I was just wondering what is good to fuel myself during an 11-15 mile ride? Its not a huge distance but quite hilly and I find I get very hungry and start to lose energy about half way through.

Would half a sandwich and an apple/banana be any good or would I be better with one of those energy gel things I see people with? Or a few Jaffa cakes or something??

Also is an energy drink recommended along side the 2L of water I take in my camelbak???

I see loads of people eating burgers etc at the end of a ride but I don't want to hinder my progress with cutting fat and building muscle as mountain biking is more a hobby.

I know you're probably not going to change your whole way of eating but I find that I have more energy now that I took carbs out of my diet. I noticed that on bike rides, hiking, etc that I last longer when using fats for fuel versus carbs.

As far as what kinds of carb foods to eat I don't really know since that was my problem eating that way in the first place. No matter if I ate simple or complex carbs I would be hungry again shortly after. And I've never been very good at endurance activities but I'm better now than before when I used to eat more carbs.

~Nicole

Hmmm I don't really want to deviate too much from my diet because I have it quite well suited to my workout regime etc. I am usually okay on a ride but just need something to get me past the hunger problem.

I am more prone to feeling hungry and a bit sick in my stomache rather than out of energy. Thanks for your opinion though, it all helps!

I manage to have plenty of energy if I have a carb-heavy meal about an hour before a ride. My rides usually only last about 1.5-2 hours though, so I can make it until i get home. If you're still struggling with energy, you could try mixing some malto or dextrose into your water bottle. It's basically the same thing as those gel packs, but doesn't taste as sweet or cost as much. Use your camelbak for drinking water and your water bottle for energy!