2 Gel or not 2 Gel ??

[SteCenturion]

Going to get a little bit more serious about my riding this year & was wondering.
If I extend my rides to approx 80 - 90k & if I join a local club for some rides - will I need extra fuelling in the form of gels, drink additives etc or just have a bigger breakfast ?
I have some trial packs - I might give a go. (High 5 Race pack).
Thoughts anyone ??

 

[vickster]

They are vile...just get jelly babies...Bassetts or Haribo

 

[DCLane]

I have a decent breakfast, not bigger; porridge with raisins and jam (slow/med/fast sugars) and will carry a gel/energy bar but hardly ever use it.

My suggestions is to give it a try. Other things also work; flapjacks, mini malt loaves (work for me).

 

[vernon]

Gel's for hair not stomachs.

Jelly babies are much more palatable and are frequently on special offer at £2 per large box.

 

[Sara_H]

Have a nice slice of cake.

 

[Saluki]

Jelly Babies and flapjacks for us. OH carries gels but they are vile and sticky feeling in the mouth. Pro's are paid enough to endure the horrid things but I do this for fun, hence the jelly babies.

 

[400bhp]

Entirely dependant upon so many things:

Just stick some form of nutritional energy in your pockets.

I don't like gels mainly becauss they are so messy. I usually take a banana or an Aldi flapjack.

 

[SteCenturion]

Gel's for hair not stomachs.

Jelly babies are much more palatable and are frequently on special offer at £2 per large box.

Got none on my head
&
Who's gonna rub it in my back ??

 

[Peteaud]

Torq cherry yoghurt, mmmmmmmm actually quite nice.

If i do a long ride i normally have 1 stashed away just in case, and i have been glad of it in the past. Jelly beans are still the best thoi.


http://www.torqfitness.co.uk/acatalog/torq_energy_gels.html

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Going to get a little bit more serious about my riding this year & was wondering.
If I extend my rides to approx 80 - 90k & if I join a local club for some rides - will I (1)need extra fuelling in (2)the form of gels, (3)drink additives etc or just (4)have a bigger breakfast ?
I have some trial packs - I might give a go. (High 5 Race pack).
Thoughts anyone ??

2 3 and 4 are different ways of getting (1) none of which are needed or required. They are entirely optional extras in any ride.

Only you can really decide how ad when you want to consume your "fuel"

 

[amasidlover]

Malt loaf!! Can be pre-sliced before the ride and I find it quite easy to digest when cycling. Curiously when running hard or swimming I find it difficult to get down and only then do I switch to gels.

 

[Doyleyburger]

Gels are rank !
Like above, stick to jelly sweets or something. Rock buns are regularly in the cake tin at home. Two or three of those bad boys are a good bet

 

[theloafer]

I have a decent breakfast, not bigger; porridge with raisins and jam (slow/med/fast sugars).

plus
and will carry some of this great stuff better than malt loaf and very easy to make
BRANFLAKE LOAF
More delicious than shop bought malt loaf and so easy to fling together
a child can do it. This must be one of the only cake mixtures that looks and tastes
pretty revolting in the bowl, but honestly, the end result is well worth the complete lack of effort...
Best sliced thinly and eaten with butter or jam.
1 mug of Kellogg's All-Bran
1 mug of either currants, mixed dried fruit or sultanas
1 mug of milk
1 mug of self-raising flour
A generous half-mug of caster or soft brown sugar

Method
1. Put everything except the flour in a large bowl and leave the mixture to stand for about an hour.
2. Grease and long-strip-line a standard size loaf tin and pre-heat the oven to approximately Gas Mark 3 (160 C)
3. Sift the flour into the soggy mixture, stir it in well and pour the whole lot into the loaf tin, spreading it evenly up to the sides.
4. Bake in a cool oven for about an hour and a half, until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean

 

[Doyleyburger]

Deffo give that a go

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I love gels! At least I appear to have convinced myself I do because I always have so many of the bloom in' things to try and get through. I swear they breed in the storage pot.