Energy Gels

Churchill123

So i've started to do some longer rides and am interested at looking into the what seems huge world of cycling nutrition and supplements.

From doing some initial reading I understand that "gels" are good for a carb hit when on a longer ride... What do people recommend? Or are they over rated and your just better sticking with a bottle of isotonic drink such as lucozade or a bottle of squash?

danowat

Use "proper" food, unless you are racing.

cougie

Expensive way to eat ! £1 a pop ?

I dont bother with energy drink unless the ride is over a couple of hours. Over that I'll take PSP or something similar and maybe an energy bar or some flapjack.

iampaulb

I just bought a box of these as being a member of British Cycling we get 40% discount. I have tried gels, but i don't like the packaging, i found sometimes i cuts the inside of my mouth when trying to suck down on it, so i went for bars as you can also eat half and put it back in your jersey...i find it does help on longer riders. but each to their own

schweiz

A box of 20 gels lasts me a couple of years!

There's always one in my back pocket on rides of 3/4 hours or more but it rarely gets used. Occaisionally on the sprint for the town sign at the end of a club run (it's a 10 km sprint!) or if I'm being paced up a climb and I also used some in preparation for the Ötztaler Bike Marathon as I knew that after 7-8 hours in the saddle on the last climb, there was no way real food would go down. I wanted to make sure during training that my stomach could cope with taking 2-3 gels in 70-80 minutes. In the end, I had 3 gels whilst climbing 1800 metres and I felt good. The gels really gave me an almost instant kick. The previous 200 km and 3500 metres of climbing were however, all done on proper food (cake, müseli bars, bread rolls etc), isotonic drink, red bull and water.

slowbike

I've tried gels recently - YUK!
Although I'm still carrying one "just in case"

Used Dextro tablets (available from boots) before - these are excellent little sugar boots that don't taste awful ... and a darn site cheaper too!

Grill

I use gels all the time. Even during my 12hr where I had food prepared, bars, feed stations, etc, I still went through about 15 gels. I use High5 regular and isotonic depending on what I think my hydration situation will be (stay away from Zipvit gels at all costs), but used many others that are good such as SIS and Torq. I like the kick they give me and that I don't have to carry around so much. If you get on with them then use them.

markwb79

Grill wrote:

I use gels all the time. Even during my 12hr where I had food prepared, bars, feed stations, etc, I still went through about 15 gels. I use High5 regular and isotonic depending on what I think my hydration situation will be (stay away from Zipvit gels at all costs), but used many others that are good such as SIS and Torq. I like the kick they give me and that I don't have to carry around so much. If you get on with them then use them.

Can you expand on that? I use Zipvit and find them very good.

ianbar

I use gels if I am heading out for a long hard ride, I stocked up when thre was an offer on groupon, can't remember the offer exactly now but I got gels and tabs and a bottle.on the other side I do intend to gstart eating more proper food things like malt loaf and banana bread.

Grill

Markwb79 wrote:

Grill wrote:

I use gels all the time. Even during my 12hr where I had food prepared, bars, feed stations, etc, I still went through about 15 gels. I use High5 regular and isotonic depending on what I think my hydration situation will be (stay away from Zipvit gels at all costs), but used many others that are good such as SIS and Torq. I like the kick they give me and that I don't have to carry around so much. If you get on with them then use them.

Can you expand on that? I use Zipvit and find them very good.

More specifically the ZV7 in Blackcurrent. I took it 10hrs in to the TT and it's way too viscous and overpowering. More so than the other thicker gels such as Powerbar and GU. Having to neck half a bottle of water just to get it down was absolutely terrible. The size is also an issue for me. Even though it has more carbs, if I'm carrying a gel that size I want it to be isotonic.

t.m.h.n.e.t

Grill wrote:

Markwb79 wrote:

Grill wrote:

I use gels all the time. Even during my 12hr where I had food prepared, bars, feed stations, etc, I still went through about 15 gels. I use High5 regular and isotonic depending on what I think my hydration situation will be (stay away from Zipvit gels at all costs), but used many others that are good such as SIS and Torq. I like the kick they give me and that I don't have to carry around so much. If you get on with them then use them.

Can you expand on that? I use Zipvit and find them very good.

More specifically the ZV7 in Blackcurrent. I took it 10hrs in to the TT and it's way too viscous and overpowering. More so than the other thicker gels such as Powerbar and GU. Having to neck half a bottle of water just to get it down was absolutely terrible. The size is also an issue for me. Even though it has more carbs, if I'm carrying a gel that size I want it to be isotonic.

I got a free one along with 4 boxes of High5 gels courtesy of wiggle and it was exactly as described ^

alihisgreat

If you're riding at a high intensity then Gels and Carb drinks are what you want. If you're not then normal food will suffice. Having said that I do prefer liquids when I'm riding.. so tend to use Carb drinks even on lower intensity rides.

Eg 40miles relatively high intensity - 2x SIS Go electrolyte carb drink sachets, 2-3 energy gels.
40miles lower intensity - 1x SIS Go drink, 1x SIS electrolyte tablet drink. (gels or banana as emergency food)

wardieboy

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Grill wrote:

Markwb79 wrote:

Grill wrote:

I use gels all the time. Even during my 12hr where I had food prepared, bars, feed stations, etc, I still went through about 15 gels. I use High5 regular and isotonic depending on what I think my hydration situation will be (stay away from Zipvit gels at all costs), but used many others that are good such as SIS and Torq. I like the kick they give me and that I don't have to carry around so much. If you get on with them then use them.

Can you expand on that? I use Zipvit and find them very good.

More specifically the ZV7 in Blackcurrent. I took it 10hrs in to the TT and it's way too viscous and overpowering. More so than the other thicker gels such as Powerbar and GU. Having to neck half a bottle of water just to get it down was absolutely terrible. The size is also an issue for me. Even though it has more carbs, if I'm carrying a gel that size I want it to be isotonic.

I got a free one along with 4 boxes of High5 gels courtesy of wiggle and it was exactly as described ^

The blackcurrant is too sweet in my opinion, I find the orange is much easier to get down. Zipfit gels are a thicker consistency but they do the trick and I haven't heard of anyone I know complaining with stomaching them.

Bobbinogs

I think personal preference comes into this a lot. I like some makes but not all flavours, etc. Torq make some good ones but High5 are ok too. Then again, I also like the Zipvit blackcurrant!

For long rides, e.g., 200k, I carry a whole variety of foods (flapjacks, energy bars, bananas, etc.), some carb drink (Torq usually) and a couple of gels (one with caffeine, one without). I do tend to ride quite hard and the above works for me. I don't find the total cost too much, after all a decent flapjack is similar in price to many gels (yes I could make flapjacks myself but I figure that the odd flapjack is hardly the worst thing I could spend money on to treat myself).

bisoner

I've tried gels and I find them poor - I just don't seem to get the lift that others get. Give me a banana or malt loaf any day of the week.

Churchill123

Malt loaf- tastes bloody lovely yes, but i can imagine its sticky stuff to carry!

So rather than buy a bottle of isotonic from the shops such as lucozade etc everyone prefers to use a poweder and mix with water?

Grill

No. When I say "isotonic" I'm referring to gels. These are gels that have a higher water content so there is no need to hydrate whilst taking one. A proper 2:1 powder will do more for you than a Lucozade or pretty much anything store bought.

Tom Dean

I think the word you are looking for is 'runny'.

Churchill123

High 5 powder mixed with some water and some flap jack or malt loaf seems the way to go then for a 50 miller

cougie

A bad thing about gels is the way some riders think its fine to throw the empty wrapper away after use.
I know they're sticky little devils - but that shouldn't be a massive problem - if you're hard enough to ride far enough to need gels - you're hard enough to dispose of them properly. Some sportives are disgusting for litter.

Grill

cougie wrote:

A bad thing about gels is the way some riders think its fine to throw the empty wrapper away after use.
I know they're sticky little devils - but that shouldn't be a massive problem - if you're hard enough to ride far enough to need gels - you're hard enough to dispose of them properly. Some sportives are disgusting for litter.

QFT

Churchill123

cougie wrote:

A bad thing about gels is the way some riders think its fine to throw the empty wrapper away after use.
I know they're sticky little devils - but that shouldn't be a massive problem - if you're hard enough to ride far enough to need gels - you're hard enough to dispose of them properly. Some sportives are disgusting for litter.

Agree with this mate! - I love riding out in some of the beautiful countryside we have in the country, don't want it being full of litter from cyclists.

markwb79

Churchill123 wrote:

cougie wrote:

A bad thing about gels is the way some riders think its fine to throw the empty wrapper away after use.
I know they're sticky little devils - but that shouldn't be a massive problem - if you're hard enough to ride far enough to need gels - you're hard enough to dispose of them properly. Some sportives are disgusting for litter.

Agree with this mate! - I love riding out in some of the beautiful countryside we have in the country, don't want it being full of litter from cyclists.

It looks Pro though!

Only messing, I am shocked at the amount of people that through away their used wrappers onto the road whilst riding.

Pet hate of mine I think!

Mikey23

Hmm not seen anyone doing it but they would certainly get a piece of my mind if they did... People see the pros do it in the tours, but they have people picking up after them.

I never do gels and can't quite see the point of them.... I'm sure there is and they're fine but I prefer real snacks

Ankles50

My "Dragons Den" idea is bio-degradable gel/snack wrappers
Global patent potential = $$$$
I'm sure they're being worked on by smarter guys than me though

I tend to stick to cereal bars, the high sugar frostie/coco pop ones, which when on promotion you can get 6 bars for £1
I do use a couple gels each training ride on weekends building up to Sportives (to get stomach used to them) and then on the day

Always use isotonic & carb powder blend in bottles, just works out massively cheaper than bottles of lucozade & the like

thegreatdivide

One of these solves the sticky gel wrapper issue

http://www.discount-supplements.co.uk/t ... lask-120ml

It can really only be used with High5 or similar 'thin' gels.

I like a bit of real food on a ride (home made rice cakes, Soreen, flap jacks, Percy Pigs) but if I'm going for a high intensity long ride (60+) then I'll fill one or two flasks and stick them in the jersey.

scarthie99

i buy pack of hartley jelly when doing big rides out 3 for &1 at sainburys do the job cheap then gels
:shock:

nickel

I usually fuel myself on a combination of flapjack, nutrigrain bars (they're comparatively cheap, tasty, easy to eat whilst riding and have a good amount of carbs in them) and torq energy bars (mainly cause I'm slightly addicted to the organic mango ones, so tasty!). Having said that having a gel or two in your jersey pocket is useful on long hard rides if you have a bit of an energy low or simply can't stomach anymore real food (sometimes towards the end of a 100 miler I simply cannot be bothered with the action of chewing real food).

Oh and regarding disposing of sticky gel wrappers, if Im wearing knee or leg warmers I stick the wrapper in the overlap between my shorts and the warmer.

g00se

+1 for the gel bottle. I don't tend to use gel unless I'm doing a ride at pace with a group - and I find opening the gel sachets a pain in the backside in those situations.

I have discovered Powerbar Energize Shots though - the caffeine ones - they're like mental red-bull haribo!

BlakeysFC

Can't say I've tried gels yet.

I always carry 1 isotonic High5 powder to put into water (haven't tried this yet) and 1 High5 energy bar (that I had to eat half of to get me through a ride last week), but have yet to try a gel.

Also used Orange Squash in my water bottles, and it felt like they were having a negative effect on my ride rather than a postive effect as my legs just felt dead that day after only 3 miles of a 25 mile ride. Of course it may have been the beers the night before too...

thefd

Ankles50 wrote:

My "Dragons Den" idea is bio-degradable gel/snack wrappers
Global patent potential = $$$$
I'm sure they're being worked on by smarter guys than me though

Or what about edible wrappers? Then you wouldn't need to fiddle about trying to open them!