energy gels

[yello]

Am thinking Mars bars maybe the way forward come the etape, they taste a whole lot nicer as well...

Hey, if they work for you then go for it!

Might be a bit difficult to source in France but they are sold in places... so jersey pocket's stuffed with Mars it is then... might become a bit of a sludgy mess if the temperatures on this year's etape are like previous years!

No, seriously, whatever works for you. I carry gels just in case but prefer real food. If I need to eat and the option's available (cake shop, feed station, whatever) then I take it, the gels will keep.

That said, I've become a bit of a convert to an anti-oxidant gel. It purports to help ward off muscle fatigue and cramp.... I care not whether it's true or not since it seems to help me when I feel the first onset twitches of cramp. It could well be psychological but as long as I'm able to keep riding, I don't care! As I say, whatever works for you.

 

[Twenty Inch]

I don't think they work for me, did London Brighton London on sat and was in dire need of carbs at around 60 miles, sucked down 2 gels and it had no effect. Ended up stopping at 70 and eating a Mars and pack of crisps in about 10 seconds flat - now that did the trick. Am thinking Mars bars maybe the way forward come the etape, they taste a whole lot nicer as well...

On that sort of ride, you need to plan to take in 200 cals every 1/2 hour, otherwise you'll bonk. Don't use Mars Bars for the etape, full of sugar they'll stuff you up. Snickers if you must go down the confectionery route, they have enough fat to digest slowly.

 

[domtyler]

On that sort of ride, you need to plan to take in 200 cals every 1/2 hour, otherwise you'll bonk. Don't use Mars Bars for the etape, full of sugar they'll stuff you up. Snickers if you must go down the confectionery route, they have enough fat to digest slowly.

Er, surely when you are exercising hard you want sugar, i.e. instant energy supply?

 

[Kirstie]

You need to have a mixture of carbs - fast and slow release. For a really long ride, start off the day with a good breakfast of complex low salt/sugar carbs eg weetabix, shreddies, shredded wheat, porridge, then maybe wholemeal toast with some fast release sugar ie jam/honey. When on your ride, earlier on keep putting in the complex carbs eg a flapjack, or energy bar, prob every hour and a half. Later in the ride you can keep yourself topped up with fast release sugar, eg energy gels or my personal favourite, haribo tangfastics mmmmm. I don't take an electrolyte drink (carbs and salts) but some people say that it maintains your carb base and hydration throughout. I stick to water.

For a typical 100 mile ride (for me this takes roughly 6 hrs 15 mins), apart from breakfast and lunch stops (where I'd eat a jacket potato, beans, cheese, some mroe protein), i'd be on the flapjacks in the morning, with the odd haribo; and more flapjacks shortly after lunch, followed by energy gels and more haribo for the last hour and a half. My favourite energy gel is the Smart (with caffeine, unfortunately they are a bit like lumpy spunk but they have a great effect) or the Torq yoghurt flavour ones - v palletable.

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

How would loads of energy gels affect insulin?
oH and nicotine patches don't do anything, they're a placebo. But an effective one.

Insulin and Blood Sugar

 

[yello]

they are a bit like lumpy spunk but they have a great effect

I'm not quite sure I needed to know that....

I'll have to track down those Haribo thingies... they sound like something to munch on route. My brother liked jelly babies but I'm not quite sure it was just for energy purposes, I suspect he liked them anyway and cycling gave him the opportunity to pig out!

 

[Monkey Boy]

Nice one Kirstie.....I used to swear by Smart too until you called it lumpy spunk!!! Gonna have to dump the lot down the sink now.

I do like the way you are thinking though!

 

[Yorkshireman]

I usually have a bag of Jelly Babies around as they've proved effective in the past (and I like them anyway), though nowadays I dont 'overdo' things quite as much as I used to .

 

[Kirstie]

Nice one Kirstie.....I used to swear by Smart too until you called it lumpy spunk!!! Gonna have to dump the lot down the sink now.

I do like the way you are thinking though!

Send em over to me then! The kick you get off a smart outweighs the consistency 'issues'. I know they're not nice but they really sort you out.

The best for consistency are the new Torq yoghurt flavour ones. They're actually quite nice.

 

[Terramona]

I know ! there's a fella at my work who injects it into himself every so often, 'cos of diabetes. How would loads of energy gels affect insulin?
oH and nicotine patches don't do anything, they're a placebo. But an effective one.

Then why do they smell like a disgusting ashtray?!!!!

And, why did a 40mg one make me almost pass out once?!!!

Other symptoms were cold sweats, sickness and yawning!! not pretty when your trying to do a spot of shopping!!