Accessories for Staying Fueled on Long Rides

Today was an adventure for me - my first ever century ride!  What can I take from it? Three things:

1. Move up and down from the saddle throughout prolonged rides to allow full recovery of sensation
2. Stay hydrated prior to and during - 2 Litres of water on a comfortable day is plenty for a 100km cycle.
3. Ensure adequate nutrition prior to and DURING the ride

As I have already talked about in a previous post (see here) the benefits of ingestion carbohydrates during exercise to save muscle glycogen stores, I won't be reiterating that.  Instead, I will be demonstrating my fueling and nutrition supplies located on my bike.  Below is a picture of my bike with all the accessories:

Nutrition Box

Directly behind my stem is a brand new nutrition bag from Pure Iron Athletics.  This handy bag can hold up to 4 packs of Honey Stinger gum drops or 8 Clif Power Gels while nestled right behind your stem to reduce impedance on aerodynamics.  The greatest feature (besides the price) is that the sides are not rigid allowing it to hold nearly any shaped container.  Although not insulated, it will do the trick to hold your food, keys and wallet for a long ride.  Check it out at Triathlon Center.com.  

Speedfil Hydration System

This handy hydration system allows for convenient ingestion of water without having to get out of aero-position.  The straw (plastic pipe to be precise) can be positioned in any which way to the riders liking. Furthermore, the bottle cap features a funnel top which allows for easy refilling of the reservoir on the go!  Although the bottle supplied can only carry 1 Litre at max, the caps threading can fit other bottles which will allow the rider to upgrade at any point.  To be safe I carry a second bottle with me at all times so I can refill the reservoir whenever I get a chance.

Saddle Bag

The saddle bag on my bike is employed to carry my wallet, phone, and spare tools just in case I run into trouble along the way.  I would never want to be out in the middle of nowhere without identification or a means of communication.  It sits nicely under my Selle Italia gel flow saddle and does not compromise my aerodynamics.  A comparable product is can be purchased here!