Can someone explain different energy gels/ powders etc?
Burt25
Posts: 117
I noticed the plethora of different energy gels, powders ans what no in my local bike shop, but I haven't a clue how to use these products and they all seem to have different amounts of calories / carbs etc on the labels. I've reached the 40 mile mark now and want to get to 50 soon- I only take water, but should I be mixing something into my bottle / taking a gel at some point in my ride?
0
Comments
-
Gels,energy bars,powders and drinks generally provide carbohydrates(sugar),good if you're cycling 40+ miles and using loads of carbohydrates.
When you set off on your bike ride your body should have a natural reserve of carbs(porridge for breakfast helps).If you let that reserve drop too low your performance will suffer.I'm guessing you're feeling pretty drained after 40 miles using only water.
Gels/energy bars are a convenient but expensive way of fueling your ride.I use a 500ml bottle of still orange energy drink and mix it with water. Most major supermarkets offer their own brands which are much cheaper and very similar to the well known brands.Farmfoods-12 bottles for £3.60. Jelly Babies also work.0 -
Depending on the length of the ride will depend on what i take with me.
First step and especially in this heat when you are boud to sweat more is to use an electrolyte drink. This should help you replace the salts that you lose and i've found them to be pretty much essential these past few days (did 100 miles on Sunday with little more than fluids - 3L of electrolyte drink overall. Tablet form is great for taking in your pocket for the essential water stops on the longer rides - nothing will slow you down more than dehydration.
For longer rides you might want to take an energy drink also (i'd take one energy drink and an electrolyte drink in my 2 cages).
For after the ride - a protein recovery drink may well help your muscles recover. A glass of milk and a tuna (ie protein) sandwich (bread = carbs) will do the same job mind you.0 -
So what would be a typical 'Elecrolyte' drink and what would be a typical 'Energy' drink? Also, do gels offer anything additional over a drink?0
-
Burt25 wrote:So what would be a typical 'Elecrolyte' drink and what would be a typical 'Energy' drink? Also, do gels offer anything additional over a drink?
Homemade electrolyte drink - normal strength squash or fruit juice with quarter of a teaspoon of salt (sea salt is good as it gives other salts than sodium chloride) per 500 ml. Or Nuun tablets (or Hi5) equivalent - but I don't bother with that unless I'm going a *long* way - meaning more than 100 miles as you then need to refill peridically and it's difficult to carry a bottle of ribena or Robinson's with you.
Nuun and Hi5 tablets don't contain energy by the way. On short rides (up to about 50 miles) you don't really need that much extra energy - eat a flapjack maybe. On longer rides if you don't need to refill use fruit juice or squash. The stuff they sell in the shops that you're looking at is overpriced and hardly any different.
Gels - meh. Eat real food. A banana will be just as good. These things are useful for racers - I wouldn't bother if I was you. Flapjacks, dates and fig roles are popular also.0 -
I should stress mind you (as others have implied above) that you really will need electrolytes from about 40 miles(ish) upwards - water alone will deplete your body of salts and you will begin to cramp up.0
-
Squash with a bit of sea salt in both bottles, fig rolls in one back pocket and jelly babies in the other. Pint of tea and a couple of hobnobs when I get back.
I only use gels, electrolyte tablets etc when I get them as free samples.0 -
Thanks for the advice guys - all much clearer now!0
-
Other posters are quite right that you make your own, but for lazy beggars like me, I can recommend the powdered forms of popular energy drinks such as Lucozade. A large tub costs £10-£12 and you can decide how much of the recommended dose you want to use. Mine lasted around 6 months (30-40 x 500ml bottles).
Tesco also do flapjacks which I quite like "Sport in Science" for £1 a throw, but cooking some at home is just as good.
One thing to look out for though is the calories you're putting back into your system. If you're trying to lose weight then your approach should be very different (e.g. do 30 miles before breakfast).0 -
I get so many free at Sportives these days, that I end up having a clear out every so often and giving a load away...
Shtukka is right with that part about losing weight. I distinguish between rides that are for weight loss and those to train for and ride events or cycle touring. Weight loss rides will be 30 miles and under and with very little if any carb intake - might still use an electrolyte drink if V hot but possibly not bother.0 -
A lot of focus on the drinks and not much on recovery in this thread. I use High 5 Protein recovery after a hard ride and certainly notice the difference later on in the day and the next morning compared to when I didn't do any recovery.
I don't use energy drinks but do use High 5 Zero electrolyte tabs. I usually have one in one of my bottles and then plain water in another. Then I take bars and gels with me, generally taking one after an hour and then every half hour after that. I don't really know how well they work - they don't turn you into an EPO-induced superman - but I use the simple logic of exercise is depleting my carbs, the gels/bars are boosting them back up. If nothing else, they help break down my ride and give me something to look forward to and I do usually feel a little hungry on the bike so it's good to have something. Bananas are pretty much the perfect food on the bike apart from the fact they go mushy.
I've been happy with the high 5 products I've been using and they are cheaper than most other brands and they're aimed at cyclist/runners rather than body builders.0 -
apreading wrote:I get so many free at Sportives
Are you sure about that? How much was the entry to the sportive where you got your 'free' supplies? Cheaper to just buy them and plan a route for yourself on a map.....
PP0 -
To the OP
You can easily work out your sweat rate and this will give you an idea of how much you should be replacing in terms of fluids.
Do your normal pre-ride fuelling, pre ride pee and then weigh yourself - naked is best! Make a note of this weight. Now go out and ride for an hour or so at a your normal pace. Drink as you need it, but make sure you put a specific amount in each bottle to start with - like 500ml exactly using a measuring jug. Don't squirt any away and don't stop for a pee, well you can, but you'll need to measure how much pee you produce!
When you get home, weigh yourself again, naked, and measure how much fluid you have consumed. Remember that 1ltr of water = 1kg. The difference between the two weights (including fluid consumed during the ride) gives you the amount you have lost through sweating and breathing. If the ride was 1hr, then it is the per hour rate. If it was more than an hour, divide it by the number of minutes and multiply by 60 to get an hourly rate. This gives you a good idea of what you need to be replacing in terms of water content. As others have said, salts need replacing alongside this, so electrolyte tabs are useful here.
I worked my sweat rate out for time trialling for a recent hundred and it was 1.2ltrs/hr! Mind you, this is riding at 25+mph and that means about 4hrs ride time, so I needed 4.8lts of fluid to replace it all! Having said that you don't need to replace the whole lot whilst riding, you can obviously have a shortfall and drink after you finish, but being dehydrated will impact on performance.
As regards nutrition, it comes down to how far you are riding. On long rides you will need to replace carbs too, otherwise your muscles will run out of available fuel. Most guidance seems to suggest the maximum your body can absorb is between 60-90g per hour. You won't need that amount if you are not racing or riding flat out.
On a normal ride up to about 50miles I tend to not eat whilst riding, just fuel properly before and then after. Above that I will take fuel onboard, normal food being best, energy rich bars a dense, easily carried alternative and gels being the most intensive energy packed source. I only take gels in long time trials as I can get 24g of carbs in a quick shot, whilst breathing out of my @rse! It is hard to chew and swallow when on the limit. I was looking to replace about 60g/hr during the hundred, so that means a lot of food! This is where gels and energy drinks can give you that supply in an easily digestible form. Gatorade Pro gives 6g per 100ml, so a 500ml bottle is 30g of carbs. I was looking to replace about 4ltrs of fluid over 4hrs, so 1ltr/hr. 1ltr/hr would therefore be 60g of carbs per hour. That's if you mix it as per the instructions. I prefer to make it weaker and supplement my carb intake with a gel.
As for bars, well they are handy, but I have them as a backup really and much prefer a cafe stop for real food (and good coffee!) Be careful with what is put in any bar you buy; avoid anything you don't recognise or understand, especially E numbers!
Hope this gives you an idea of how to work out what you need. Experimentation is key to find where you feel most comfortable. Just remember, if you have any weight you need to shed, be careful of over fuelling whilst on the bike! You shouldn't need to eat anything during a ride of up to about 40-50 miles on a flat course...
PP0 -
Pilot Pete wrote:apreading wrote:I get so many free at Sportives
Are you sure about that? How much was the entry to the sportive where you got your 'free' supplies? Cheaper to just buy them and plan a route for yourself on a map.....
PP
Almost all the Evans Rideits I have done this year were bought half price last Oct/Nov for £7.50, my son is free and we get 2 x High5 Race packs and 2 x several other freebie gels, bars or additional packs. so for £7.50 I have received up to £30 worth of stuff at an event... So no, this way is cheaper!0 -
Fair enough, they are certainly cheaper than most sportive entries!
PP0
