Ohh, you're just miffed that I called you out. That's no reason to use nasty names, is it?

Yes, I do use bulk sugar products on long fast group rides, though I prefer to take a break and sit and eat real food when I'm riding alone. "Pancake" syrup is just maple-flavored corn syrup, unless it's real maple syrup, but that's hardly economical. Honey is another option. I'm experimenting with different formulations, and considering cutting the brown rice syrup with maltodextrin. Right now I don't use it straight, my stomach won't take it.

As I have said, I'm not a racer, and I don't get free supplies from sponsors. The racers I know are so insecure about their status that they wouldn't be caught dead using something that wasn't "cool" -- ie, rolling off some mass-production line with a huge marketing budget behind it. Heaven forbid they might get a reputation as a fred.

I have found, through trial and error, that power bars,gu and other energy product really cannot be beat by dried fruit. Dried dates, apricots and nuts are the best energy food on the trail for me. Let me know what you guys think.


WTF is gu?

maltodextrin and caffeine

OK now lets add some gas to this fire. First of all Belgian chocolate gu tastes amazing.. http://www.gusports.com/html/gu_chocolate.htm

Now for some fun… Studies have shown that IV administration of carbs during exersice does not improve performance! However swish and spit of a sweet "mouthwash" does! The study implicated that the reward of the sweetness is what drives you; not the fuel. That said, you need to eat on long rides from because energy in - energy out has to balance if you believe in those science "laws" :)

Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol 36, no 12, 2107- 2111, 2004

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/carbohydrate-mouthwash.html

So euro, so 80s...straight out of the musette bag for team PDM.

Do you have your personal waitstaff riding with you on your long rides, or do you carry a grocery bag. :)

If I had someone else carrying all this food for me, thats what I would eat. The prosciutto, cheese sandwiches are great. But, I don't. 4 hour ride: one cliff bar, one extran juice box, one extran gel pack (only for the last hour, just in case), lots of water.

2 hour ride: just water.

Bob Roll wrote about the difference in eating habits when he was a pro and when he trained with Lance Armstrong. During one training ride, Roll and LA stopped at a store and LA got an energy bar. Roll made the comment that when he was a pro, they had catered 4 course meals during training rides.