In 30 seconds
- Up to 1 hour you do not need to eat on the bike. From 1 to 2.5 hours, 30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour; from 2.5-3 hours, up to 90 g.
- Before a ride of more than an hour, 1-4 g of carbohydrate per kilo between 1 and 4 hours beforehand, and 5-10 ml of fluid per kilo.
- Drink to thirst, about 0.4-0.8 litres per hour as a guide, with 400-1,100 mg of sodium per litre from the first hour.
- If you ride again within 8 hours, take 1-1.2 g of carbohydrate per kilo per hour for the first 4 hours, and replace 1.25-1.5 litres per kilo lost.
On the bike, what you eat and drink depends above all on how long the ride lasts. Up to an hour, water when you are thirsty is enough. Beyond that, you need carbohydrate, fluid and sodium in amounts that grow with the hours; and when you get back, you need to replace what you have used. This guide gives you the figures, ride by ride.
Why you get tired
What runs out on the bike, depending on ride length
What runs out on the bike
In endurance efforts of more than 30 minutes, the two most likely causes of fatigue are dehydration and running out of muscle carbohydrate 5. On rides of more than 4 hours, others come into play: stomach problems, overheating and drops in blood sodium 5.
Your muscles store carbohydrate as glycogen, but the reserve is limited. Starting with it full helps 5, and taking carbohydrate during long rides provides extra fuel 2. When you sweat you lose water and sodium, and those need replacing too.
Your plan, depending on ride length
| Ride | Carbohydrate per hour | Fluid | Sodium in your drink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 45 minutes | Not needed | Water if you are thirsty | Not needed |
| 45 minutes to 1 hour 15, intense | Small amounts or a mouth rinse | Water if you are thirsty | Not needed |
| 1-2.5 hours | 30-60 g | To thirst, 0.4-0.8 L per hour | 400-1,100 mg per litre |
| More than 2.5-3 hours | Up to 90 g, with several types of sugar | To thirst, without exceeding 80% of sweat losses | 400-1,100 mg per litre; more if you sweat over 1.2 L per hour |
Sources: Thomas et al., 2016; Mosler et al., 2020. At low intensities, carbohydrate amounts can be lower.
These carbohydrate amounts do not depend on your weight, but they do depend on intensity: if you ride easy, you use less and need less 3. Fluid amounts do depend on you: how much you sweat makes the difference.
Step 1: before you set off
For a ride of more than an hour, the recommendation is 1-4 g of carbohydrate per kilo between 1 and 4 hours beforehand 1. The closer to the ride, the smaller the amount.
| Recommendation | For 70 kg | |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 1-4 g per kilo, 1-4 hours beforehand | 70-280 g |
| Fluid | 5-10 ml per kilo, 2-4 hours beforehand | 350-700 ml |
| Sign that you are on track | Pale yellow urine | — |
Sources: Thomas et al., 2016; Mosler et al., 2020. The closer to the ride, the smaller the amount.
Start well hydrated, but without overdoing it: 5-10 ml of fluid per kilo in the 2-4 hours beforehand gives you time to pass any excess as urine 1 6. Drinking too much before you set off increases the risk of hyponatraemia 6.
Choose food you know. Fibre, fat and protein are linked with more stomach discomfort during exercise 5. Your usual breakfast, rich in carbohydrate and light on fat, is better than an experiment on sportive day.
Step 2: rides of up to an hour
On rides of less than 45 minutes you do not need carbohydrate 1. If the ride is intense and lasts between 45 and 75 minutes, such as an interval session, small amounts are enough. Even rinsing your mouth with a carbohydrate drink can help 1 2.
For fluid, water if you are thirsty. Up to an hour, there is no need to drink during the activity 6, although in the heat it does no harm to carry a bottle.
Carbohydrate on the ride
Grams of carbohydrate per hour, depending on ride length
Step 3: rides of 1 to 2.5 hours
This is the typical weekend ride. Here carbohydrate does count: 30-60 g per hour 1 2.
The most convenient way is to split it into small, frequent amounts: start eating and drinking from the beginning of the ride and do not wait until you are hungry. A sip from your bottle every so often and a gel or half a bar now and then add up to more than you might think.
For fluid, drink to thirst: as a guide, 0.4-0.8 litres per hour is usually tolerated 1. Your drink should contain 400-1,100 mg of sodium per litre 6. We explain it in detail in how much to drink on the bike.
Step 4: rides of more than 2.5 hours
On long rides and sportives, carbohydrate is the main fuel. The recommendation rises to 90 g per hour from 2.5-3 hours onwards 1 2.
There is a trick to getting there: mixing glucose and fructose. A single type of sugar can be used up to about 60 g per hour. To go beyond that you need several, which are absorbed through different routes 3.
The landmark study did this with 8 trained cyclists, who pedalled for 2 hours taking 1.8 g of carbohydrate per minute (108 g per hour). In the final time trial they were 8% faster with glucose and fructose than with glucose alone, and 19% faster than with water 4.
The biggest improvement in studies appears with 60-80 g per hour. And the benefits of the mixture have been seen mainly in efforts of 2.5 hours or more 3. You will find the full science in carbohydrates during exercise.
How to add up the grams
No particular format is required. Drinks, gels or bars low in fat, protein and fibre all work; choose based on what agrees with you and combine them 3. Very concentrated solutions and solid food can slow down fluid absorption, so have them with water 3.
An example for 60 g per hour: a bottle of drink with 15 g of carbohydrate and another 45 g from gels or bars. Check the grams of carbohydrate on the label of each one.
Step 5: the sportive
A 4-6 hour sportive is prepared for over the preceding days. If it lasts more than 90 minutes, the recommendation is carbohydrate loading with 10-12 g per kilo a day for the 36-48 hours beforehand 1. If your event is The Traka or Sea Otter Europe, see it applied in cycling in Girona.
| When | What to do | For 70 kg |
|---|---|---|
| 36-48 hours before | Carbohydrate loading: 10-12 g per kilo a day | 700-840 g a day |
| Breakfast, 3-4 hours before | 1-4 g of carbohydrate per kilo, familiar food | 70-280 g |
| First hour | Start drinking and eating early, in small amounts | Bottle with sodium |
| Every hour | Up to 90 g of carbohydrate with glucose and fructose | 60-90 g per hour |
| Fluid | To thirst, without gaining weight | 0.4-0.8 L per hour as a guide |
| At the finish | 1.25-1.5 L per kilo lost and 0.25-0.3 g of protein per kilo | 17-21 g of protein |
Sources: Thomas et al., 2016; Jeukendrup, 2014; Mosler et al., 2020. Rehearse the plan on your long rides.
Some keys for the day:
- Start early: from the first hour, in small amounts. If you wait until you bonk, you are too late.
- Use the feed stations wisely: eat what you have tried before and drink to thirst, not out of obligation at every stop.
- Nothing new on sportive day: no different gels, drinks or breakfast.
- Keep an eye on your weight: in events of more than 4 hours, drinking too much is a real risk 10.
How much to drink
Three figures for drinking well on the bike
Step 6: how much to drink
Sweat on the bike varies a lot: from 0.3 to 2.5 litres per hour depending on the person, the intensity and the weather 6. The most useful thing you can do is measure yours with a set of scales, as we explain in how to calculate your sweat rate.
With your figure:
- Drink to thirst. In outdoor cycling time trials, losing up to 4% of body weight did not change performance. And drinking to thirst was 5.2% better than drinking below it 7.
- Do not replace more than 80% of what you sweat during the ride 6.
- Try not to lose more than 2-3% of your body weight in sweat 1 5.
- Sodium: recommended especially if you sweat more than 1.2 litres per hour, your sweat is salty or the ride lasts more than 2 hours 1.
And the safety rule: if you weigh more at the end than at the start, you have drunk too much. It is the main cause of exercise-associated hyponatraemia 10.
Step 7: heat and the turbo trainer
In the heat, the plan is the same, but with more attention:
- Cold drinks: below 22 °C they are more appealing and you drink more; in the heat, cold or iced drinks can help 8.
- Sodium preloading: before an event in very hot conditions, you can take 20-40 mg of sodium per kilo with 10 ml of fluid per kilo, 1-2 hours beforehand. It can cause stomach discomfort or headaches: try it out first in training 8.
- Sensitive stomach: cutting down on fermentable carbohydrates and polyols for 24 hours can ease stomach discomfort in the heat 8.
On a turbo trainer, the problem is the lack of airflow. In a study with 12 cyclists at 32 °C, the time trial without airflow was ridden at an average of 232 W, compared with 247-250 W with airflow at 16-44 km/h. Without airflow, core temperature reached 39.4 °C, compared with 38.8-39.0 °C 9. Above 16 km/h of airflow there was no further improvement 9. A good fan is part of your nutrition at home.
Step 8: your stomach can be trained too
Stomach discomfort is common and very individual. It is linked with very concentrated drinks, fibre, fat and protein 5.
The good news is that the gut adapts: do some rides taking plenty of carbohydrate and practise in training exactly what you will take in the event 3. If you notice discomfort, reduce the amount or the concentration and build up gradually.
Step 9: recovery when you get back
What you do when you get off the bike depends on when you will ride again.
| If you ride again within 8 hours | If not | |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 1-1.2 g per kilo per hour for the first 4 hours | Your normal meals for the day |
| Fluid | 1.25-1.5 L per kilo lost, with sodium | 1.25-1.5 L per kilo lost, with your meals |
| Protein | 0.25-0.3 g per kilo (15-25 g) | 0.25-0.3 g per kilo (15-25 g) |
Source: Thomas et al., 2016.
- Fluid: replace 125-150% of what you have lost, about 1.25-1.5 litres per kilo, with water and sodium 1. In sips, spread over the following hours. You will find it step by step in how to rehydrate after training.
- Carbohydrate: if you ride again within 8 hours, 1-1.2 g per kilo per hour for the first 4 hours; if not, your normal meals 1.
- Protein: 0.25-0.3 g per kilo, about 15-25 g, in the first 2 hours, then spread the rest of the day's protein every 3-5 hours 1.
Everyday carbohydrate
If you ride often, what you eat between rides counts as much as what you carry in your jersey pockets. These are the benchmarks according to your training load 1:
| Load | Carbohydrate a day | For 70 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Light: skills or low intensity | 3-5 g per kilo | 210-350 g |
| Moderate: about 1 hour a day | 5-7 g per kilo | 350-490 g |
| High: 1-3 hours a day at moderate to high intensity | 6-10 g per kilo | 420-700 g |
| Very high: more than 4-5 hours a day | 8-12 g per kilo | 560-840 g |
Source: Thomas et al., 2016.
In weeks with few hours, move towards the lower end of the range. In high-volume weeks, move up.
Common mistakes
- Heading out fasted on a long ride and starting to eat only once you are already hungry.
- Carrying only water on rides of more than 2 hours, with no carbohydrate or sodium. We explain when each one is worth it in isotonic drink or water.
- Drinking out of obligation at every feed station until you gain weight.
- Trying something new on sportive day.
- Forgetting about recovery when you are riding again the next day.
- Training on a turbo trainer without a fan and without water to hand.
Where Nitrus fits in
Nitrus Isotonic is our drink for your bottle. Each 25 g serving in 400-500 ml of water provides about 195 mg of sodium and 15 g of carbohydrate of three types: fructose, dextrose and maltodextrin. It also contains potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, all 13 vitamins, BCAAs and taurine.
| Preparation | Sodium per serving | Sodium per litre | Carbohydrates per serving | Carbohydrates per litre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 g in 400 ml | 195 mg | 488 mg | 15.1 g | 37.8 g |
| 25 g in 500 ml | 195 mg | 390 mg | 15.1 g | 30.3 g |
Each 25 g serving contains 0.488 g of salt (about 195 mg of sodium), 148 mg of potassium and 15.13 g of carbohydrates.
With 400 ml, the sodium falls within the recommended range of 400-1,100 mg per litre: it is the dilution that suits you best in the heat and on long rides. For the 30-90 g of carbohydrate per hour, top it up with gels, bars or food.
If you ride several times a week, the Hydration Pack combines two tubs of Nitrus and BCAA 2:1:1. It costs €53.90 instead of €62.70, with free delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What should you eat before a bike ride?
If the ride lasts more than an hour, a meal with 1-4 g of carbohydrate per kilo between 1 and 4 hours beforehand: the closer to the ride, the smaller the amount. Choose something familiar that agrees with you, low in fat and fibre.
How many carbs per hour should you take on the bike?
On rides of 1 to 2.5 hours, 30-60 g per hour. On rides of more than 2.5-3 hours, up to 90 g, combining glucose and fructose. On rides of under 45 minutes, they are not needed.
How much should you drink on a bike ride?
Drink to thirst. As a guide, 0.4-0.8 litres per hour is usually tolerated, without replacing more than 80% of what you sweat. From one hour onwards, your drink should contain 400-1,100 mg of sodium per litre.
What should you eat after a long bike ride?
Replace 1.25-1.5 litres of fluid per kilo lost and have 15-25 g of protein. If you ride again within 8 hours, add 1-1.2 g of carbohydrate per kilo per hour for the first 4 hours.
How do you avoid bonking on a sportive?
Arrive with full stores, with 10-12 g of carbohydrate per kilo a day over the previous 36-48 hours, have a good breakfast and start eating early. During the sportive, aim for 60-90 g of carbohydrate per hour, rehearsed beforehand on your long rides.
Sources
- Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: nutrition and athletic performance. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(3):501-528. View publication
- Burke LM, Hawley JA, Wong SHS, Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrates for training and competition. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(Suppl 1):S17-S27. View publication
- Jeukendrup AE. A step towards personalized sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise. Sports Med. 2014;44(Suppl 1):S25-S33. View publication
- Currell K, Jeukendrup AE. Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2008;40(2):275-281. View publication
- Jeukendrup AE. Nutrition for endurance sports: marathon, triathlon, and road cycling. J Sports Sci. 2011;29(Suppl 1):S91-S99. View publication
- Mosler S, Braun H, Carlsohn A, et al. Position of the working group sports nutrition of the German Nutrition Society (DGE): fluid replacement in sports. Dtsch Z Sportmed. 2020;71(7-9):178-184. View publication
- Goulet EDB. Effect of exercise-induced dehydration on time-trial exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 2011;45(14):1149-1156. View publication
- McCubbin AJ, Allanson BA, Caldwell Odgers JN, et al. Sports Dietitians Australia position statement: nutrition for exercise in hot environments. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2020;30(1):83-98. View publication
- Bright FM, Clark B, Jay O, Périard JD. Influence of air velocity on self-paced exercise performance in hot conditions. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023;55(8):1382-1391. View publication
- Hew-Butler T, Rosner MH, Fowkes-Godek S, et al. Statement of the 3rd International Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia Consensus Development Conference, Carlsbad, California, 2015. Br J Sports Med. 2015;49(22):1432-1446. View publication
Information based on published studies. It does not replace the advice of a doctor or registered dietitian. The results describe what was measured in each study, not the properties of any specific product. A varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.
