Food on the bike

[Deleted User]

Hope this isn't too daft a question, but for the long distance bike rides and carrying food, how do you lot do it ?  I guess a wicker basket on the front carrying the picnic mat, flask of tea and salmon and cucumber sandwiches isn't the best and a small saddle bag (which I use for tools and spare inner tube) isn't easy to get at on the move. 

I am just about to start doing 3 hour stints and thought it would be good to work this out now

Tiago Hefner 2

A top-tube bag (bento-box, I think) does the job, mittybob, but for a 3 hour job you'd be okay just putting a bar or two in your cycle jersey pockets.

Flat Footed

I tape the energy bars and bananas to my top tube,

Jaffa_

You can fit a reasonable amount in the back pockets of your cycle jersey / tri top.   Also have a look for a bento box which fits to your top tube and will hold a few bars /gels in there.

 http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/Product/18556/ironman-top-tube-box.asp

 You'll see some guys taping gels to their bike as well,  but it doesn't work as well with sandwiches

 Edit to say couple of x posts there!

fat buddha

you can also cut the top off an old water bottle and stick some gels/energy bars in there and stick that in the bottle cage - cut it down so the gels can be reached easily but not too low that they bounce out. downside is that you lose a cage for drinks but you can add 2 more using a saddle bottle carrier.

Nick L

+1 for FB.

Annoyingly I cant remove the bolts on one cage thingy, so cant add a 2nd cage to my bike. 

I just normally stop at a shop and buy a bun or whatever...or carry a few bits in jersey pockets.

Dustboy

You can also stick a top tube box front and rear (on the headtube and the seatpost) which I found easier as 3 bars, 3 gels, a phone, credit card, a tenner, CO2 pump, multitool, tyre levers can swell a single one out a bit and your legs rub on it.

And you have just given me an idea. I THINK my thermos might fit a bottle cage. Maybe tea halfway after all!

Flat Footed

DB why don't you just get a trailer for that lot...would be easier

Nick L

McDonalds drive thru?

Tiago Hefner 2

ooh, good tip FB.

Cake

kittenkat wrote (see)

I have 2 bento boxes on the top tube, it's amazing what you can squash into them.

 You can even get 10 Marlbro lights and a lighter in there.

[Deleted User]

if you can carry marlbro in your back pocket just like cake did last year, you'll find there is more space in the bento box...

popsider

Nick - you can get bottle cage mounts that clamp round the tube of the bike if you can't get the existing bolts out.   I'm assuming that they must screw into some kind of threaded sleeve and the sleeve is turning in the frame ?    I think FBs solution looks good in an old school cycling kind of way - problem is if you need more food you probably need 2 bottles of liquid too.  

 Personally I just use my jersey pockets - certainly for a 3 hour ride you can get as much as you need in - plus minipump, phone, spare tube, money etc.  

Nick L

popsider wrote (see)

Nick - you can get bottle cage mounts that clamp round the tube of the bike if you can't get the existing bolts out.   I'm assuming that they must screw into some kind of threaded sleeve and the sleeve is turning in the frame ?    I think FBs solution looks good in an old school cycling kind of way - problem is if you need more food you probably need 2 bottles of liquid too.  

 Personally I just use my jersey pockets - certainly for a 3 hour ride you can get as much as you need in - plus minipump, phone, spare tube, money etc.  

cool thanks pops...yes....exactly as you describe.

Bike had been sitting in a shed for years before I got it, so theyre corroded. have oiled etc with penetrating (snigger) oil....

will investigate

fat buddha

I've seen a similar issue with an old frame Nick - the sleeve would turn with the bolt. fortunately it had a 2nd cage mount that was OK so I could at least have one bottle on it.

I converted it into a SS for the office commute and sawed the bolt off before respraying. I suspect there must be a way of getting the sleeve out and replacing it but it was no big deal for me.

Nick L

FB - well this is my 'posh' fast road bike (an 18 year old cannondale)...so dont want to start sawing things off really.....mind you a junior hacksaw behind the bolt/collar would probably do the job.

popsider

one of these ?

[Deleted User]

Many years ago when I was a racing cyclist (long before gels and high performance bars etc), on the long training rides (6 hours+) we used to carry reusable squeeze tubes from camping stores and fill them with a mash of bananas, honey and powdered glucose.  I used to carry three of them in my back pockets (my brother used to carry more).  You can get them now with a "sports nozzle" so you don't have to unscrew the cap on the road.  Just make sure to use older,softer bananas and use enough honey and glucose to make it runny enough to squeeze into your mouth; no lumps please.  If you need to add fibre, my coach used to mix in some psyllium husks.  It used to be possible to mash 3-4 decent sized bananas into each tube.  A quick squirt and a drink of water kept me going for another effort.

Make sure to wash the tubes immediately after use too!

Scott

Cake

Steve Ho wrote (see)

if you can carry marlbro in your back pocket just like cake did last year, you'll find there is more space in the bento box...

If you put them in the back pocket they can get wet. I discovered that at trentham.

[Deleted User]

you can use a small thin plastic bag to keep them dry or wrap it cling film...

Cake

 Or don't forget to leave them in your pocket for the swim?

Lee the Pea

Cake, you're a numpty! Hahahahaha

Good tip Scott, I like the idea of that.  Might go in search of squeezy tubes....

[Deleted User]

I really like the chop-topped waterbottle idea for food - nice one! I usually have gels in my pockets, and really like the CNP Flapjack Chocolate Orange flavour which is protein rich and long lasting. I also like Powerbar Cookies and Ceam, but it takes a bit of chewing, and if it's a cold day, it sets solid!

If i'm riding with a tritop on with no pockets, I have an SIS gel belt (got from Tesco I think) which carries my number if needed, up to 8 gels, and has a zip pocket for keys, cash, phone, Capstan full strength, sausage rolls, Scotch Eggs, Brandy miniatures.................

JEvaNs

I bought a little tri bag from wiggle for about £8. You velcro it to your bike frame and it's perfect for jammy dodgers, jelly beans, keys and mobile phone.

I also learnt to sellotape gels to the bike frame, just along the top that you rip off, for easy access and opening. Maybe a little blob of tape and the bottom to stop it wobbling around too.

M...eldy

I bought a little tri bag from wiggle for about £8. You velcro it to your bike frame and it's perfect for jammy dodgers, jelly beans, keys and mobile phone.


Otherwise known as a bento box 

OrangeCannon fat and unfit

i need a bigger bento box....

i can only fit a couple of hot X buns in mine, and I eat something solid every hour. I am packing 3 hot X buns and 2 bananas for tomorrows ride, plus a few gels etc etc etc

energy bars are small, but too exepnsive to use all the time

Jaffa_

OC

get in the kitchen,   home made flapjack is rocketfuel and you can make it to your own taste,  (thought of you guys y'day as I took some choc brioche out with me on the ride)

Doubly Bionic Ironwolf

got a recipe Jaffa?

[Deleted User]

Yes, recipe please Jaffa!

Recipe swap time! (is this what this thread wants? anyway here goes) my Banana bread recipe is:

225g wholemeal flour, 1/4tsp salt, 1tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder, 60g sultanas, 40g brown sugar, 70g golden syrup, 4 medium size very ripe bananas.

Mix well in a big bowl, scrape into lined and greased 1lb loaf tin, bake in oven at 180C for 45 mins ish.

Comes out like a cross between malt loaf and brown bread - yum yum! Slightly sticky, low GI. Really good toasted too!

meface

See Downs Link MTB thread for Rocky Road, Lemon Drizzle, GInger Biscuits bakery discussion. It is not a knitting club, it is a bloody bakery club.