If you want the best output from your legs, you need the best input in terms of your fuelling – but what, exactly, should that consist of?
We’ll begin with the essentials, such as how to get your fuelling right for rides of every length and what to drink when cycling,
Proper fuelling is vital. Get it right and you’ll be able to ride consistently over an extended period of time. Get it wrong, and you’ll ‘bonk’ - that feeling which every cyclist dreads… your tank is empty and your muscles feeling shot to pieces.
To help you avoid this primary pitfall, we’ll also bring to your attention 6 common fuelling mistakes and how to avoid them on your next big ride.
The prevalence of under-fuelling in both professional and amateur cycling has been revealed to be shockingly widespread. We’d recommend that you take a look at the symptoms of RED-S to ensure that you’re meeting your energy demands.
Sports-specific nutrition for cycling can become expensive - but it doesn’t have to be. Over here, we have a nutritionist’s' guide on how to slash your cycling nutrition costs without compromising on your health or cycling performance. For example, you can easily make your own energy bars in your kitchen at home with these recipes, or swap pricey protein powder for plain-old milk, which has been described as a “near-perfect” recovery food.
As well as more generalist guides to nutrition, we also have specific guides on how to tweak your cycling nutrition when you’re over 40, and, for women, we also cover how you can adjust your fuelling at each stage of the menstrual cycle.
Features
For more advice check out all the content we already have published below, and we'll be adding links to the other pieces when they go live this week...
- How much protein do cyclists need? Optimise your recovery with this guide
- What is ‘periodized nutrition’ and what are the benefits for cyclists looking to fine-tune their performance?
- How to lose weight through cycling without sacrificing strength
- How many calories does cycling really burn? And how important is counting them anyway?
- I lowered my body fat by 4.4% and increased my VO2 max after using a nutrition app for 7 weeks
- Six foods to avoid before a big bike ride
- Ask a cycling coach: ‘How much should I expect to eat on a 100-mile ride?’
- Feeling post-ride muscle pain? The key could be your nutrition - here’s how to make sure you’re fuelling right for recovery
- The benefits of carb loading and how to optimize your fuelling ahead of your next cycling event
- The best food for endurance cycling - here’s what to eat and drink before, during and after
Buying advice
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Cycling keeps you fit but are you doing enough to stay healthy?
It’s possible to be very fit in one specific way, for example being fast on a bike, while being unhealthy in other ways
-
Dr Hutch: Motor-doping isn't rife, there's no way cyclists would use it discreetly enough
Some fans think that motor-doping is rife, but Cycling Weekly's columnist Dr Hutch is having none of it
-
Six foods to avoid before a bike ride and why
We take a look at some of the staples you should steer clear of before heading out on a ride
-
Ask a cycling coach: 'How much should I expect to eat on a 100-mile ride?'
It's important to stay fuelled, but just how much food does that mean you should bring?
-
I lowered my body fat by 4.4% and increased my VO2 max after using a nutrition app for 7 weeks
Could a smartphone app be the key to hitting your nutritional needs and reaching your riding goals?
-
Bonk-proof your fuelling: what’s really going on to cause you to ‘bonk’ and how to avoid it
Shaken by a personal experience of that dreaded running on-empty feeling, Anita Bean goes in search of fuelling experts to find out what ‘bonking’ really means and how to avoid it
-
The best food for endurance cycling - here’s what to eat and drink before, during and after
What to eat before, during and after endurance rides to avoid ‘bonking’ and maximise your cycling fitness gains
-
How much protein do cyclists need? Nail your recovery with this guide
Confused about how much protein you need, where to get it from and when to take it? We've got the answers for meat-eaters, vegans and vegetarians alike…
-
How to lose weight through cycling without sacrificing strength
If you're looking to lose weight cycling, here is a quick guide to reduce that number on the scales to improve your riding
-
Optimize your fuelling by carb loading ahead of your next cycling event
We take a look at what the benefits of carb-loading really are - and how to do it right
