An alternative to PSP

popette

I've just finished my supply of PSP and thinking of trying something new. I did the Brian Robinson challenge yesterday and towards the end of the ride, my stomach was hurting. I drank 4 bottles of 10% PSP and had 5 Powerbar Gels. The wind was galeforce in timperley last night!

Any advice on a more gentle alternative to PSP?

Also, yesterday i faffed around with PSP in plastic bags which I poured into my bottles and then filled up. It would be great if you could get 80g of carb in tablet form - does it exist?

I'm really starting to fear for my teeth!

Robmanic1

Just ordered this;


http://www.torq.ltd.uk/acatalog/TORQ_energy_drinks.html

After reading some positive reports on here, looks like it's a bit more "natural" than the PSP (I'm changing brands too).

doyler78

10% :shock:

I couldn't stomach anything over 8% myself. I think in any case the advice is that if you are wanting a higher concentration that you top up with PSP22 original. This is because the flavour will be much too strong at 10% for most people of using just the flavoured PSP22.

Personally myself I looked at getting other stuff however the costs put me off - nearly twice the price in some cases when you looked at weight of the product you needed to take to get the same carbs and the size of the tubs that were available so that you didn't have to keep ordering all the time.

As for Robmanic1SiS now do an organic version of their product so natural all the way too. Clearly the move to Torq has rattled their cage.

jibberjim

Robmanic1 wrote:

Just ordered this;

http://www.torq.ltd.uk/acatalog/TORQ_energy_drinks.html

After reading some positive reports on here, looks like it's a bit more "natural" than the PSP (I'm changing brands too).

Maltodextrin is pretty much only available from natural sources, the only real difference is in the flavouring and the lack of aspartame in the Torq - which is a very good thing in itself.

The Torq natural is just nothing but Maltodextrin - and an extremely expensive way to buy it. With the 33% Fructose in the flavoured ones, they are to me incredibly sweet, so if sweetness was the problem, I'd suggest using nothing but straight maltodextrin (which is not very sweet at all, almost tasteless) and not flavour it at all.

Anonymous

I tend to use Go rather than PSP22 as I find it lasts longer and I actually like the flavour (particularly Watermelon). I've never had any, erm, adverse reactions to it...

Then again, I didn't with PSP22.

So, basically, this is a useless post.

Sorry to waste your time.

Barrie_G

A reliable source of Maltodextrin, http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders ... todextrin/

deal

doyler78 wrote:

10% :shock:

I couldn't stomach anything over 8% myself.

5% is about the level im happy with

redddraggon

popette wrote:

Any advice on a more gentle alternative to PSP?

I've always seen the Nintendo DS to be more of a girly handheld gaming console than the PSP

guilliano

Just remember that constantly pouring carbs down your throat is not the answer during a ride as your body can only absorb so much in any given time period.... the rest just gets passed through. Better to drink a lower concentration elecrolyte drink and load up with carbs over the day or 2 beforehand

Aggieboy

Torq Pink grapefruit is yummy.

doyler78

deal wrote:

doyler78 wrote:

10% :shock:

I couldn't stomach anything over 8% myself.

5% is about the level im happy with

8% is the highest I can tolerate however I normally use 6% though like NaploeonD I have found Go to be better tasting and easier to stomach. I use PSP22 on shorter rides however on longer rides I use PSP22 for the first half of the ride and then GO for the second half though not tried watermelon yet - it's lemon & lime for me

GeorgeShaw

Aggieboy wrote:

Torq Pink grapefruit is yummy.

+1.

alp777

Sounds like you overdosed on your carb intake, how long were you riding for?

Oh and why is PSP 22 bad for your teeth?

popette

10% is the lowest measuring line on the bottle of PSP - it goes from 10% to 17% (Go has measuring lines - iykwim - of 6% and 8%) so I think I was using it correctly and had been going for the lowest strength.

Coach worked out that I need 60g of carb per hour on a long ride - yesterday I rode for 6 hours. So some of that came from PSP and some from gels.

I read about the girl in cycling weekly who had dental problems following lots of energy products - that's why I'm thinking about the effects on my teeth.

I think I'm going to give Torq a whirl

alp777

Coach worked out that I need 60g of carb per hour on a long ride - yesterday I rode for 6 hours. So some of that came from PSP and some from gels.

If you were using 500 ml bottles then your carb intake would be bang on, if you were using 750ml bottles then you probably had one bottle too much.

I read about the girl in cycling weekly who had dental problems following lots of energy products - that's why I'm thinking about the effects on my teeth.

Would be interested to hear others thoughts on the teeth issue.

woody-som

I use PSP11 or PSP22 both in original (unflavoured) but never 10%, just guess a bit below that level, usually 5-8% is about right for me. PSP11 is nearly the same, but cheaper from wiggle.

oldwelshman

I tried PSP once but hated the taste.
I like Barrie use myprotein website as they have a few different ones. Currently I am using their tri mix which tastes good and is ok for during and after drink.
I still prefer bananas and marzipan to gels but carry two as reserve on long rides just in case.

guilliano

I never thought of marzipan...... may have to consider that as I love the stuff!!!

suspectdevice

I've just switched from PSP Go to Bike Food because i found the PSP stuff too sweet.

The bike food is easy to mix and if you get the sachets you can mix them when you are out on the road.

Just my 2 pence worth.

arnie-77

I've just switched from PSP Go to Bike Food because i found the PSP stuff too sweet.

I bought the Bikefood offer pack and have been very impressed with it.
Tastes good (not too sweet), easy to mix and works very well indeed and has no artificial nasties. Only gripe - just one flavour!

JGS

I've recently swapped from using Go-Gels and PSP to using normal water with hi-juice and a bit of salt in it and un-refined kendall mint cake (http://www.quiggins.co.uk/products/40). The cake is 95% carbs and so far I've not had any insulin lows on the stuff. Honestly just a few little cubes of the stuff is like rocket fuel, I now use it mountain and road biking combined with malt loaf for slow release energy.

simon_e

SiS have recently released organic versions of PSP22 and Go. No artificial gunk in these, iIngredients for the 50g sachet of PSP22 organic 'fruit punch' flavour I have in front of me are:

Maltodextrin, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Orange Juice, Fructose, Mango Flavouring, Organic Elderberry Extract, Sea Salt.

Most of the big names do samplers, single dose sachets, or in Torq's case, the Single Measures - smart little aluminium canisters you can reuse. Each contains enough for one 750ml dose. Torq Energy unflavoured is plain Maltodextrin, while the flavoured ones also contain Fructose, Citric Acid, Electrolytes and natural flavouring. ZipVit are running a promo - bars, gel, sachets, bottle and multivits for £3.99 at http://www.zipvit.com/success/

I've seen myprotein.co.uk mentioned on here regularly. They do mixes as well as DIY stuff so you could mix your own. I've read of people who use plain Maltodextrin and a nuun tablet. More at http://jibbering.com/sports/drinks.html

ut_och_cykla

i've started using power bar 2 in 1 - the new formula - meant to be kinder on stomachs and less sweet and so far I'd say it is both.

60g/240kcal an hour carbs is close teh max that can be absorbed by 'normal' stomachs. If you are a wee gal and not generating Armstrong like wattage outputs you might want to cut back to about 30-40g per hour.

Also the quantity of liquid involved in consuming all carbs via liquid intake can in itself be daunting over longer periods of time. More than 500 mls an hour is a challenge for many.
And gels also need water - so I would suspect you overdosed on carbs - the concentration got too high in your stomach for your body to deal with the amounts in an optimal way - hence the belly ache and wind! High levels of fructose in formulas can also be a problem for some people.
Hope you get the problem sorted!

DaveyL

I use Torq bars and gels but quite like the High5 4:1 energy drink. Their isotonic energy drink is pretty good too, and comes in 65 g sachets.

Tom Butcher

Personally on a sportive like the Fred Whitton I'd take 2-3 bottles of fairly dilute sports drink and rely on food for the rest - bananas, flapjack and whatever else is at the feed stations. For training it's rare that I'd use any energy products at all - maybe for a long ride with some fast riders like a reliability or something. I've started doing a lot of 3 hour rides at a fairly hard effort - averaging about 19.5-20mph over fairly hillyish routes - and do them on water, a banana and a slab of ginger loaf. If you are worried about your teeth water at least means you can rinse it round a bit after eating something sweet.

If people prefer gels etc then that's fine but they aren't necessary - I generally finish longer events very strongly - relative to people i normally ride with I get stronger after about 60-70 miles so you can certainly complete these rides well without resorting to gels and lots of energy drink.

Hudster

I've just tried a sample of that bikefood stuff which was mentioned earlier on here and I am quiet impressed with it. Certainly worth giving it a go.

Poulsy

Barrie_G wrote:

A reliable source of Maltodextrin, http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders ... todextrin/

+1 for making your own. Much cheaper alternative.

I flavour with squash or Nuun tablets (depending on length of ride and if I need to top up bottles en route)

You could also buy some flavourless Whey Protein to mix in (4:1 ratio), which is supposed to help with endurance.

doyler78

Poulsy wrote:

Barrie_G wrote:

A reliable source of Maltodextrin, http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders ... todextrin/

+1 for making your own. Much cheaper alternative.

I flavour with squash or Nuun tablets (depending on length of ride and if I need to top up bottles en route)

You could also buy some flavourless Whey Protein to mix in (4:1 ratio), which is supposed to help with endurance.

I've been looking for the 4:1 carb:protein drink with caffeine added as caffeine and protein are supposed this years biggies along with the carbs of course for on the bike feeding. Can't find it yet. New business maybe

shmo

ut_och_cykla wrote:

i've started using power bar 2 in 1 - the new formula - meant to be kinder on stomachs and less sweet and so far I'd say it is both. !

I've got some of that power bar isotonic orange flavour. Tastes good but it tends to dye my bottles orange!

jibberjim

doyler78 wrote:

I've been looking for the 4:1 carb:protein drink with caffeine added as caffeine and protein are supposed this years biggies along with the carbs of course for on the bike feeding. Can't find it yet. New business maybe

Hammer's Sustained Energy, flavoured with a caffeine included gel, is a long recommended by them fuel for longer distances - gives you more like 8:1 carb/protein ratio though.

I'm not sure 4:1 is worthwhile, it's a lot of protein to digest which will just slow down the absorbtion of the carbs, leaving you with less overall calories per hour, which may indeed be better if the quality is better. Taking in the important amino-acids isolated from the general protein may provide the same benefit as the protein only without the digestion hit.

Easy enough to make your own meeting your specs though, be interesting to hear your results!

Poulsy

doyler78 wrote:

Poulsy wrote:

Barrie_G wrote:

A reliable source of Maltodextrin, http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders ... todextrin/

+1 for making your own. Much cheaper alternative.

I flavour with squash or Nuun tablets (depending on length of ride and if I need to top up bottles en route)

You could also buy some flavourless Whey Protein to mix in (4:1 ratio), which is supposed to help with endurance.

I've been looking for the 4:1 carb:protein drink with caffeine added as caffeine and protein are supposed this years biggies along with the carbs of course for on the bike feeding. Can't find it yet. New business maybe

You can buy 200mg caffeine tablets at myprotein too for about £5 for 100. Cut one in half and crush it up and put it in your drink. Bingo! A bottle would cost about

You can also get caffeinated Nuun tablets.