Cycling is one of the most popular & great endurance exercises & helps build leg muscles. Travelling miles in the saddle is one end of cyclist’s training. Equally important is nutrition. Cyclists often run short of carbohydrates stores which essentially is an important part of a cyclist’s nutrition.
Carbohydrates, for most activities, are the main source of energy. Be it high intense workout, cycling sprinting & endurance activities, each of these activities have positive impact of appropriate carbohydrate fueling. For cyclists, key to have performance gains is to have optimum amount of carbohydrates pre, during & post exercise. Let us discuss nutrition for each of these stages one by one.
Pre-ride nutrition: The timing of your meal influences what type of carbohydrate you should consume. Pre-ride nutrition is important. Your genetic predisposition & sensitivity to carbs & insulin can help you determine & consume the best sources of carbohydrates that limits insulin spikes & high blood sugar level. Low to moderate Glycemic Index carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, oats, sweet potato & lentils are best sources for your body’s glycogen stores. The duration of your ride will determine the amount of carbohydrates you should consume 3 to 4 hours before the ride. You should strive to follow carbohydrate intake based on the following matrix:
| For rides lasting | Amount of carbohydrates |
| < 1 hour | 1-1.5 grams per KG of body weight |
| ~ 1 hour | 1.5-2.5 grams per KG of body weight |
| 1 to 3 hours | 2.5-3.5 grams per KG of body weight |
| 4 hours | 4 grams per KG of body weight |
Besides, you should consume a small amount of carbohydrate in the hour before the cycling ride. This small quantity should come from easily digestible forms of carbohydrates such as banana, dried fruits( such as dried cranberries) & whole grain/multi grain bread & should have close to 25 grams of carbohydrate( ~ 100 calories). Avoid having high fibre food since it will cause gastric discomfort.
Consumption during the ride: For rides for duration in excess of one hour, having sufficient carbohydrates is key to limit the onset of fatigue. Unlike the pre-riding sources, you require quick digesting sources of carbohydrates/energy such as energy drinks, bananas, fig bars or a peanut butter sandwich. You should be aiming at consuming an average of 45 grams of carbohydrates per hour. You should not wait till the time your brain tells you are hungry. You should start consuming after the first 20 minutes & then at regular intervals. Please do not overfeed yourself during the rise since it can lead to gastric issues. Our digestive system can absorb only upto 60 carbohydrates in an hour. Some bars/energy drinks offer combinations of glucose & fructose which allows you to increase your carbohydrate intake without creating any digestive issues. This combination is said to increase carbohydrate oxidation in long duration exercise which improves lactate production & oxidation, thereby providing more fuel for the growth of muscles.
Post ride nutrition: Post cycling ride nutrition is important to make sure that you recover well. You should focus on consuming 1.2 to 1.4 grams of carbs per KG of body weight in the first 60 to 80 minutes post your ride since it maximises muscle glucose resynthesis. Adding protein to your carbohydrates can help speed up glycogen replenishment as well as providing positive protein balance, thereby minimising/eliminating loss of muscle mass. A carbs to protein ratio of 3: 1 in your post ride meal helps in faster recovery.
When it comes to hydration, you should aim to consume 500 to 1000 ml of fluid per hour ideally, 250 ml every 20 minutes. Climate will determine your hydration levels. You can keep track of hydration by checking your weight before & after the ride. For every KG of weight loss, prefer replacing with 1.5 litre of electrolyte drink. Post cycling ride, you should also focus on replenishing your sodium/electrolyte. Your predisposition to salt with help you determine how sensitive your body is to salt & how much salt you should consume post ride so that you replenish your sodium stores in appropriate quantities.
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