On Tue, 26 May 2020 13:58:38 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

Riffing off the "bonk" thread:

For most of my family's bicycling career (now approaching 50 years) we
took various snacks along on rides greater than 25 miles or so. But
somehow, with changes in life and changes in riding habits, we seem to
have gotten out of that snack habit.

On a couple of recent mid-30 miler rides on country roads, my wife
didn't bonk, but she certainly ran out of steam. During one of them, I
happened to find a gel packet buried in my bag, so I gave her that. It
helped noticeably; so we should get back to carrying snacks.

But I'd prefer something a little more like food, a little less like a
medical infusion. Since we're no longer performance riders, actually
stopping the bike to eat would be OK. even though on solo rides I prefer
to keep moving.

What are people's preferences for on-bike snacks?

Easily digested carbohydrates. The most easily digested is, of course,
sugar, but any carbohydrate being aware that the more complex
carbohydrates take longer to digest and therefore should be eaten
earlier in the ride.

Marathon runners will eat massive amounts of carbohydrates the day
before a race to sort of top off the tanks and then eat lightly the
morning of the race.

I have used these "sports drinks" that contain salt and glucose and
serve to keep your sugar and salt levels up as well as maintain
hydration. Just before I broke my hip I was doing three 100 km rides a
week in tropical weather with no problems with a light breakfast and
sport drink.
--
cheers,

John B.