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Hi Folks,
Off for a Swiss Road trip at the end of the month - Verbier, Lenzerheide, Leukerbad and Crans Montana over the week. Not managed to get fit for this trip due to broken finger, family holiday and then the last 10 days of covid in the household.
I am looking for some recommendations for, trailmix, gels, powders etc to help keep the energy up. It is mostly uplift but 600-1000m of climbing each day.
What would STW recommend?
Thanks
pack some sandwiches
seriously, just pack some sandwiches, muesli bars, babybels, bags of nuts, whatever you fancy, there will be shops where you're going and you can eat it during the uplift
Take a tip from your own username
Just take what you would for those kind of days at home? Gels, bars, sweets, snacks etc.
Not being dismissive, but 600-1,000m ascent is a small-to-medium day. Though it depends how much pedaling along you;re doing I suppose.
there will be shops where you’re going
They're going to Switzerland, probably best to take what they can with them unless they're minted.
Take what you eat/drink/take for a half day and 300-500m in the UK and double it.
and you can eat it during the uplift
Didn't read the OP, huh?
Op, what's a normal riding day in the UK for you? How many miles is your 600-1000m of climbing over?
That to me sounds like a two bagel day, fully stacked.
Cheese, mayo, saucisson, humus. That kind of stuff. Tuna, mackerel if you prefer.
When I've done trips like that I just want to eat good tasty food to power me up, not gels and the like. Sure keep a couple of gels for end of the day emergency.
Snacks would be jelly babies and nuts, almonds peanut cashew. Muesli bar if you must
I'd probably buy a coke during the day, but in Switzerland it's gonna cost
mashr
Full Member
and you can eat it during the upliftDidn’t read the OP, huh?
i did, mostly
I normally do 2-3 hour weekend and evening warrior days with 600-1000m ascent and then descent over a couple in across Scotland. I usually only need 1-1.5 litre of water in a camelbak. However, this trip is bigger days 30km plus with a lot downhill but 60-90 min ascents a couple of times per day together with altitude and hot temps.
Probably take stuff with me as staying in Nendaz for the first three nights and it doesnt have a big supermarket.
Just this year not managed out as much on the bike....
For me it's PB&J sarnies and bananas and just water in the bladder. Probably a fizzy drink at half time.
I never use gels, powders, sports food and all that crap. A bag of midget gems will get you crawling over the finish line if you're that wiped out.
If you've got a modicum of base level fitness you'll be ok. If you have the chance I'd get out and do some rides before you go, even riding up hill on your shopper bike. Or just walking uphill. Or running.
Heat/altitude/fitness - pick two. It's very difficult to cope with all 3 at once.
Take good sunscreen and use plenty, uv at altitude can be utterly withering and make you feel very poorly.
Yeah I didn't consider the sun. A nice breezy, long sleeve jersey will help prevent the sun from frying you. I used to have an all white Endura top which only came out in the Alps and it was perfect for sunny days.
It'll make a bigger difference than having the right energy bar or whatever.
If your in Verbier I can recommend the ride to the Col de Mille and would warn you against the ride to the Cabine Brunel. The first is a brilliant ride from the top of the lift network if you dont mind the inevitable push / hike a bike at the top. The later is a long fire road climb and the descent isn’t worth the effort IMHO.
As for food electrolytes in your drink and whatever you eat buy it in France on your way, we used home made flapjack and energy gels.
JoB
i did, mostly
Probably best to ignore me, turns out I missed a key word anyway!
I was in the Alps for some road riding (Glandon, Galibier, Alpe D'Huez) and were doing 3000 meters of climbing a day. I used bananas, dates, roasted/salted cashews, haribo and stopped at cafes for pizza/snadwiches. That worked for me.
OP for the days that you’re describing you don’t need to eat that much, as they’re not actually that hard.
I take a few cakes, haribo (obviously) and a sandwich if I’m not buying lunch. Have a good breakfast, and a decent dinner.
Bananas and sandwiches work for us. You need to be working very hard for over an hour for sugary stuff to be beneficial, less than that and you're likely to provoke insulin spikes and upset your blood sugar levels.