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

 Male cyclist pouring milk into his cereal bowl for breakfast
(Image credit: Getty Images - DragonImages)

It’s well understood that to keep your body powered while cycling, or any endurance sport for that matter, you need to take on sufficient fuel. Naturally, quantity is a large part of the equation - it’s possible to burn through thousands of calories while riding - but quality is also a hugely important factor.

It is well publicised that everyone should eat a well balanced diet, which consists of a variety of food groups and ideal portion sizes. But there are meals which do follow this good general dietary advice, but which will dampen your performance for the specific demands of cycling - whether that’s a sportive, gravel event or race you’ve entered, or your first 100-mile bike ride.

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