Diabetes and cycling.....

[TsPoet]

I have just started cycling in the past few weeks and have run into an issue with my Diabetes.

Is anyone else on this forums riding with Diabetes? How do you manage the lows and how much of an insulin decrease is needed for say a 20 mile ride?

Type1 since I was 11, I'm now 44. Been on a pump for 20 years.
#1) Remember that anything you see with your blood sugar is due to something (esp insulin) 1-3 hr before. So back way up in time to make changes.
I set my basal to 25% before commuting for work - for the first 30 min (it's a 1 hr commute). For an all-day ride, I'll turn it off for the first hour, then to 25% for the next couple of hours. This might work for you, or even turn it off for the first 30 min of your ride.
The after-ride effects is due to the exercise. Do you have alternate basals? I have one that is 50% of my usual - I use that for long rides or all day rides, just leave it at 50% during and after rides.
You will have to do trial and error and figure out what works for you.
Also remember that the gels and blocks are generally fairly quick sugar, so you might try eating a boiled egg or slice of cheese or something at the same time - for its effects later. You can also eat a small snack after the ride - something small and with protein.
There is a pretty good diabetes forum, with and "athletes" subforum.
http://www.tudiabetes.org/
I no longer frequent the forum, I got tired of all the self-pitty. But, you might find some help there as well.