All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

I’m usually making an effort to eat hourly and I drink water often. It’s the pre-ride nutrition is where I’m lacking. Do you guys eat like kings the night before and have a normal breakfast? I always throw up my undigested breakfast like 5 hours later.

 

That last 16 miles is so dangerous for a lot of people. 1) There are no bailout points, you're committed at that point. 2) There is no shade. 3) There are no jeepers, motos or hikers to help out.

For nutrition (on long rides at least), I shoot for 100g of carbs/hr (~50:50 mix of glucose/fructose which is table sugar BTW). I start eating/drinking immediately and stay on top of the 100g/hr (with water too of course). Most people have to start with around 75g/hr and work their way up.

So usually it looks like:
1 scoop of skratch (mostly for flavor + electrolytes) + 80g of table sugar in a regular water bottle, another "packet" of that pre-mixed for a refill.
Some carbs heavy bars
2-3 gels
3 liters of water

I'm constantly drinking from the mixed bottle and the camelbak, then eating bars/gels every so often. If you stay consistent and on top of it during the whole ride (not just when you feel bad/hungry/thirsty), you should be good to go.

That strategy really helps with doing big rides back to back too. I've done Mag 7 then TWE back to back days, no problem.

 

I try to eat normal and avoid big spikes. In the morning, I'll just try to eat a normal but carb heavy meal about two hours before.

 

I was very curious what others do for nutrition/energy. Light carb/sugar snacking 1hr before and sometimes during long rides is key for me. A small bottle of gatorade works wonders immediately after a moderate-long ride.

My question is when is fats/proteins best consumed? Night before? Couple hours after? I’ve been good about an 8oz of chicken post-rides.

 

Def not. Usually I feel worse not better if I try and eat like the king.

If I know I have a big ride tomorrow, I'll start extra hydrating 24h prior esp out here in the desert. Dinner I'll do my best to eat a healthier option and one smaller in size portion. Breakfast I'll go lighter, but calorie and protein rich. Something like a good omelette since thats easy to whip out on a camp setup real quick and easy. Then during the big ride, I'll snack and keep on the electroytes to keep the gas tank topped off.

 

I believe there is a bailout now. Not necessarily that much shorter, but the gnar factor isn't nearly as bad.

Edit: Eagle Eye to Falcon Flow. Still a long ass way home though.

 

Trying The Notch on WE is a right of passage. Just like trying the entrance to Horsethief in Fruita.

 

I don't keep track of my diet super well before/during. BUT...What I end up usually doing is eat like normal day before which usually means a decent carb/protein meal. Sometimes have a decent enough oatmeal or PB&J sandwich for breakfast (I usually don't eat breakfast so eating a pbj helps). Then for lunch on the trail or not, I'll have a prepared deli sandwich that I've made. I'll have a gatorade on me either in my water bottle or in a separate battle in my pack. Then partway I usually have a honey stinger to tide me over. plenty of water obviously but I tend to drink less and less each ride as the season progresses. I used to gulp like 2-3L of water every ride. Now for a 10 mile ride, I'll maybe go through .5L. On HOT days, I'll go through more on a 10mi ride, probably closer to 1.5L. But that's just me.

I've done mag 7 saturday and twe on sunday back to back Just like you @TacoDozer22 ... my routine works for my body. I usually replenish on LOADS of carbs and protein after the major ride for dinner. (Pasta with ground beef in my sauce. lots of it. or steak and potatoes).

 

Last time I was there, there was a RZR that chased us down half the double track of porcupine rim. I rode hard to stay ahead of them. lol.

But yeah, that last part can get dangerous for folks. I always check on anyone I run across to make sure they're good because you don't want to be heading into the singletrack section with no energy or a broken bike.

 

I think fat/proteins are best consumed after. Depending on how hard/long you've ridden, you'll need to replenish carbs too. I think the ratio that gets thrown around for best "recovery" ratio is 4:1 carbsrotein but don't cite me. I've found that protein drinks/powders/whatever don't really speed up or improve my recovery so I just try to eat something normal and somewhat balanced.

Very good point. Everyone is different and nutrition (pre/during/post) needs to be sorted and dialed in. I've got a pretty strong stomach and palette so I can almost consume anything. The one thing I will say that is almost universal though is that whatever "works" for most people, should be done more often, in larger amounts and earlier in rides. Most bonking I've seen is because they wait too long or don't consume enough. Ideally, you shouldn't be starving after a ride but it's pretty hard to consume enough calories on big rides.

 

I've done that "bailout" and it may be harder lol. Its technically (difficulty wise) easier but there is a lot more climbing. Falcon Flow and Sands Flat has some decent uphills. The double track from LPS to Falcon flow is also about as punishing as the Porcupine Double Track. The whole time I thought to myself "I should have just stayed on Porcupine" haha.
It's safer though because there are no crux moves and you can always jump in with one of the 1,000 people that will pass you on Sand Flat road.

 

I have had my Osprey Raptor 14 for 7 years now, and it gets washed in the rain, or the creek...it really has no smell at all. My gloves on the other hand....very reminiscent of hockey glove smell...when I played goalie, i never washed my gear...and guys HATED to be in my crease cause of my gear smell. It was like a 3rd defensemen

Osprey is real good about that too...they have sent me clips, replacement bite valves, replacement hoses...all for free

 

You talking about the actual notch or the more commonly ridden snotch, which is still very tough to clean.

 

Koko is the current drop in. Hazard still looked super messy. Maybe in a week or two.
I love the whole ride. Including the stupid climb to Burro. It’s just such a killer ride, and I feel spent at the bottom.

Wish I were that together. I usually down a stupid big breakfast, and a nalgene before the ride. 1.5L in the hip pack. I usually ride the whole thing through, top to bottom, with just a few short breath catchers to take it in. Maybe sneak in a Cliff bar. Burping chorizo most of the way. Lol.
Last time was about 3.5 hrs, for the full ride.

The notch, snotch, and the horse thief bench are silly. Just shitty tech with no flow. It’s just trials work. Not a fan.

 

Did both rides in Sept last year. After rolling up and visually checking both out I dismounted and walked down both, lol. I was only there on a 9 day bike vacation and did not want to spend time at the hospital or mending my wounds. You actually have to see them in person to appreciate how tough they are. YouTube videos don't quite grasp it completely.

Both are above my pay grade (first time out there) but if I lived out there or close, I would definitely get familiar with the lines and try them...I think.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj65Kt9Z3dU

 

Glad I'm not the only one. I was reading all these detailed nutrition regimens like wtf?? haha I'll usually put Gatorade or something in one bottle and try to remember to eat the snacks I have if it's a bigger ride (20+ miles).

 

Hey what's everyone running for lightweight and breathable gloves? I seem to recall some discussion about this a month or so ago but cba digging through this thread

I've had two pairs of fox gloves rip from the stitching... one pair after two rides... the other pair lasted a couple months (which isn't that bad) but I'd like to find some gloves that will last a bit longer...

 

I've been pretty happy with my Hand Up gloves. Had them for about about 1.5 years now I think without any issues. But I haven't taken any falls or anything with them (yet).

 

HD Utility Gloves - 3 pairs for $10. As a three pack they last ~ a season of XC riding ~ and are good to keep around the truck for maintenance and yard work. Lightweight, tactile and good coverage for the UT sun or 'foresty' abrasion. They go in the wash every now and then and I'm not upset that they don't last forever.