When we asked for your opinions and experiences with food on the trail, we expected a variety of answers. When we roll off the single track and into town, we’re craving everything from coconut water and Cheetos, to meat pie, Spam, and gummy bears. The vast majority of us eat a combination of homemade goodies and packaged food. We seem (or at least hope) to know our bodies well enough that we eat an assortment of fruits and sugars, carbs, and protein – whether from nuts or meat. We want salty, we want sweet, and when we want it, we want it now!
Results based on bikepacking food survey
Whether because of allergy or intolerance, or the crazy complex mystery that is the digestive system on a bike for hours on end, there are still many of us who have trailside tummy trouble. Maybe you’d expect those of us who do to be the ones eating nothing but manufactured protein bars and fast food burgers, but your responses don’t show such trends in the data. The beer drinking, sardine eating, taco craver reports similar digestive issues to the bikepacker who drinks mostly water and electrolytes and eats homemade goodies.
The moral of this story seems to be simple (and reflect my own views on diet in general): there is no rule, no single recipe for success. We each have to venture out and see what our mouths crave and how our bodies respond. The mountains and rivers aren’t the only factors contributing to the adventure in this sport. Our diets can get pretty adventurous out there as well. As with anything, it’s important that we tune in to what our bodies are telling us, and perhaps listen to the voices that may speak more quietly than our taste buds.
