ON-THE-BIKE FUELLING - NUTRITION

Can't stomach the thought of another sickly-sweet gel for your long rides? Here are four, delicious homemade alternatives to make sure you get the most out of every pedal stroke

- KATE PERCY

Let’s face it, long rides aren’t the same without a tasty treat. As your mileage mounts, fuelling intelligently during your endurance sessions can help prevent that dreaded bonk, enabling you to go further, faster and for longer.

It will also help you train more consistently, preventing gradual glycogen depletion, that nasty heaviness and lethargy that can creep up on you unawares, as well as helping to protect your immune system.

One complaint I’ve heard from cyclists and triathletes is that they delay taking on nutrition on the bike because they struggle to look forward to a sickly-sweet gel or energy bar. If that’s you, then you’re going to love this month’s on-the-bike feed recipes. Energy-packed and easy-to-eat, you’ll find a mix of sweet (but not too sweet) and savoury options, loaded with goodness as well as the electrolyte minerals you need to replace those lost through sweat.

First up, PBJ bites. Savoury oats and peanut butter marry with sweet maple syrup and raspberry jam. This is an effective, sustaining, carbohydraterich snack you’ll definitely look forward to.

Next up, sweet and savoury combine again with an Atlas Mountain trail mix. This is a mix with a Moroccan twist thanks to chickpeas, almonds, seeds, dried fruit and spices. A burst of flavour to spice up your ride providing a combination of carbohydrate, protein and minerals.