Complete Cycling Nutrition Guide, What to Eat Before, During, and After a Ride 

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I'm exclusively on Hyper-gain-beast-mode-hats-backwards-ONLY-pre-workout-keto. I can't feel my face and don't need to. 🤙🏻

I have no clue how I have not found your channel before today! Went through and binged a bunch of your videos and they are some of the best, most informative cycling vids on this site. Keep up the good work!

Finally some science to justify my 3 pots of coffee per day.

Before: loads of sweet potatoes with ketchup. During: loads of sweet potatoes with ketchup. After: loads of sweet potatoes with ketchup 😂😂

Great video, and I have to admit that I am a fully recovered “former” keto rider. Yes, I could ride all day, but when I rode in the Alps I was dog s&#t. After admitting I was wrong and going back on a carb heavy diet, I was back to my usual form. No one to blame except myself. BTW, I would like to see a video on proper hydration. As a former medical director at an IronMan event, our biggest medical issue was over hydration and hyponatremia. We sent over thirty by ambulance to the local hospitals, in addition to the 100+ that we treated on site. Most common in women.

You should make a video about XC technique. Drops, steep climbs, getting over root and rocks, riding in mud, riding through deep tire tracks, through narrow paths, through water, over logs etc.

Thank you men for taking your time to make all these unique videos for those who wanna get to the top but don’t have any coach or peoples to help them, again thank you!

I've watched many videos on nutrition for endurance athletes. I totally agree with your views on carbs. Carbs=energy. I do however see a lack of coverage of proper hydration in these videos. Without the proper hydration the carbs can't do their job properly. I call hydration the first layer of nutrition. Hydration first then carbs and then proteins and fats. After 35 years of racing off road motorcycles and MTB this system has never failed me.

This did a great job covering the needs for carbs before/during/after, but I'm confused as to the needs for protein for high intensity and/or endurance athletes

Thanks for all the free content. This is actually a topic that is relatively hard to find information on, I've been reading books related to the topic trying to pick and choose what works for a long time.

I'm new to biking, I'm a good athlete, 30lbs over weight, I'm 75, I want to learn a lot, train hard and see if I can enjoy the sport. I'm a week into it, I'm up to two hours hard riding, on a forest asphalt trail. I'll just stay on the one trail, no competition, just seeing what I can get to. I love your videos.

Probably the most densely packed information on youtube 👌👌👌

who is also watching this a day before the race?

You are the king of “B” roll.

Fantastic video! This complete cycling nutrition guide provides valuable insights into what to eat before, during, and after a ride. Proper fueling is crucial for optimal performance and recovery. I appreciate the breakdown of macronutrients, hydration tips, and the emphasis on timing. The Pacing Sticker has been an invaluable tool for me in planning and optimizing my nutrition strategy. Thank you for sharing this valuable information!

Just like diamond the whole "recovery nutrition" is an invented industry. When this truth is heard from an athlete like you , it goes a long way!

One Suggestion for an interesting topic: FATIGUE - CNS, PNS and muscle fatigue. What is teh ratio between these three in chronic and in acute fatigue. Key studies and concepts so far. I suspect there is no solid data yet for definite conclusions.

Fair warning for others. Beet root juice works for a lot of people, but not all. For whatever reason it causes my HR to spike, and stay high at lower power levels during the heat. Took me half a season to figure out it didn't work for me. Love the channel though! Heavy on science and detail, low on fluff!

Ive been following your channel. You did changed my mind in what a coach should know. I tried a coach and only sent me recycled charts... keep the good work.

Interestingly Dr. Tim Noakes, who wrote the Lore of running, and got everyone onto carbs for running back in the 1980's is now recommending a low carb diet for exercise.

I do often 3+ hours of rock climbing and bicycle riding. The day after every training session, I always have gut problems. Next day, I get up with bad guts, my skin gets drier hair skin gets itchy etc. Recently, even though I increased the frequency of trainings, I realized that I don't have too much gut problems. The reason for that seems like the nutrition. Before I always had a protein biased (mostly meat product) diet and now (because my gf loves pasta and bread) higher tendency to carbohydrate consumption. I realized this change for a few weeks ago and now "train your guts by consuming stuff with more carbohydrates" makes sense. Maybe that can be useful if anyone else out there who suffers from something similar. Cheers

I like fig newtons during a ride. Just watch the crumbs if you’re breathing heavily.

Thanks for another great vid. I am pretty sure I was one of the first 500 subscribers and I still recall wondering why more weren’t following. And now they are! Keep up the great stuff

Over a racing period of 25 years, I have tried a bunch of different diets,supplements (😜), vitamins, + & -protein,triglycerides, sodium bicarb.etc..etc. My advice; eat REAL food, good food !! No supplements,vitamins, funky diets of the moment, ok...maybe some chocolat milk for recup.👍 Last but not least; take Dylan Johnson's advice !! 😉

Beet juice prior, orange juice after. Got it!!! Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica...also fasted for low intensity yaaaawn, boring shit, loaded for Strava PR hero days. GOT IT!!! Excellent video dude, keep rocking

Always appreciate the data Dylan! Keep teaching please.

Great video. I've listened to it multiple times now. This weekend, I'll be racing on all of my own DIY nutrition products: electrolyte drinks, gels and rice cakes. Happy stomach = good result. Cheers and Thank you!

So it is carbs before, carbs during and carbs after. I am sure this raises a bunch of eye brows. However, we know that protein is logically needed to repair/build muscle damage SPECIFICALLY after INTENSE exercise. I suspect that from a RECOVERY-ONLY prospective, carbs is all that is needed, but for POWER TRAINING, some protein is needed. Based on what I am learning from Dylan, after Z2/Z3 recovery/endurance rides, I'll stick to carbs after, while after Z4/Z5 workouts I will add protein.

@dylan thx a lot for the great content you're producing!

This confirms it! My GI intolerance for even a little maltodextrin will hold me back forever.

Crushing it, keep up the good work. 👍

dates,the fruit, figs and raisin work good for me during the ride. its hard to tell guys their ham and cheese sandwich or beef jerky wont get digested before they hit the couch.

Great vid again Dylan

pre ride : Pasta & veggies during ride : pasta & coffee after ride : pasta & steak Thanx Dylan 😅

10/10 video! Keep up the great work. I look forward to your training advice!

It's July 2024 and many (Lance, Hincapie, Matt, Dowsett, and JB) never mention any normal foods, and to just guzzle as much ketone iq esters as you can afford. So long story short, I'm broke, still making monthly credit card installments to Matt@ the feed, and still haven't podiumed yet.

Very useful video. Thank you so much for so important information!

I do disagree with u sayin protien supplements and using them straight after a ride has no effect. It 100% has a positive effect on the muscles that have been tore open; to get released in a much more efficient method of nigtting muscles back together, LIQUID IS EASIR TO BE ABSORD BY THE BODY, HEALTHY RIDING STAY SAFE GREAT VIDS JUST STARTED FOLLOWING!!

So a better recovery tactic would be to visit the produce section instead a $60 tub of powder. That sounds like double recovery................. Muscle recovery & Wallet recovery:)

This is a really good video. Thanks Dylan.

This video was very helpful for me!! Thank you very much for summarizing all the research and sharing. Super funny too 🤣🤣

"You should eat enough to be satisfied but not enough to be full." Am I the only one who does not feel satisfied until he is full? :D

I put 2 beets in my cold press juicer every morning and have it before breakfast. Whether it improves my performance or not - it's healthy, yummy and gives you some easy calories!

Helping algorithm, good video as always

An information dense video. Excellent information backed by science. Thanks

Awesome, thanks for this great info Dylan!

awesome how you have the most super up to date latest thinking/research on all this, esp the notion of "natural" food based antioxidants vs supplement for antioxidants. i JUST heard this whole notion of antioxidants (as pill/supplement) can be detrimental to natural recovery adaptations. Which made me kind of freak out like, are all the blueberries and tart cherries i eat somehow like "bad" for overall performance/recovery??? (as strange as that sounds). It was confusing. But you put it to bed - its all good - and beneficial - in whole food form. Thank you!

Great stuff man🤙🏻

6:52 clearly suggests a ratio of 2:1 up to 1:1 as a Malto:Fructose ratio, not only 2:1

No mention of electrolytes, which are key for me. Maybe because I live in the desert.

Awesome video. Listening to your voice on Broomwagon and totally stoked. I started ultra endurance cycling last year (already finished Silk Road- and Atlas Mountain Race) and I´m aiming to ride longer and more efficient. I tried intermittant fasting but found, that it is really difficult to combine it with my daily training. Any suggestions on this? Have you tried it? Research almost only shows positive effects. However, regarding the training load I´m not sure if this also applies for ultra endurance athletes. Keep going the good work mate. Awesome content! cyclingrapha

Your videos about nutrition have been very insightful and I have appreciated them. I have a suggestion/question that I think you should research and do a video on. The question is how much protein do we really need? Based on some studies and information that is out there, I should be eating nothing but protein to satisfy the number of grams some say I should eat especially as I age. I tend to think we should eat mostly whole grains, vegetables, and fruit and the macro and micro nutrients take care of themselves. But, I'd be interested to hear what research has to say specifically related to performance. Thanks!

Hey Dylan, thanks for the great videos. I would have never imagined, that one day I would start drinking tomato juice. Yet here I am ... it even starts to taste good after the first three weeks :P

Another thing alot of people probably live with without realizing is a gluten intolerance. After cutting gluten from my diet a year ago I recognized tons of improvement in less than a week

Great info. thanks for posting the vid.

Great channel! I am 38yrs old (male) 5'9" and weight apx 65kg. I often like to challenge myself to 100 mile rides. Typically this takes about 6.5hrs and I loose around 3500cal. I typically (on off days) dont eat a lot of carbs (because I dont want to get fat, lol) but I am trying to research a nice way to balance things out when on the bike. So, perhaps a nice pasta meal the night before the ride.. then, I typically dont eat a "meal" the morning of the ride.. maybe a protein shake (which maybe useless, but is habit from non ride days) so ill eat a cliff bar just before getting on the bike then for the next 6 hours its mainly gels every 30 - 40min and more cliff bars every few hours. When I am done it sounds like another high carb dinner would be good too?

What’s your view on micro nutrient periodisation? eg. Eat a lot of protein on your recovery & low intensity day and load up with carb on your high intensity training day. And doing this within a single training week?

Dylan: I’m pleased you confirmed whole foods are superior to supplements. Surprised and happy that my coffee intake is also beneficial. This is now the third vid I’ve watched of yours since discovering your channel. So much useful information is packed into your vids. Really appreciate them. Thank you!

thank you

Great video 👍

It seems like carbs are the way to go before, during, of after riding. The study you mentioned about comparing protein /carbs after endurance or resistance training only mentioned about immediate/next day effects on performance. I'd be interested to know if protein has merit for improved strength gains/medium long term performance gains after resistance training as you've mentioned how good strength training is, I'd also be interested in your thoughts between plant vs non-plant proteins and whether it makes a noticeable difference on performance. Great vids though, finding them very informative! Thanks for all the hard work :).

I just make the bites an seal them up! Organic Reese’s are good that sugar is going to turn to glucose an you’ll burn it off!

Arugala smoothy is like epo for me..higher nitrite content than beets and not messy

great content !!!!! thx

Great advice!! Thanks Dylan!!

Hi Dylan, question on the fructose to maltodextrin ratio. You mentioned a 1:2 ratio of maltodextrin to fructose, but before I think about getting any supplements, can you please provide an example? I.e., would it be, say 8 oz of orange juice and a scoop of maltodextrin powder supplement? Thank you.

great video, thanks

Thanks a lot man, great content on your channel! I didn't quite get the type of carbs we should eat after the race, (I guess whole grains and fruit) and my question is if this could be applied also after an intensive training session such as intervals. Also while riding a race, would it be ok to take sweets such as gels or chocolate? Thanks a lot and keep up with the great work.

I could swear one of your videos talked about the importance of re-fueling after a workout, with carbs, within 1/2 hour… that 30 minute window allowed you to absorb carbs, sugars, etc, without triggering the insulin response. Am I not remembering that right & where’s that video?

What about when touring or going long distances? I find my fitness graph begining to taper after around 4 hrs of cycling. I ride mostly around hilly areas and I'd loves suggestions revolving around natural food rather than supplements:)

6-8 mmol of NO3... is equivanet to how many cups of beet juice?

Thanks for the great videos Dylan. Didn't know about the potential negative effects of vitamin supplements. Regarding vitamin supplements, do you take any multivitamins or just get your vitamins and anti-oxidants from whole foods?

great stuff… keep it up….

I am SO happy I can eat carbs WITHOUT guilt!

when to eat proteins then? (if we want muscle grow and advertised 1.2-1.8g per kg of your body) ?

Just a quick comment -- fat is better fuel source for endurance, but carbs need to be there for the moments of breaking out, climbing, or sprinting to the finish

Big fan of your videos... Any advice on hydration and electrolytes for long rides / long endurance events?

could you talk about weight loss now that many of us are not in race season? thanks advise, its been helping me out a lot

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🚴 *Nutrição pré-ride:* Consumo de *carboidratos antes do evento é crucial para repor os estoques de glicogênio.* Recomenda-se 1 *a 4 gramas de carboidratos por quilograma de peso corporal nas 1 a 4 horas antes do evento.* Refeições ricas *em carboidratos, baixas em fibras e gorduras são ideais para fácil digestão.* 01:07 🍠 *Carregamento de carboidratos:* O carregamento *de carboidratos pode melhorar o desempenho em eventos de longa duração.* Recomenda-se 10 *a 12 gramas de carboidratos por quilograma de peso corporal por dia antes do evento.* Combinação de *diferentes fontes de carboidratos, como glicose e frutose, pode aumentar a taxa de absorção.* 03:40 ☕ *Benefícios da bebida de beterraba:* Consumir suco *de beterraba antes do esforço físico pode melhorar o desempenho.* Recomenda-se iniciar *a ingestão dentro de 90 minutos antes do esforço.* O efeito *da bebida de beterraba pode ser atenuado quando tomada com cafeína.* 06:01 🍴 *Nutrição durante o exercício:* A ingestão *ideal de carboidratos durante o exercício é de cerca de 60 gramas por hora.* Combinar diferentes *fontes de carboidratos pode aumentar a taxa de absorção.* Praticar a *estratégia nutricional durante o treino é essencial para ajustar às necessidades individuais.* 08:07 🏁 *Nutrição pós-ride:* Consumir carboidratos *imediatamente após o exercício é crucial para a ressíntese de glicogênio.* A refeição *pós-ride deve consistir principalmente em carboidratos.* Antioxidantes provenientes *de alimentos integrais podem ajudar na recuperação sem comprometer as adaptações do corpo.* Made with HARPA AI

I have one question: will training on caffeine addict me to this substance, I mean will caffeine boost my training capacity, and stimulating deeper adaptations, or will it only increase my power under this substance and is needed to be taken every training to see benefits?

Would these recommendations change if you were cycling for weight loss? It would be awesome if you could do a video on how a 6’4, 260 pound guy like me should approach cycling nutrition when I am using cycling for weight loss. Thanks

Hi Dylan, thank you for the great content. I love the scientific research approach on the information you provide. Quick question, not sure if it has already been asked. What is the appropriate time to consume caffeine prior to a hard effort workout on the bike?

Thanks for a great video! As a type 1 diabetic, I intend to make a homemade energy drink to maintain stable blood sugar levels for endurance aerobic excersise (my case roadcycling). What more natural ingridients would you recommend for a fructose + glucose + electrolyte mix? Non gmo, organic etc..

Why not take No2 instead of beet root juice?

You think a diet like this is ideal for a bmx rider?

I'm a moderate rider and am 69 years old. My question has to do with cramping. I rarely had this problem until 80 to 100 mile rides, then it became quite severe. Recommendations?

I recognize Dr Gregers green leafy chart. Love to see you you always default to science and not bro talk. Carb up and peddle. Eat animals if you like the view from back in the pack

Good stuff as usual Dylan! Hey, I see my Maple Syrup gel is "sucrose." Which side of the Fructose:Maltodextrin equation is this?

QUESTION, 3mg coffein pr Kg bodyweight, 70 kg = 210 mg Coffein, should i get 210 mg coffein per ride or per hour???

Were the participants in the study on the effects of caffeine regular caffeine users? I normally don’t drink coffee or caffeinated drinks of any kind. Just wondering if one is “caffeine naive” do you need less to get a boost on big rides?

@Dylan Johnson Is there a benefit to spacing out carbs during a race ? Instant 60/90g every hour vs 20g every 20min ? Great video

Considering South Asia regional climate, early morning is good for exercise ( cycling) . In that case when we should take 60 gm carbohydrates before jump into the cycle .? Please kindly let me a favour.

Curious if you know of an option for someone that is on a ketogenic diet. For myself it’s a life sentence that I chose over being sick and just recently committed to MTB’ing. My son and I are just at about 200 miles of trails (I’m 40 he’s 13) but we both feel like we could have doubled that with the proper diet before, during, and after the ride.

Hi, what do you think about patented high molecular carbohydrate VITARGO? How would you dose it? They produce the product with electrolyte which should be perfect for endurance sports in medium to hight intesity training.

Great content! One question:is there any drawback to ride on hands out of the saddle 60-70% of ride. I got used to it so much that i find easier to do all intervals like that(can push more power 5-10%)

Awesome video! Dylan - How about sugar and sodium for intake during the ride? I keep seeing a ton of videos online that sugar is bad and should be eliminated but this is hard to do as an endurance athlete in my opinion. How about sodium? Thanks!

I find that the methods used by old school cyclists work best. Look into Tour de France nutrition back in the 1920’s. That’s why nowadays, I take about 100 milligrams of cocaine per hour.

Hey Dylan. You talk about different transport pathways for glucose/maltodextrin and fructose enabling more absorption. Do you know if that is the case for glucose and sucrose? Thanks.

Thx for the sick vid! Any info on how much electrolytes to eat during exercise? And anything on GI distress? Whats your advice? Thanks!