Looking around at the dozen or so fellow riders at a recent cafe stop, I was struck by how similar everyone’s order looked. Almost every cyclist was clutching a bottle of Coke and a pastry or slice of cake, with pockets being restocked with gels before heading back out on the road. On one level, it made perfect sense: quick sugar, easy calories. But it also made me pause. How much fibre were any of us actually getting?
It’s easy to spend several hours on the bike consuming little more than refined carbohydrates. Add in a recovery drink, a quick lunch and whatever’s easiest after a long day of training, and fibre can easily slip down the priority list. And yet fibre plays a vital role in gut health – something cyclists tend to think about only when something in our digestive system goes wrong. For many riders, it’s bloating, cramping, or an unsettled stomach mid-ride that first brings fibre into the conversation.
Are cyclists getting enough?
Even away from the bike, most of us aren’t eating enough fibre. On average, adults in the UK consume around 17g per day, only just above half the recommended 30g. Almost all of us – some 96% – fall short. Add in long rides fuelled largely by low-fibre options – Coke, pastries, gels and bars – and cyclists are particularly susceptible to falling even further behind. Those foods are convenient, easy to digest and deliver quick energy, but they also push fibre out of our diets on training and racing days – it’s unintentional but easily done.
Why are we neglecting fibre while another macronutrient, protein, seems to be the talk of the peloton? It’s a curious contrast. In cycling, protein has become something of an obsession. Riders carefully track intake and add shakes or bars after every ride, even though the data shows that most people already get enough. Fibre, meanwhile, receives far less attention, despite the fact that almost all of us are falling short. Which raises an interesting question: is it time for fibre to become fashionable?
Fibre comes in many forms: vegetables, legumes, nuts and wholegrains
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Vital dietary component
Dietary fibre refers to the indigestible parts of plant foods – vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds – that pass through the digestive system largely intact. While it doesn’t provide energy like carbohydrates or fat, it plays a vital role in gut health. According to gut health researcher Dr Emily Leeming, author of Fibre Power, fibre is central to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. “Fibre is your gut microbiome’s preferred fuel source,” she explains. “It feeds gut microbes so they produce short-chain fatty acids. These help support the integrity of the gut lining and can dampen excess inflammation, which may help the gut cope better with the repeated stress that comes with endurance exercise.”
Beyond the gut, fibre supports broader health. Adequate intake is linked to lower cholesterol, improved blood sugar control and greater satiety. Over time, fibre-rich diets are associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. The gut-barrier aspect is particularly relevant for cyclists. Long rides, especially in hot conditions, place significant strain on the digestive system owing to dehydration and high sugar intake. Over time, this can contribute to increased gut permeability, often referred to as ‘leaky gut’. A diverse gut microbiome helps reinforce that barrier. When fibre intake is low, that protection can weaken. “If fibre stays low, your gut microbiome can become less resilient,” says Leeming. “Microbial diversity may fall, and fewer short-chain fatty acids are produced. In animal studies, we see microbes start feeding on the mucus layer that protects the gut lining.”
Low fibre intake is often a by-product of fuelling well for performance. High-carbohydrate, easily digestible foods like white bread, pasta, rice, gels and bars dominate training and racing nutrition for good reason: they’re effective, predictable and easily digestible when intensity is high. Over time, though, those race-ready habits can become everyday ones. What works brilliantly on the bike doesn’t necessarily support gut health long term. Just look around the next time a group ride stops at a cafe.
(Image credit: Future)
Build fibre gradually
How to hit the daily fibre target
(Image credit: Getty Images)
The daily fibre target for adults is 30g. Here’s how to hit it – a sample menu:
BREAKFAST (8–10G FIBRE)
● Porridge made with 50–70g oats, topped with 75g berries and 15g seeds.
● Or two slices (70–80g) wholegrain bread with 25g nut butter and one banana.
LUNCH (6–10G FIBRE)
● Grain-based salad with 150–180g cooked quinoa or brown rice, 75–100g cooked lentils or chickpeas, vegetables and olive oil.
● Or one wholegrain wrap filled with 50g hummus, roast vegetables and a protein source.
SNACK (3–5G FIBRE)
● 150–200g yoghurt with 50g berries and 20–25g nuts.
● Or one medium piece of fruit (150g) with 20–25g nuts.
DINNER (8–10G FIBRE)
● 180–200g cooked brown rice, barley or potatoes with skins, plus 150–200g vegetables and a protein source.
● 75–100g beans or pulses, ideally earlier in the week rather than close to racing.
Improving fibre intake doesn’t require dramatic changes, but it does benefit from a bit of planning. For many riders, that simply means gradually adding more fibre-rich foods such as vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds into everyday meals. Recently, the idea of ‘fibre-maxxing’ has begun circulating online, encouraging people to push fibre intake as high as possible. While most people need more fibre, for cyclists the goal is balance rather than extremes. Loading fibre aggressively, particularly close to training or racing, can backfire. A better approach is to build fibre gradually into everyday meals, away from key sessions, while scaling it back temporarily when performance and gut comfort take priority.
Riders often avoid fibre-rich foods before long rides to reduce the chance of digestive discomfort. Eaten close to exercise, such foods can sit in the gut and ferment, increasing the chances of bloating or gas. Exercise itself can make this worse. During hard efforts, blood flow is redirected away from the digestive system and towards working muscles. While this slows nutrient absorption, the mechanical stress of exercise and the irritation of undigested bulk can accelerate transit time, turning simple bloating into an urgent, mid-ride dash for the nearest toilet. Anyone who has set off for a long ride after a bean-heavy meal will probably recognise the feeling.
In multi-day stage races, fibre intake is adjusted rather than removed altogether. Vicky Walshaw, nutrition lead at 29 Inch Academy, Dubai, says tolerance varies widely between riders. “Fibre intake tolerance is often very individual. I often suggest reducing intake 24 to 48 hours before key stages or across a race block to lower gut load while maintaining overall nutrition quality,” she explains. “The aim isn’t to eliminate fibre but to shift toward easier-to-digest carbohydrates so riders can fuel properly without unnecessary gut symptoms.”
In practice, that often means swapping wholegrains for white rice or pasta and moderating vegetable portions. Pre-race dinners are typically simple: white rice or pasta with lean protein, and a small serving of vegetables. Instead of large portions of wholegrain toast for breakfast, Walshaw might suggest white toast with jam, or Rice Krispies. And rather than protein bars, which are often packed with high-FODMAP sweeteners (fermentable carbohydrates that can trigger bloating), riders prone to gut issues may tolerate higher-carb, lower-FODMAP snacks such as oat bars more comfortably.
Rider’s view: ‘Getting my gut right changed how I ride’
(Image credit: Julia Cox)
Julia Cox, 55, of Cheltenham and County Cycling Club began paying closer attention to fibre after struggling with digestive discomfort on longer rides.
“I started having midlife IBS-style symptoms about two years ago,” says Cox. “Ahead of long rides I’d often feel bloated, sluggish and uncomfortable, which isn’t great at any time, but particularly unpleasant when you’re on the bike for several hours.” The problem was often worse on training camps abroad, where changes in water and diet seemed to slow her digestion further. “Heading out on the bike not feeling settled, and not knowing when that would resolve, was both a physical and mental strain.”
After consulting a nutritionist and ruling out more serious issues, Cox began paying much closer attention to fibre and gut health. “I’ve always had a daily smoothie, but I increased the fibre content, adding spinach, broccoli, berries and two kiwi fruits with the skin on, plus a small amount of inulin powder [soluble fibre supplement].” She also began focusing more broadly on gut health, eating fermented foods, taking probiotics, and increasing the variety of vegetables in her diet. “That routine helps keep everything regular and gives me confidence when heading out for a long ride,” she says.
Looking back, Cox wishes she had understood the role of gut health earlier. “I used to think fibre was just about digestion, but I’ve realised it influences mood, motivation, stress and metabolism too, especially as a perimenopausal woman. Getting my gut right has greatly improved how I feel on the bike and off it.”
If you’re not racing back-to-back days, you don’t need so tightly managed an approach, but the same principles apply. Most amateur racers and sportive riders find that easing back on fibre in the 24 hours before an event is enough. That might mean choosing white rice instead of brown, reducing the portion size of vegetables at dinner, or avoiding particularly fibrous foods such as beans the night before. From a gut-health perspective, Leeming offers reassurance. “Lowering fibre for a short while isn’t a problem and can often be helpful before a race. Your gut microbiome and gut lining respond to fibre across days and weeks rather than a single day.”
The goal is to feel comfortable before you ride. Reducing the risk of mid-ride discomfort can remove one source of anxiety before a big event. Walshaw stresses that fibre alone is rarely the sole culprit. “Gut issues are rarely caused by too little or too much fibre alone,” she says. “Factors like travel stress, hydration, fuelling strategy, caffeine use and ultra-processed food intake often play just as big a role.” Her advice is to practise race-week nutrition in training so any fibre adjustments are deliberate rather than reactive.
For some riders, the type of carbohydrate matters as much as fibre itself. “For riders with sensitive guts, temporarily lowering high-FODMAP foods before a race can help reduce bloating and urgency,” Walshaw explains. “The challenge is doing this without compromising carbohydrate intake.” Part of the issue is that FODMAPs can draw water into the intestines and ferment rapidly in the gut, producing gas. During exercise, when digestion is already under strain, that can increase the likelihood of bloating, cramping and gastrointestinal distress. Foods like pasta, pizza, dried fruit, honey snacks or milk-heavy breakfasts can be relatively high in FODMAPs. Lower-fermentable carbohydrate sources, such as white rice, potatoes, oats, sourdough bread, bananas and fruit juices, can help meet carb-loading needs with fewer symptoms. As with fibre, individual tolerance varies and is best tested in training.
Health comes first
The bigger issue lies between the race weeks. “Far more riders under-consume fibre year-round due to poor overall diet quality, not because they’re strategically periodising it,” Walshaw says. “I focus on rebuilding intake gradually through whole foods and meal structure during lower-intensity periods, while keeping race-week adjustments short term.” That broader approach to gut health can pay off on the bike. Looking after gut health across the season can improve how well you tolerate food during rides, as well as recovery and training consistency.
In a sport that talks so much about protein, fibre seems to be the nutrient that too often slips under the radar. Yet a fibre-rich diet away from racing supports gut health, protects the gut lining and may make your digestive system more robust overall. Strategic reductions before races or events, particularly in the final 24 hours, or a few days out if you’re sensitive, can improve comfort without undermining those long-term benefits. Ultimately, it’s about eating well most of the time, and making small adjustments when your cycling demands it.
The insights I’ve gained while writing this feature have reminded me of the importance of fibre, while also putting my mind at rest. Next time I’m making a cafe stop, watching bottles of Coke being cracked open and pastries disappearing in a few quick bites, I’ll probably still join in. After all, those choices have their place, and they help get us through the ride ahead. But it will probably make me think a bit more about getting enough fibre the rest of the week.
This article was first published in the 23 April 2026 print edition of Cycling Weekly magazine – available to buy on the newsstand every Thursday (UK only) while digital versions are available on Apple News and Readly. Subscriptions through Magazine’s Direct.
