Digestion time while riding hard

Assuming the FT effort will be 1hr or less, I wouldn't eat at all *during* the ride. Additionally, I'd be amazed if someone could gag down a Powerbar while riding at FT, without choking. :eek:

I'd get all my eating done before the ride, if it were going to be that intense.

What about a 2 or 3 hr ride at power level oscillating between 85 and 100% FT?

Also, I guess you'd still drink during a 60m effort at 100% FT?

Anyway, if you or anyone else has an opinion or some litterature on this topic, I'd appreciate.

Thanks Frenchyge.

SolarEnergy said:

What about a 2 or 3 hr ride at power level oscillating between 85 and 100% FT?

Also, I guess you'd still drink during a 60m effort at 100% FT?

Anyway, if you or anyone else has an opinion or some litterature on this topic, I'd appreciate.

Thanks Frenchyge.

Solar, you're ahead of all of us on this, and you're not going to get any answers you already know.

In a 1 hr effort, water is all you need to drink. One could probably do it pre-hydrated without any problems.

A high-carb (over 8%) fluid would take significantly longer to absorb. Something like a Cheer Pack or Born Energy (400 Cal) partners with 1/2 water bottle to get going.

In a 3 hour ride, you have to predict where the pace will ease and eat then. Eat before you're hungry, drink before you're thirsty. We race (OBC GP in Gatineau) on a loop that offers very little chances for eating because the hills come so often and hard.

Jeukendrup had great notes in his book 'High Performance Cycling', and I bet the meat of the data is presented in his Nutrition TOME.

FWIW, all of these are personal, in that some may be able to eat more and those who can't eat on the bike never win 7 hr classics. :p)

SolarEnergy said:

The reason of my questionning, is that I want to know at what point I should stop : eating gels, drinking energitic, drinking water.

Thanks a lot

20-30 minutes left in the race. Unless it's for comfort.

Spunout said:

Solar, you're ahead of all of us on this

No not quite.

Thanks to you guys for your answers so far. But there are still some points that I have been wandering, questionning.

How long does it take to digest and use a powerbar as a fuel?

Intensity probably affects the digestion process, it probably slows it down?

Is it possible to finish an event, and still have that powerbar stuck somewhere down the plumbing...

Pure glucose takes about 15-20 minutes to reach the bloodstream in ideal conditions (hot tamales candy which is my favorite diabetic hypoglycemia cure takes closer to 20). So generally you should be eating the goopy sugar stuff about half an hour before you need it. More complex carbs and carb/pro mixes like powerbars and other overpriced hype-bars take significantly longer since mixed contents in the stomach slow the sugars down too.

SolarEnergy said:

No not quite.

Thanks to you guys for your answers so far. But there are still some points that I have been wandering, questionning.

How long does it take to digest and use a powerbar as a fuel?

Intensity probably affects the digestion process, it probably slows it down?

Is it possible to finish an event, and still have that powerbar stuck somewhere down the plumbing...

Nothing solid in the last hour. Just gels with water, defizzed sodas with high sugar, or sportsdrink.