Seldom worry about a pre-ride meal. Just eat my normal daily food and keep hydrated. I alway have a granola bar or snickers in my camel pack in case I need a snack on the trail.
However if I plan on doing a 30 mile or longer ride I might resort to a good breakfast of eggs, meat and hashbrowns with plent of coffee/oj to wash it down. Works for me for long day hikes or a day on the slopes. Should work for mt. biking.
Most of my rides are between 10-20 miles currently.
with that kind of eats the only ride would be staying home till after the bathroom ride aint nothing worse then having to #2 in the woods. 😆
i guess for me i would have to consume a mix of slow and fast digesting carbs to last for the long ride and a double dose of protien shake cause without the protien the body will destroy muscle to find energy.