which food for exhausting muni rides?

[wobbling bear]

Well I haven't had long and exhausting muni rides yet and would probably lag behind most group munis rides (unless we start "laggards muni rides" at UNICON).
Nonetheless I turn hungry easily and after reading Mikefule's "reservoir fog" account I learned about strange names for foods (I do not even know what they are talking about).
So are "bars" useful to keep a Muni rider alive? (I've read somewhere that this may not be true).
My previous experience with long term sustainance is while skiing: I used to eat extremely powerful breakfasts such as "Millas" ...
what is "Millas" ? It is a traditional food from my native mountains: Maïze flour with small oranges bits then fried in duck's grease. (a bit of advice: do not try that unless your fathers and grand-fathers underwent a special genetic mutation)
So what are your power breakfasts and you power backpack food?
(please if you use trademarks, explain the components)

[James_Potter]

granola bars and energy bars and the like are very very good for tough rides...and bananas if you can bring them without getting 'em squashed, but that can be difficult.

[sparrowhawk]

and bananas if you can bring them without getting 'em squashed, but that can be difficult.

BANANAS GUARD!!!

http://www.safebanana.com/buy.htm

[thieum]

Dry fruit should almost be considered as steroids in my opinion. Energetic mineral water is a great addition.

[joemarshall]

What we're all about on Mike's thread, is Soreen (that's the brand name) Malt Loaf. It's a cake made with malt extract in it. It is better than posh energy bars because it doesn't cost anywhere near as much.

You might be able to get it from that shop in Paris that sells marmite and other English things at vastly inflated prices, but I can't remember the name or location of the shop.

If you happen to be near these shops any time http://www.bestofbritish.fr/aboutus.htm they sell it.

Alternatively you could make something similar yourself.

http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~pmh/recipes/Bread/Malt.html

Malt loaf is good. A combination of 2 malt loaves and some apples with a pub lunch can be enough for a good days riding.

Power bars and gels are okay, but really really expensive and you need tons of them to keep going. If you must use sport food, buy the powder that you make into a drink, that's way cheaper and works just as well.

Breakfast-wise, if I'm at home, cereal and toast in vast quantities is the way, if I'm camping, it tends to be sandwiches if I can't be bothered to cook, or a big thing of pasta if I can. Having said that, the evening meal the night before makes way more difference to me, have a big pasta meal the night before and you'll be ready to ride.

Joe

[zippy]

when it comes to knowing your gonna be going out the next day and muni riding from hell

Evening b4 pig out on pizza and all the fatty yummy foods, coz you'll need it and work it off the next day.

[terrybigwheel]

Originally Posted by zippy

when it comes to knowing your gonna be going out the next day and muni riding from hell

Evening b4 pig out on pizza and all the fatty yummy foods, coz you'll need it and work it off the next day.

Three words: Pasta, Pasta, Pasta! (days leading up and the night before.)

[thieum]

Originally Posted by joemarshall

You might be able to get it from that shop in Paris that sells marmite and other English things at vastly inflated prices, but I can't remember the name or location of the shop.

Is it Marks & Spencer's you're thinking of ? Because these guys went under in France, which is a shame, cause on top of having excellent food they carried perfect pieces of affordable underwear...

[john_childs]

I bring salt tablets just because I need more electrolytes than the average person. All the energy food that I can carry isn't going to do me any good if I don't have enough electrolytes.

Nutrition requirements and preferences while riding are an individual thing. Some people need more electrolytes than other people. Some people do better when eating a little bit regularly throughout the ride. Some people prefer different mixes of carbs and proteins and fat. Some people like all natural foods with fruit.

So it's all going to depend.

I bring my salt tablets and commercial energy bars (Cliff bars, Power Bars, Balance Bars, etc.) and energy gels. It's all about convenience and shelf life for me. The bars and gels keep and don't go bad. When I want to go for a ride I just grab some energy bars, energy gels, and my salt tablets from the pantry and be ready to ride. I can even leave the food in my pack and not worry about it spoiling. Sometimes I'll take some fruit or beef jerky and things like that, but for most rides I just go for the convenience of the prepackaged energy bars and gels.

Before the ride and after the ride I eat real food. I don't eat energy bars all day long (yuck).

[unisteez]

i like to bring dried fruit. yum, especially dried bannanas and dried mangos.
also, my camel back wanna be has room for 2 bladders. so i put gatorade in one and water in the other. i dont think the pack is designed to hold two, but it has exits for the water tubes on both sides. woo hoo haha.

what else is good to bring..oh yea if im doing a day long ride i like to bring a couple peanut butter sanwiches.

[musketman]

well in Moab i did 20 miles. I had my standard Hog camelback and a ton of Cliff Bars, and "Gu" tubes. They worked out great for me. I never even got tired or hungry at all. I still have like 20 "Gu" tubes left.

So just go to any bike shop and buy a box of "Gu" and some cliff bars. Im sure there is other "Gu" type stuff out aswell.

[terrybigwheel]

Originally Posted by musketman

well in Moab i did 20 miles. I had my standard Hog camelback and a ton of Cliff Bars, and "Gu" tubes. They worked out great for me. I never even got tired or hungry at all. I still have like 20 "Gu" tubes left.

So just go to any bike shop and buy a box of "Gu" and some cliff bars. Im sure there is other "Gu" type stuff out aswell.

That "GU" stuff will give you a fast energy boost, but watch out! They are LOADED with caffeine! I had three of 'em during a recent 4 hour muni ride, and couldn't sleep that night until at least 6am!

[carsonpalooza]

if you'r looking for something with a bit more flavor check out the Sport Beans from Jelly Belly.

http://jellybelly.com/msib21/PromoSi...portBeans.html

[zippy]

i think we are cursed with jelly beans and don't touch em, it's like a plan to take over the world or sommat.

[tomtrevor]

space food sticks are great for quick energy bursts plus they are small so you can carry lots of them and they are also like the best tasting thing on earth