Pre-Workout Timing for Long Bike Rides: What Cyclists Should Know

Pre-workout is a nutritional supplement that is often considered in relation to resistance training workouts or similar workout sessions that are usually short in duration, and usually consist of a slow-paced warm-up, several intense resistance sets, and a low-demand cool down. In these scenarios, the pre-workout is usually taken to maximize the frequency and intensity of muscle contractions over a short duration.

For long aerobic workouts, like the long bike rides taken by dedicated cyclists, the variables involved in the exercise change, as do the desired effects of your pre-workout supplement. That’s why it’s helpful to know the ideal pre-workout timing for long bike rides, and exactly when you should take pre-workout before cycling workouts begin.

Why Timing Matters for Long Rides

When you reach the end of a long bike ride, your body is in a much different physical state than when the ride began. Over the course of your ride, there’s a good chance that your body has transitioned through all of its energy systems, leaving each of them thoroughly taxed. This is why it’s essential to know the processes at play in your body during a long bike ride so that you can fuel each of them appropriately, and they can service you best along your way.

How endurance energy systems operate

The interplay between the energy systems of your body is both remarkably complex and surprisingly simple. This is because your energy systems can overlap significantly at times during many of your workouts, but during an extended round of steady exercise — like the exact sort of exercise you’ll endure during a long bike ride — you’ll be spending the majority of your time relying on your aerobic system.

For the sake of simplicity, if you began to sprint, your body would tap into the stored ATP of its phosphocreatine system to fuel the initial burst of movement. The instant-access to energy available through this system is why the first moments of exercise usually feel so effortless. 

Simultaneous to this, your body’s anaerobic system would rev up, helping your body to continue the effort by breaking down glucose in the absence of oxygen. At this point, your body is beginning the hard work of maintaining the high intensity exercise despite the rapid generation of lactic acid — an uncomfortable byproduct that results from the breakdown of carbohydrates for energy. 

Most people can expect to fully exhaust their phosphocreatine and anaerobic energy systems within one minute of all-out action, at which point your body’s aerobic system fully takes over. This system uses oxygen to break down fuel sources to produce ATP in a manner much slower than the other energy systems. As a result, as you cycle through your energy systems during a long bike ride, your aerobic system becomes the primary source of continuous energy that you’ll have access to.

How stimulants, carbs, and nitric oxide boosters differ in timing

Unlike most supplements, a well-formulated pre-workout supplement does not have simply one or two active ingredients. Instead, a pre-workout powder is usually a complex mixture of three or more body-strengthening ingredients, each of which is required to remain in your system for a precise amount of time before it begins to take effect and reaches peak effectiveness.

For example, studies indicate the benefit of capitalizing on the peak plasma time of caffeine, which occurs between 45 and 60 minutes following its ingestion. (1) Similarly, a nitric oxide booster like citrulline malate won’t take effect for nearly an hour after it is consumed.

When it comes to the timing of carbohydrates, the ideal moment of consumption depends on the type of carbohydrates being consumed. While simple carbohydrates can be digested in 30 to 60 minutes, complex carbohydrates can take up to four hours to be fully digested. 

Because of the different lengths of time it takes for these popular pre-exercise nutrients and supplements to take effect, it can be wise to strategize their intake ahead of time so that you get the most out of each of them during a lengthy bike ride.

When to Take Pre-Workout Before a Long Bike Ride

One of the reasons why you should pay close attention to the ingredients contained within your pre-workout supplement if you intend to take a long bike ride is because different components of the pre-workout will take effect at different times. 

Therefore, you should plan your pre-workout intake around when the active ingredients of your pre-workout will be able to amplify your performance. Under circumstances when your bike ride will be excessively lengthy, it may even be advisable to consume additional pre-workout and other supplements while your bike ride is already in progress.

The 45–60 minute guideline (stimulants/caffeine)

If your pre-workout contains stimulants like caffeine, you usually won’t feel it beginning to take effect until 30 minutes after you consume it, and you won’t reach a full level of boosted performance until 45 to 60 minutes later. 

For the purposes of your long bike ride, this timetable can mean multiple things. First, if you desire to begin your bike ride with your body in a state where it has already been fully amplified by stimulants, you should take your pre-workout no later than 45 minutes before you start riding. 

On the other hand, if you plan to go for an exceedingly long bike ride, consuming pre-workout at the very beginning of your ride and additional pre-workout during your ride means that your body may receive a prolonged boost that will still be going strong after you’ve already been riding for an hour.

Multiple trials conducted with cyclists in the 1970s identified caffeine’s potential as a stimulant that could boost performance specifically during long bike rides. A 1978 trial demonstrated how a 330 milligram dose of caffeine consumed 60 minutes before a bike ride enabled the caffeinated test subjects to complete an average of 15 more miles (90.2 miles vs. 75.5 miles) before stopping due to fatigue. (2)

The very next year, subjects in a second study who consumed 250 milligrams of caffeine one hour prior to riding and another 250 milligrams in 15-minute increments during the first 90 minutes of a two-hour bike ride experienced a 7.4 percent increase in work production and a 7.2 percent increase in Vo2 max. (3)

Carbohydrate powders (like Cluster Dextrin®): 15–30 minutes pre-ride

Instead of a standard pre-workout supplement, if you prefer to go riding with a fast-digesting carbohydrate source in your system — like Transparent Labs Cluster Dextrin — this means that you’ll be pre-fueling your body with a stable energy source that won’t upset your stomach or cause your blood sugar to swing. This will help to eliminate the temptation to halt your bike ride due to an unexpected energy crash, or gastrointestinal stress.

As a source of carbohydrate energy, Cluster Dextrin has been shown to improve cycling performance and lower GI distress more readily than maltodextrin. In a double blind study, test subjects who took Cyclin Dextrin had a far lower rate of perceived exertion 30 to 60 minutes into exercise than those who took maltodextrin. (4)

If you plan to start your workout with your body optimized to capitalize on this steady delivery of fuel from the outset, you should take your carbohydrate powder 15 to 30 minutes before the start of your ride.

Pump ingredients (citrulline, nitrates): 45–60 minutes

Similar to caffeine, pump ingredients like citrulline and nitrates, which relax blood vessels and improve oxygen delivery, usually take 45 to 60 minutes to take effect. Again, this is another scenario where you can consume pre-workout supplements containing these ingredients 45 to 60 minutes before training to begin your workout with enhanced blood flow and oxygen delivery already begun, and you can consume additional quantities in the early stages of your bike ride so that your energy levels will remain heightened when you need them most.

Hydration & electrolytes: 20–40 minutes pre-ride + intra-ride

Unlike other supplements that can be consumed strategically from the outset, hydration is absolutely mandatory from a standpoint of foundational health, and you will need to be adequately hydrated from the beginning of your ride if you want your body to be operating at its normal capacity, and not in an impaired state. 

Therefore, to optimize hydration from the very beginning of your long bike ride, you should consume ample fluids with electrolytes 20 to 40 minutes before you begin riding, and then you should continue to consume fluids and electrolytes as needed to compensate for what your body is losing throughout the entirety of your ride.

According to the official guidelines set forth by the ISSN, you are advised to consume between 400-600 ml of “cool water or sports drink 20-30 minutes before the onset of exercise.” (5)

Timing for Cycling Races vs. Training Rides

There are many key differences between long bike rides taken for training purposes and actual competitive cycling events that last 60 minutes or longer, and much of that has to do with the time of day in which these events take place. This is because training with low levels of carbohydrates in your body is a common strategy of cyclists who strive to improve endurance by promoting mitochondrial growth. 

This practice has been known to make muscles more durable, and capable of performing when they are low on outside fuel sources. On the other hand, racing days are all about maximizing performance during a single, maximum-effort ride. Under these scenarios, most cyclists will pull out all the stops by stocking bringing plenty of energy sources in the form of gels, powders and drinks in order to remain fueled and hydrated throughout their races.

Adjusting timing for morning vs. afternoon races

Prior to a morning race, an experienced cyclist will be more likely to avail themself of a carbohydrate powder, because they want to begin the race with an easily-digestible source of energy in their body as opposed to a heavy meal that may take additional time to break down into energy, and which may cause discomfort. 

Also, in order to combat morning sleepiness, you may want to consume a pre-workout supplement 45 to 60 minutes prior to the beginning of the race so that you are not fighting the effects of grogginess when the race begins.

Presumably, your body will be in a more energized state prior to an afternoon race, since you will have already had time, at least ideally, to consume at least one full meal, making you less dependent on a carbohydrate supplement from the outset. Even so, you’ll still want to have a carbohydrate supplement handy for later in the ride, and additional pre-workout powder may be advantageous to take during the opening moments of the race so that you can count on a mid-race performance boost.

What to Pair With Your Pre-Workout (Fueling Strategy)

A pre-workout supplement can be a very wise resource to include in your training plan, but it should be used as just one component of a much broader fueling strategy rooted in well-rounded nutrition. With that in mind, you should be aware of the complexities involved in combining pre-workout with different types of foods.

Light carbs vs. full meals

Whether you choose to fuel your biking efforts with light carbs or full meals can be a matter of personal preference, tolerance, and timing, and that’s even before you factor in the presence of a pre-workout in your body. 

For example, if your pre-workout contains a stimulant like caffeine — which had diuretic properties — you can expect your bladder to feel more frequent contractions as your urine accumulates. Similarly, caffeine also stimulates contractions in the digestive organs, including the stomach and colon, prompting more frequent defecation. 

With this in mind, taking pre-workout with a full meal rather than a light carbohydrate supplement can lead to a situation where your body is prompted to excrete waste while you’re in the middle of a long bike ride, which can be a very uncomfortable occurrence when you’re in the middle of a workout, and potentially also a long way from the facilities you need.

Avoiding GI issues on the bike

When considering what pre-workout supplements to take before you hop on a bike, you should weigh the likelihood that the contents of the pre-workout will cause you gastrointestinal distress, both in combination with the rest of your nutrient intake, or on its own.

Many pre-workout supplements are filled with artificial ingredients, sweeteners, and colors, any or all of which can lead to digestive discomfort. These issues can only be exacerbated when combined with foods and snacks that also contain ingredients that are known to cause stomach issues.

If you have any sensitivity to artificial ingredients, you are encouraged to find a pre-workout supplement and other nutrient sources that are composed of natural ingredients before you begin training on a bike, and especially before commencing a long bike ride.

Example Timing Protocols for 60-, 90-, and 120-minute rides

Who Should Avoid Certain Pre-Workout Ingredients

Owing to the number of ingredients in most pre-workout formulations, it is a good idea to make sure your body can handle each ingredient before you start consuming a pre-workout prior to your bike rides. If you’re considering taking a pre-workout before riding, or you’re wondering whether or not your current pre-workout is the cause of your discomfort, consider the following factors before you add pre-workout to your pre-ride fueling strategy.

Caffeine sensitivity

Some people are more sensitive to the presence of caffeine in their bodies than others. The caffeine dose contained in many pre-workout powders is in line with the 3-6 milligram per kilogram of body mass guidance that it suggested in order to achieve a truly enhanced state. (6)

For many people this is an excessive amount of caffeine that can cause side effects like jitteriness, anxiety, headaches, and digestive issues from the get-go, and that’s before post-supplemental sleeplessness comes into play. If you find that you’re particularly sensitive to large amounts of caffeine, you might be a good candidate for a stim-free pre-workout supplement.

Electrolyte needs & hydration issues

The diuretic effects of caffeine and other stimulants contained in some pre-workout supplements may cause you to excrete fluids more rapidly than normal, and along with this accelerated excretion comes the elimination of electrolytes that your body depends upon for hydration.

If you are already susceptible to premature dehydration, or you have difficulty accessing sources of further hydration during your bike rides, you’ll probably want to forego the use of any supplements that are going to prompt excessive sweating so that you can maintain electrolyte support during long rides.

Final Recommendations

Preparing for a long bike ride can involve quite a bit of nutrient planning, but knowing how the different nutrients affect your body — both positively and negatively — can help to simplify your strategy. 

Getting adequate hydration and carbohydrates well before you begin is always a wise first step if your bike ride is going to last at least an hour, and taking your pre-workout powder one hour before your ride begins will ensure that your body will be operating efficiently as soon as your long bike ride commences.

Simple checklist before each ride

• How long is my ride going to be?
  
• Did I consume enough carbohydrates?
  
• Did I take a pre-workout supplement one hour before my ride?
  
• Do I hydrate adequately before my ride?
  
• Do I need an electrolyte beverage or will plain water suffice?
• Do I need to consume additional pre-workout during the early portion of my ride?
• Do I need to bring a simple carbohydrate source like Cyclin Dextrin to consume during my ride?

Sources:

1. Spriet LL. Exercise and sport performance with low doses of caffeine. Sports Med. 2014 Nov;44 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S175-84. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0257-8. PMID: 25355191; PMCID: PMC4213371.

2. Costill DL, Dalsky GP, Fink WJ. Effects of caffeine ingestion on metabolism and exercise performance. Med Sci Sports. 1978 Fall;10(3):155-8. PMID: 723503.

3. Ivy JL, Costill DL, Fink WJ, Lower RW. Influence of caffeine and carbohydrate feedings on endurance performance. Med Sci Sports. 1979 Spring;11(1):6-11. PMID: 481158.

4. Furuyashiki T, Tanimoto H, Yokoyama Y, Kitaura Y, Kuriki T, Shimomura Y. Effects of ingesting highly branched cyclic dextrin during endurance exercise on rating of perceived exertion and blood components associated with energy metabolism. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2014;78(12):2117-9. doi: 10.1080/09168451.2014.943654. Epub 2014 Jul 31. PMID: 25080121.

5. Kerksick, C.M., Wilborn, C.D., Roberts, M.D. et al. ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 15, 38 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y

6. Guest NS, VanDusseldorp TA, Nelson MT, Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Jenkins NDM, Arent SM, Antonio J, Stout JR, Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Goldstein ER, Kalman DS, Campbell BI. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Jan 2;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12970-020-00383-4. PMID: 33388079; PMCID: PMC7777221.