Gasoline is not my fuel; and am I glad of that! I think we all heard about that cyber attack, and consequent shortages at the gasoline pumps. About 99% of the time I\’m glad I don\’t have a car; and now I\’m gladder than ever!

My fuel is food, especially during long bicycle rides. Over the last ten years or so, I\’ve tried many foods as on-bike fuel: Clif Bars; FitCrunch Bars; roasted chickpeas; even mini PBJ sandwiches.

What\’s the best on-bike food? Choosing ride food can seem overwhelming, because there are so many options. Which one(s) are best depends on many factors: how far you plan to ride; whether you\’ll be riding at a steady, moderate pace or doing hard intervals; and perhaps even the weather conditions.

On weekday mornings, my pre-ride snack is a banana or a cupful of grapes; often with peanut butter. That seems to be enough to hold me until I get back home for breakfast. I carry a few GU-Gels with me, in case I guessed wrong!

For Sunday long rides, I like to try different bars. I\’ve tried rice cakes made according to Feed Zone Portables. Unfortunately my rice cakes often came out too soft; and when I tried to eat them while riding, they fell apart. That drove me crazy.

Special Needs

The things I use for long-ride fueling might be \”not my fuel\” if I had diabetes. I was reading about athletic activity and Type I diabetes; and it sounds like a very complicated balancing act. I don\’t want to develop any such special needs, so I intend to keep working at my prediabetes diet.

Exercise should help to keep prediabetes at bay; and Sunday long rides are still very much on the agenda. But I don\’t think I\’ll ride past any filling stations if I don\’t have to. That stuff is not my fuel.