Refueling tips.

It is important to refuel on a ride every 30 mins-1 hour otherwise your body will run out of energy and you will find it a struggle to carry on cycling. If you feel thirsty or hungry you haven't refueled at the right times, it takes trail and error to know at what intervals you need to refuel. 

I have tried gels although i find them a bit expensive, but i keep one spare in my saddle bag incase I am really struggling as they work quickly to restore energy. 

 I use around 4 oat snack bars on a 60 mile ride they work great as you can easily have , a little bite every so often.

  Another alternative to gels are flap jacks with raisins and oats in them, although if they aren't cooked fresh they can dry out and  be hard to eat.

 Bananas are also good although they can be hard to eat on the move, that is why the pros cut them up and put them in a sandwich to eat. I heard rice cakes also are a good source of energy.

Having a good breakfast meal before hand is important otherwise you could be low on energy before you set off, I recommend high carb food like pasta or have porridge. 

It is important to drink a little bit every so often, I have two water bottles on my bike although sometimes i only get though one.

 I fill one water bottle with squash and one water bottle with water. 

 I find grape fruit squash with a spoon full of sugar and a pinch of salt works best as it is a cheap alternative to energy drinks, and still tastes good.