How much food do I need on my ride? Best check the weather. Ok, I know what you’re thinking, this is another MWS blog that is trying to make any topic about the weather but hear me out. Imagine for a second you’re doing the Ironman World Championships in Kona (or elsewhere…) where year on year the bike splits for the pro men can vary by up to 15 minutes, a time gap that’s amplified when you’re moving slower. 

We know that nutrition is important for cycling, if you run out of gas and crack 15 minutes from the end of a ride it’s often enough to ruin the ride. Now, imagine you’re doing some kind of ultra endurance event that’s self supported, the amount of food you carry at any one time can make a big difference. There’s a balance between carrying enough to get by but not weighing yourself down. 

In order to pack the right amount of food, you need to know the answer to two questions. How many grams of carbohydrate do I need for an hour? How many hours will I be riding for? In both the forecast and post ride analysis, myWindsock calculates energy expenditure on your ride at various points and the total amount of energy used across the whole ride.

This is where our forecasts can be valuable. Check the weather along the route, decide on your clothing. Check how long your route will take this week, pack the appropriate food. If you want to start forecasting your rides and going out well prepared, check out myWindsock here!