naturally provide performance-enhancing nutrients. After all, athletes lived, competed and excelled long before the arrival of energy bars! The tables below compare select nutrient values of different fuel sources, with examples of foods, fluids and gels. Whichever combination of fuel you decide is right for you is a product of trial and, most likely, some error. So, just as you are diligent to log endurance miles, master dismounts, and rehearse transitions, continue to practice your nutrition. Remember that you are not only eating to train, you are also training to eat.

Sample Food Sources

Sample Fluid Sources

Sample Gel Sources

By Rebecca Marks-Rudy, MS

Convertino VA et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Jan; 28(1):i-vii.
Gatorade Sports Science Institute; http://www.gssiweb.com
Jeukendrup AE et al. Nutritional considerations in triathlon. Sports Med. 2005; 35(2):163-81.
Speedy DB et al. Fluid balance during and after an ironman triathlon. Clin J Sport Med. 2001 Jan; 11(1):44-50.
Williams Melvin H. Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sports Sixth Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York; 2002.

Rebecca Marks-Rudy, MS is a sports nutritionist for NYC Triathlon Consulting Services. Rebecca graduated magna cum laude in Classics from Harvard University. She received her Master's of Science in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy in 2003. As a Sports Nutritionist, she has worked with numerous endurance athletes at the high school, collegiate and masters level. A former National Collegiate Varsity Lightweight Eight Rowing Champion (1997), Rebecca turned to triathlon competition in 1998. She strives to encourage healthful living in all of her clients and believes that peak athletic performance is contingent upon a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.