Fueling the Off-Bike Sessions: Strength Training Nutrition for Cyclists

Words by and Photography by James Ion

As cyclists, we obsess over fueling the miles. We’ll debate the best gels, perfect our rice cake recipes, and agonise over carb timing before a big race. But step into the gym and the script changes. Strength training has become one of the sport’s worst-kept secrets — a proven way to build resilience, improve economy, and even sharpen sprint power — yet fueling these sessions is often an afterthought.

“Strength training isn’t about eating more — it’s about eating smart.”

I’ve been experimenting with my own approach in the gym, and speaking to coaches and sports nutritionists, to find out how to fuel strength training from a cyclist’s perspective. What I’ve learned is simple: the gym isn’t about survival fuel like a six-hour gravel race. It’s about giving your body the raw materials to adapt.

On the bike, the aim is survival and endurance: keep glycogen topped up so you can push for hours. In the gym, the load is different. We’re talking short, explosive efforts that hit your nervous system hard and create micro-tears in muscle fibres. That doesn’t mean you need to eat like you’re lining up for Unbound before you squat. But if you underfuel, you risk turning what should be an adaptation stimulus into something your body just limps through.

Most of us arrive at the gym either after work or shoehorn a quick session between rides. That’s where things can get messy. I’ve noticed that if I hit the gym in the evening after a long ride, my lifts feel flat unless I’ve topped up carbs mid-afternoon. And if I train before a ride? Then carbs afterwards become non-negotiable — otherwise, the pedals feel heavy and the ride turns into a grind.

When I spoke to Chris Harris, Sports Scientist at Precision Fuel & Hydration, he confirmed what I’d been noticing in practice. “Strength training doesn’t drain glycogen to the same extent as a long ride, but it does use some. If you’ve got an endurance session within the next 8–10 hours of lifting, adding carbs alongside protein will help replenish muscle and liver glycogen, while the protein supports muscle repair and adaptation.”

“Protein is the first priority, carbs the second — but don’t skip them if you’ve got another ride on the horizon.”

For me, the best sessions start with something light and balanced 1–2 hours before: oats with Greek yoghurt, or a banana and a whey shake. Enough to keep the tank topped without weighing me down. During the session, I mostly just drink water. Occasionally, if it’s a long or dense lift block, I’ll sip on a carb drink or grab a few dates. But honestly? Most gym work doesn’t need mid-session fuel.

Afterwards is where the real difference shows. A shake with 20–30 g of protein, paired with something like a banana, followed by a proper meal — such as pasta with chicken or salmon with potatoes — has always given me a better bounce the next day than waiting for dinner alone. It’s the timing that matters. Protein within that two-hour window seems to set the recovery process rolling, while carbs become the lever you pull depending on whether a ride is coming soon.

Cyclists also need to zoom out. During the off-season, I’ve found that leaning into carbs makes everything click: you lift better, adapt faster, and still have enough fuel for rides. In-season, it’s a different story. Carbs need to be centred around rides, while gym sessions often become maintenance work. A smaller, protein-led snack will usually suffice. And if you’re juggling a double day — ride plus gym — it’s always the ride that dictates the fueling plan.

“In the off-season, carbs make everything click: you lift better, adapt faster, and still have fuel for rides.”

The evidence backs this up. Heavy strength training improves cycling economy without harming VO₂max. It also boosts neuromuscular capacity, which translates into better sprints and accelerations. Maintenance matters too: those gains fade quickly if you skip the gym entirely, but even one session a week in-season can keep them alive. And while “protein timing” used to sound like a mad dash to chug a shake within 15 minutes, newer research suggests the anabolic window is hours, not minutes.

The more I’ve dialled in my fueling around the gym, the more I’ve realised that strength training isn’t about eating more — it’s about eating smart. Carbs and protein are tools to make the gym work harder for your cycling, not a separate nutrition plan to stress over. Evening gym after a long ride? Carbs in the afternoon save my lifts. Gym first, ride later? Carbs afterwards keep the ride sharp. Shake vs. dinner? The shake wins for me, every time.

It comes down to one thing: making sure the work you do with the barbell actually pays off on the bike. Fueling for gym work isn’t glamorous. There are no podium photos or big race moments attached to it. But in the long run, getting it right helps every pedal stroke. Strength training makes you more durable, more efficient, and more powerful — and the right nutrition makes sure those gains stick. Because if we’re going to obsess over gels and bottles for the road, why wouldn’t we give the same attention to the training that supports it?

“Strength training makes you more durable, more efficient, and more powerful — and the right nutrition makes sure those gains stick.”

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Strength Training References

• Rønnestad BR et al. (2010). Maximal Strength Training Improves Cycling Economy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

• Beattie K et al. (2014). Strength Training in Endurance Athletes: A Review. Sports Medicine.

• PLOS ONE (2025). Strength Training Maintenance in Cyclists. PLOS ONE.

• Frontiers in Nutrition (2025). Post-Exercise Protein and Carb Timing in Endurance Athletes. Frontiers.

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James is wearing the rather snazzy new Balance range from Pas Normal Studios. Find out more here: PNS Balance and expect a full review soon from Kate Macleod