Headed out for a 4 hours training ride this weekend, and was loaded up like a pack mule!
2 bottles of water, 1 bottle of gatorade, 1 bottle “Liquid Fuel” (4 scoops Perpetuem with two Hammer gels), 5 salt tablets, 1 pack clif shot bloks, 1 hammer gel, 1 almond butter and honey sandwich, tube, bike tool, tire lever, and pump
sandwich wrapped in foil, ID, debit card and phone just in case
Bike loaded up and ready to go. At least for racing I will be close to 10 lbs lighter without all the gear…so, what do you normally take on a long training ride?
1 tube
1 lever
1 C02 cartrige
1 inflator valve
5 Power Gels, 2 Power Bars
1 bottle Gatorade
1 bottle Water
Debit card
Licence
$21 dollars (a $1 dollar bill to patch tire if necessary)
Cell phone
You shouldn’t mix gatorade w/ Hammer Products, it may mess w/ your stomach. In addition to lighten up the load a little you can just add the Hammer Gels to your perpetuem. I woud think all you really need to carry for fuel is 2 bottles of perpetuem w/ hammer gel mix, each bottle about 600 calories and 2 bottles of water. Keep it simple.
All fits in jersey pockets - don’t have a saddle bag or a top tube box.
I can usually get picked up fairly easily if I have a major mechanical or multiple flats.
Something substantial to eat right before I leave - large bowl of weetabix or porridge usually. Sometimes its a baguette with vegetable filling. Eat as soon as I get in too.
I only cycle, and will do 26 hrs or so per week, gradually built up to this over 4.5 years fwiw. A lot is in group rides - college team - hence less reliance on having tools. Not that I have ever needed anything that a small multitool would have anyway.
When I ride longer than this, I take 1 more nutrigrain for each extra 30 minutes. It works for me - have done up to 206 miles non-stop before (although did use energy drink for that, and a very big breakfast).
Back when I was doing these sort sof rides I would take similar. Gels where not around back then. I found using energy bars and water to be an excellent, efficient and flexible combo. I would take three bottles of water to start - two on the frame and one in the back pocket and just stop and get more water as needed. Perhaps I am lucky, where ever I have trained, there have always been places to stop for water. Never bothered with a cell phone. Would take $5 -10 to buy a coke or food if needed. Extra clothing as/if needed. Spare tube of course. Often did not take the mini-tool - early season rides only, to make minor fit adjustments.
2 tubes
patch kit
frame pump
multi-tool
spare tire (I had a sidewall blow out in the middle of nowhere and had to walk many miles)
half-dozen gels
tube of fig neutons
2 bottles with energy drink
Camelback (yeah, I know. Fred!!)
ID
Cell phone
$10
My only noticeable difference is I always bring either two tubes or 1 tube and a repair kit. I’ve had too many times where I’ve needed them and I don’t bring a phone. That sandwich is making me hungry.
You forgot the grill and the cooler.
Dude, is that for 4 hours??? I can go for a week on that.
For a typical 4 hour ride, I bring a tummy with a blanced breakfast. A clifbar and 2 bottles of gatorade.
No wonder i see people packing up their $$$ bikes like mules in races.
Profile aero bottle with water
2 bottles in hydrotail - 1 with concentrate/electrolytes for entire ride, 1 with water
1 tube folded up with lever held on to hydrotail by rubberband
2 co2’s and inflate tool attached to hydrotail
Im simple. If i ever need more water i can always stop and refill.
I do an hour of fluid per hour…for you guys that just take 2 bottles of fluid, do you stop and refill, or only use 2 bottles worth in 4 hours?
Also trying to figure out my race nutrition, so I bring lots of stuff…so far, I think the bloks are where its at. I can’t eat anything solid on the run, so I try to get something solid in on the bike.
No problems so far with hammer and gatorade. Gatorade is a must though, have to train with what’s going to be out on the course, IMAZ uses gatorade endurance I believe.
Plan right now is one bottle on the bike, 600+ calories with perpetuem and hammer gel, 2 packets of clif bloks in the bento box, and a full salt stick. Special needs will be another 600+ bottle, sandwich, and more bloks. Only grab it if I need it. Oh, and seat bag with tube, and CO2.
You guys must gain weight on a 4 hour ride. I take 2 bottles, one water, one GU2O, and two gus. I will refill one bottle. During the hot summer months I will drink 1 bottle per hour.
I never use the gatorade on the course, I think the sugar when mixed w/ the perpetuem will play havic w/ you. Maybe not when you are on the bike but when you get to the run your stomach will feel it trust me. Either go gatorade and powergels or go hammer and hammer gels but don’t mix.
20 oz water
20 oz water + 5 scoops infinit (700 cal)
5 scoops infinit in plastic baggie
4 gels (440 cal)
Purchase at least 4 x 20oz water bottles while riding
Food: Make an infinit concentrate… thats it. no caps,bento box, jelly beans
etc. H20: You can put an aero bottle on front and get rid of frame bottles.
Xlab: If you are happy with that, add the screw in adapter for co2, then
bunch your tire levers with your tubes (i sinned and used electical tape and wifes
pony tail things to keep it locked down) and stick that behind your saddle or
between bottles. That should clean up your bike and make your life easier
(fuel in back, h2o front).
I don’t miss those long rides that much. For my 2hr rides for only Oly and sprint races this year, it is 2 bottles of fluid, maybe 3 if it’s hot, a cell phone, credit card and that’s it.
My bike is pretty stripped down for a long ride. A Profile aero drink system between the bars, one bottle on the frame, a spare tube (I train on clinchers), tire levers, 2 CO2’s and that’s it.
Obviously I have to carry some cash since I am stopping on the bike to refuel at least once.
My bike is pretty stripped down for a long ride. A Profile aero drink system between the bars, one bottle on the frame, a spare tube (I train on clinchers), tire levers, 2 CO2’s and that’s it.
I carry similar to this, with the addition of:
multitool for adjustments
patch kit
cell phone/ID/Credit Card
additional frame bottle (if the ride is long/hot and I know I won’t be able to refill)
Camelbak on super long, super hot, super isolated rides
2 large bottles of water
3-4 cereal bars
tyre levers
puncture kit
spare tube
mini pump
credit card
phone
multitool
I’m fond of my own teeth so rarely use energy drinks outside races, and figure I don’t need to take on more than 500 calories over that length of ride anyway.
