Energy gel overuse?

Elushion

Just a thought. If I was to go out a ride and be taking onboard an energy gel; with caffiene every 45minutes (Or even less time). Would I fell the effects of just be sick?

Doobz

no but you would be retarded for wasting your money on gels that only work when they are needed..

jibberjim

Doobz wrote:

no but you would be retarded for wasting your money on gels that only work when they are needed..

Every 45 minutes, I need to eat, and gels are good food, maybe it's wasting money choosing them over food which is cheaper (although at 13p a shot) it's not an expensive source of calories). But as a source of calories they certainly "work".

Certainly for me, gels every 25 minutes for 3 hours works without making me sick, or anything else.

SBezza

Doobz wrote:

no but you would be retarded for wasting your money on gels that only work when they are needed..

+1 I would only use energy gels on a sportive/very hard ride, or before a TT/road race. And I would only use the ones with caffeine, if I was going near my lactate threshold for a period of time, ie TT or the end of a sportive for a little kick.

I don't think they are needed for a general ride however, but it depends on how hard you push on a training ride etc.

airborne_warrior

If you've carbed up correctly before a long ride you shouldn't really need a gel until about 1 3/4 to 2 hours in, though it also depends on pace and terrain. They certainly work, with the caffeine variants an added bonus. On very long rides (6hrs+) i take some solids (real food) as well.

markos1963

I have tried gels and whilst they work I find that because I hate the consistancy so much I don't use them enough so making it pointless to carry them.

toontra

My preference is a Kellogs Nutri Grain Oat Baked bar every 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or more often on a hard ride. They taste a damn sight better than gels, are about 1/4 the price (on offer at Sainsburys at the moment) and are soft and easy to chew and digest. I think they will also give a more sustained release of energy, rather than the short burst of a gel.

Gels are the last resort for me. I carry a couple in case of the bonk. Although I've never needed them myself (testament to the cereal bars!) I've handed them out to others who've bonked because they haven't eaten properly.

cougie

Eating every 45 mins ? Are you big boned ?

I did have a pal who rode a sportif and was assisted by a gel manufacturer. They advised a gel every 30 mins or so - and it was >100miles.

He flew round the route - but was it his training or his huge stash of gels ?

I think energy bars are better for normal rides - you can usually chew them if you arent blitzing round. And people littering with gel wrappers really annoys me too.

jibberjim

cougie wrote:

I think energy bars are better for normal rides - you can usually chew them if you arent blitzing round. And people littering with gel wrappers really annoys me too.

Not sure how gels or bars really make a difference in terms of litter, dropping either is completely anti-social, I suppose bars pack more calories per one so you don't need to take so many.

Gel-Flasks full of gel, rather individual gels are a great solution, fit easily in the pocket and no litter issues, and easy to open whilst riding.

toontra

jibberjim wrote:

Not sure how gels or bars really make a difference in terms of litter, dropping either is completely anti-social, I suppose bars pack more calories per one so you don't need to take so many.

Used gel wrappers are a sticky, gooey mess that dribble in your jersey pocket. Cereal bar wrappers are dry and not a problem.

cougie

Yeah - one energy bar is usually about three gels worth - and its easy to stick the wrapper back in your pocket. I guess that riders lob their gel wrappers more often cos they are a sticky mess.

Gel flasks are a good idea - I think High5 have stopped selling their gel powder now.

James_London

Back to the original question... It depends what size gels you're taking and their caffeine content. You can absorb 1-1.5g carbohydrate per kg per hour depending on composition. Your response to caffeine will depend on your general use of caffeine. Less habitual use (coffee, coke, etc) will increase your response but you may respond badly. Try it and see...

chrisw12

Anyone tried those new fangled natural things called bananas?

Great cheap, quick energy source, bio-degradable packaging and best yet, stick one up your shorts to impress the ladies or for longer rides, stick one up each leg, then they'll either be impressed or think you're physically strange..

Like the potato, I don't think this exotic food will catch on, gels are much better. :roll:

Bhima

If you're sprinting flat out for 45 minutes, fair enough!

Turkish Delight is a much better gel in my opinion!

skavanagh.bikeradar

Interesting innit? On long rides (100 miles) I take one gel every hour starting after 30 minutes of riding. This definately helped me last year. Although as I pointed out in another thread on very hard rides I start getting befuddled and forget to drink or eat for huge chunks of time. Gels ought to help with this, but it depends on the route as I find it impossible to cycle up mountains while eating!!!!

mclarent

chrisw12 wrote:

Anyone tried those new fangled natural things called bananas?

Great cheap, quick energy source, bio-degradable packaging and best yet, stick one up your shorts to impress the ladies or for longer rides, stick one up each leg, then they'll either be impressed or think you're physically strange..

Like the potato, I don't think this exotic food will catch on, gels are much better. :roll:

+1 to that!

antfly

chrisw12 wrote:

Anyone tried those new fangled natural things called bananas?

Great cheap, quick energy source, bio-degradable packaging and best yet, stick one up your shorts to impress the ladies or for longer rides, stick one up each leg, then they'll either be impressed or think you're physically strange..

Like the potato, I don't think this exotic food will catch on, gels are much better. :roll:

I think you might get some comments "is that a banana in your pocket or are you just enjoying your cycling?" might be one of the cleaner ones.Also,it could be a distraction for vehicles,i`m sure there`s a law against cycling with a banana down your pants.

howiejmidlands

I know there are as many answers and maybe myths surrounding energy gels, and i am now trying a new method of fuelling for a long ride.
Day before high carb meal, and driving to the event i am having 160g of energy drink in a 900ml bottle.
Then on the bike i carry 2 x 900ml bottles. In bottle 1 i have already emptied 4 gels into the bottle and topped up with water. This should then last 2 hours. In bottle 2, i then carry 4 x 50g sachets of energy drink, or more gels. Empty into bottle and add water. Bottle 1 can then be used for plain water or water and a electrolyte tablet. I then carry just a couple of gels with caffeine for twards the end of the ride.
My feeding routine should be 120g of carb an hour. Or one gel every 20 minutes. On a six hour ride, that is a lot of gels and very sickly. I used the new regime on SUnday, and with a bit of teaking it should be Ok.
It works for me, it may work for you. But try it in training, and not on the day of a sportive!!

arnie-77

Personally I have always struggled with gels, the first time I tried them I had a terrible time cramping badly and almost needing rescuing.

SInce then I only use them as a last resort and nearer to the end of a ride than the beginning, only ever use ones with high amounts of caffeine too (and I don't drink coffee so they give a major lift). And for this they are great, as for using them throughout a ride and lots of them - that is very alien to me indeed.

Are gels not not fundamentally flawed due to the concentration of them causing water to be drawn away from your muscles in order to help digest the gel itself? which can cause cramping?

Is the answer to these 'isotonic' gels? Which if anyone can explain how they can in fact be isotonic I would be very interested to understand!

Poulsy

I use one gel an hour if training hard., along with energy drink and some solids. This is what they are designed for in my opinion. Waiting until you bonk to take a gel is too late surely :?: :?

Steve Tcp

Gels are an acquired taste aren't they, but Geoff Thomas used them as the staple part of his on bike diet when he rode the TDF route a few years ago. He did also confess that part of that was due to a level of addiction as well as their effectiveness. If I do bonk a gel gets to the legs quicker than anything. However, they also burn up quicker than anything so II carry one or two on longer rides only for emergency use, not as part of the nutrition plan which would be other bars and dried figs. As for the effects of caffeine, that would depend entirely on your personal tolerance for it, but I'd say that during a ride it would be difficult to have a caffeine od using gels.

Steve.

jibberjim

arnie-77 wrote:

Are gels not not fundamentally flawed due to the concentration of them causing water to be drawn away from your muscles in order to help digest the gel itself? which can cause cramping?

Hammer's article on Osmolality discusses this and why complex carb gels (I think just about all are maltodextrin, although many mix with fructose in some percentage) can be digested quickly on quite limited water requirements. You do need to drink whilst taking one though.

dave milne

Gels are great for pushing you home over the last hills with a bit of energy. I only use them at the end of a ride and never more than 2