Road Cycling

I'd suspect almost every cyclist (other than seemingly you) would require more calories than that to ride at a good pace for 100 miles. If anyone is doing it wrong, it's probably therefore you :p
You see, I know how many calories I burned and how many I took in throughout the day, mainly before. It was essentially on parity with any other day with no activity, or certainly not 100 miles. That's how the body works. It doesn't need more than it burns.
 
I guess it's subjective
I'm not sure it is. Burning 5,000 calories in an activity and only drinking water is madness.
I know how many calories I burned and how many I took in throughout the day, mainly before.
It had to be before if you aren't fuelling during. You had 5,000 cals for breakfast?!

Seriously, find me anyone that knows about nutrition that thinks 6 hours of exercise with no fuelling is fine...
 
I'm not sure it is. Burning 5,000 calories in an activity and only drinking water is madness.

It had to be before if you aren't fuelling during. You had 5,000 cals for breakfast?!

Seriously, find me anyone that knows about nutrition that thinks 6 hours of exercise with no fuelling is fine...
No, I burned 5000 calories all day, only 3k of which were during the ride. You don't need to fuel your upcoming 3k calorie ride with 3k calories before the event. Lol.
 
A bunch of those ring a bell as I've ridden the Little Lumpy Sportive some years back.

I'm basically debating whether I suck it up and ride this: https://www.strava.com/routes/2966754457390353020

Or... I head up into the South Downs slightly and ride that until around Worthing. I know the seafront cycle from Brighton to Eastbourne well enough to cope with it. I guess I wouldn't mind if I added another 30 miles or so max for a much nicer route.

Heading through Southampton city centre to Lowford via Itchen bridge isn't pleasant a lot of the time, you will get a lot of motor traffic passing you. Bridge Rd is part of the A27 which can be horribly busy, I've only ridden that section of your route to literally over the bridge and turned left into Swanwick Lane, which can be a fairly pleasant route outside rush hours to head towards Botley or Curdridge.
https://www.strava.com/routes/2966768861350255228 is a slight variation from my commute home, following my route from Cemetry Rd to over Cobden Bridge, far far quieter at 1300-1500.

Heading in a more direct east route means riding through Hedge End and Botley for me from Bitterne SO18, but I avoid that way unless it's well away from rush hours.

It's far more pleasant to head out via Fair Oak, Horton Heath or Durley. Less traffic, more rural feel.

This section from my ride last Friday is a nice ride to the Old Winchester Hill plateau https://www.strava.com/activities/7212786595/analysis/571/4198 , but you could avoid the hill by heading through West Meon and East Meon from Warnford (which I did part of the reverse later in that ride).

Bat 'n' Ball pub near Clanfield did have an outsde tap you can top up water with before Covid, not tried to use it in last two years.

Your route idea is a long day in the saddle, without meandering into more rural, less traffic lanes!
 
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No, but my porridge was only 250 cals, a couple of gels is another 160... I need more than that to ride for 6 hours...

Please...
Well, that's you. I don't. That's what makes the human body unique. I do long distance Ironman for fun, if you can call it that, and over 10 to 12 hours drink, and probably have a banana on the ride and some jelly tots on the run towards the end. Usually burn 13k to 15k calories on those days. The rest is drink, water, lucozade etc. Gels don't agree with me, I can feel the sugar hit and drop. Something like tailwind in the bottles is significantly better performance wise and suits my digestion better.

Plus, afterwards, I had the obligatory Pizza Express and ended up having two McDonald's because we got back to the hotel and the one for the kid, who had already long been asleep, was cheeseburger instead of chicken nuggets :D
 
Yes, but we're not talking about what you can do. You were basically saying 'why on earth are people complaining there wasn't food at the stops". I'm saying it's a perfectly valid moan as the usual thing to do is fuel regular and often on a long ride. You're saying 'Well I didn't need it'... **EDIT** Actually, you kind of started off saying it wasn't necessary and have then drawn back to how you don't need to.
 
Well, that's you. I don't. That's what makes the human body unique. I do long distance Ironman for fun, if you can call it that, and over 10 to 12 hours drink, and probably have a banana on the ride and some jelly tots on the run towards the end. Usually burn 13k to 15k calories on those days. The rest is drink, water, lucozade etc. Gels don't agree with me, I can feel the sugar hit and drop. Something like tailwind in the bottles is significantly better performance wise and suits my digestion better.

Plus, afterwards, I had the obligatory Pizza Express and ended up having two McDonald's because we got back to the hotel and the one for the kid, who had already long been asleep, was cheeseburger instead of chicken nuggets :D

I suspect that if you're doing that with so little fuelling you're very well adapted to fat burning during exercise rather than a lot of people who are not and hence need to fuel from carbs?
 
Gotta ride from the New Forest to Eastbourne on the weekend. Anyone have route suggestions? Currently just planning on Hythe Ferry to Southampton and then ride along coast which is probably kinda lame. On a road bike so no SDW!

Last time I rode from New Forest to Southampton the stretch from Lyndhurst into Southampton absolutely sucked. Dual carriageways or rough shared use paths.

@UTmaniac and @SoliD you both probably know the area better than I?
Don't really head that way often as it does indeed suck, but yes the bit through Southampton is awful. Last time I came back via Romsey, and then east from there and dropped back down to fareham, if I am able to I'll try to dig out my route. Although was on the Gravel bike.
 
Heading through Southampton city centre to Lowford via Itchen bridge isn't pleasant a lot of the time, you will get a lot of motor traffic passing you. Bridge Rd is part of the A27 which can be horribly busy, I've only ridden that section of your route to literally over the bridge and turned left into Swanwick Lane, which can be a fairly pleasant route outside rush hours to head towards Botley or Curdridge.
https://www.strava.com/routes/2966768861350255228 is a slight variation from my commute home, following my route from Cemetry Rd to over Cobden Bridge, far far quieter at 1300-1500.

Heading in a more direct east route means riding through Hedge End and Botley for me from Bitterne SO18, but I avoid that way unless it's well away from rush hours.

It's far more pleasant to head out via Fair Oak, Horton Heath or Durley. Less traffic, more rural feel.

This section from my ride last Friday is a nice ride to the Old Winchester Hill plateau https://www.strava.com/activities/7212786595/analysis/571/4198 , but you could avoid the hill by heading through West Meon and East Meon from Warnford (which I did part of the reverse later in that ride).

Bat 'n' Ball pub near Clanfield did have an outsde tap you can top up water with before Covid, not tried to use it in last two years.

Your route idea is a long day in the saddle, without meandering into more rural, less traffic lanes!
That route right now is literally Strava A -> B suggested with paved surface preference :)
Problem for longer routes in less rural areas is it picks up commuter routes and wires them in based on popularity.
Thanks for the details though. I'm kinda leaning towards trying to divert round Southampton entirely.

Don't really head that way often as it does indeed suck, but yes the bit through Southampton is awful. Last time I came back via Romsey, and then east from there and dropped back down to fareham, if I am able to I'll try to dig out my route. Although was on the Gravel bike.
Fair enough. I'll be coming down from London to the New Forest to start with using a route I did last year. May well make sense for me to head back on that before diverting. I really don't fancy the Southampton section and I figure Portsmouth->Worthing is not that interesting either.
 
Yes, but we're not talking about what you can do. You were basically saying 'why on earth are people complaining there wasn't food at the stops". I'm saying it's a perfectly valid moan as the usual thing to do is fuel regular and often on a long ride. You're saying 'Well I didn't need it'... **EDIT** Actually, you kind of started off saying it wasn't necessary and have then drawn back to how you don't need to.
Actually, I never said that. I said it was a poorly organised ride, with aid and fuel stations running out of food which annoyed a lot of people, understandably.... I'm not sure where you interpreted that as me criticising people for complaining there wasn't any food.
 
@Lethal` Portsmouth to Chichester isn't too bad if you head on the road north of the a27 but if you go old a27 it's horrible! Too many traffic lights and stop start.
 
Wasn't bothered about the stops so just kept going. Only need hydration for that distance, but have seen loads of people annoyed at lack of food etc.
Okay, I apologise if I misread the tone in this. You're actually saying that although you didn't need it you understand that the lack of food was poor organisation too. My bad. Maybe next time include the 'understandably' in the first post as I read it as 'you only need water, so why were people moaning' :) (I still stand by the further discussion that ensued :p )
 
Gotta ride from the New Forest to Eastbourne on the weekend. Anyone have route suggestions? Currently just planning on Hythe Ferry to Southampton and then ride along coast which is probably kinda lame. On a road bike so no SDW!

Last time I rode from New Forest to Southampton the stretch from Lyndhurst into Southampton absolutely sucked. Dual carriageways or rough shared use paths.

@UTmaniac and @SoliD you both probably know the area better than I?

I ran the route through Koomoot, dont know if the route is any better but you can have a look. https://www.komoot.com/invite-tour/790145488?code=i9j7o6-RZqenR1765YyKxqNxKlr3KfiCGwTR8TaK-GtD-pUvfs
 
I ended up doing a little more faffing about with a route last night. I've used the start of your ride last week @UTmaniac

https://www.strava.com/routes/2966841065768645866

If there's any particularly interesting climbs/roads I skirt by I'd be interested to know and incorporate them.

Seems not too bad to me. I don't think I can really avoid the Itchen Bridge part etc without backtracking from the ferry dock. Can't say I looked in super detail at the rest but I flicked it about to avoid some of the major roads.

Checked the forecast and I see the wind flips to headwind... I'm always so lucky.
 
I ended up doing a little more faffing about with a route last night. I've used the start of your ride last week @UTmaniac

https://www.strava.com/routes/2966841065768645866

If there's any particularly interesting climbs/roads I skirt by I'd be interested to know and incorporate them.

Seems not too bad to me. I don't think I can really avoid the Itchen Bridge part etc without backtracking from the ferry dock. Can't say I looked in super detail at the rest but I flicked it about to avoid some of the major roads.

Checked the forecast and I see the wind flips to headwind... I'm always so lucky.

Most of that route from near my place to Deanlane End will be a nice ride, but I'll point out a few bits for you to be aware of...
Where you turn right onto West End Rd, it can be a horribly hostile road around rush hours, approaching the t-junction with A27 is littered in potholes.
The second section of West End Rd after crossing A27, the mini roundabout at bottom of hill has a reputation when you want to go right www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hampshire-46177974 . You need to be absolutely sure that cars to your left slow and know you are joining roundabout! How I started that linked ride, up Cheriton and down Telegraph nicely by-passes about two concerns and it's how I head out that way 99% of the time.
Vernon Hill is a bit gravelly, fine if you don't let mavity kick in fully.
Limekiln Lane is a bit gavelly, but like Vernon, I'll happily ride them on my road bike to avoid going near Bishop's Waltham roundabout and enjoy a more rural feel. I don't get many punctures, but got one on Limekiln four years back very early into my only ton ride to date.

Climbs your route is near...
Short/sharp bits up Beeches Hill https://www.strava.com/segments/19161591
Nothing wrong with Watton climb, an alternative that's a bit sharper is https://www.strava.com/segments/22822865 (there's bonkers times from prologues up New Rd to Old Winchester summit)
Another alternative way to Old Winchester plateau from Brockbridge https://www.strava.com/segments/11937896
White Way, toughest way up Beacon Hill https://www.strava.com/segments/25030758
 
Okay, I apologise if I misread the tone in this. You're actually saying that although you didn't need it you understand that the lack of food was poor organisation too. My bad. Maybe next time include the 'understandably' in the first post as I read it as 'you only need water, so why were people moaning' :) (I still stand by the further discussion that ensued :p )
Hey, no worries. I could have worded it better in hindsight.
 
I think it’s important to consider what measurement we are comparing here, if it’s kilojoules or kilocalories.

My ride last weekend, with HR and power, so I’d like to think the Strava estimate is close, 2400KJ or approx 580kcal. A couple of small bananas and a piece of chocolate brownie was fine with some SIS go and another bottle water.

With the longer rides you do need to get some fat adaption but can get round it by banging loads of sugar/carbs in although it won’t feel great.
 
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