Waste of money?

[vadenplas]

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.

[lala]

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.


I think you meant to write:

I have found, through trial and error, that power bars, gu and other energy products really cannot beat dried fruit.


Additionally, I moved this to Training and Nutrition

[nick burns]

I haven't tried making them myself yet, but I saw Alton Brown make these granola bars (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_31335,00.html) on the Food Network a couple weeks ago. They sound pretty good and cost pennies to make.

[LowCel]

Well while in a race and struggling to breath I couldn't imagine trying to eat dried fruits and nuts. I would probably end up choking to death.

[-TBT-]

gu may be a little $$$. if you want cheep you can just add some carb powder to some H20. thats all gu is- flavored carbs. its about 30g for every 1hr after the first. i use cheap maltodexrin (sp?) i got 10lbs for $20. i am sure you can get it for less

[zx108]

cliff bars are my favorite, and power bars under that

i have never had this gu stuff.

[Powerful Pete]

All this powerbar baloney. :rolleyes:

Long rides:

1. After about an hour/two: 1-2 small sandwiches with olive oil, cheese and prosciutto (parma ham to you heathens!) :p

2. Mid-ride - banana and/or apple slices

3. Later in the ride: small sandwiches of honey and/or marmelade.

Races: small sandwiches packed with marmelade

Works way better, is healthier, and no problemos.

Oh, BTW, lots of H20 in the water bottles. Or, if in a race, de-fizzed coke (something with sugar w/o carbonation) - I always prefer the former, but the power of globalisatio and world wide brands does have an effect, even here. And to think cyclists use to drink one part soda water and one part white wine through the 60s...

[EJ123]

yo g slices i be tellin yo dat monsta is da shizlleist of dem izzles ight

[ed073]

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.



too hard to handle and eat under race conditions. Carbohydrate gels and bars are the pros choice.

[hi565]

I personally like clif bars and gels. Gels have saved my ass before. I don't use them regularly. I usually use clif bars because they are easy. Once I do my metric century I will venture into PB and J which was recommended by many.

[EJ123]

hi

[lws]

Carbohydrate gels and bars are the pros choice.When I turn pro, that's what I'll use. 'Til then, I'll stick with what works for me. As for "waste of money", I will counter that dried fruit ain't exactly cheap.

For what it's worth, a Clif shot contains 25g of brown rice syrup, plus vanilla flavoring or whatever. It retails for $1.00, maybe a little less in bulk, maybe a little more since there's probably a sales tax charged.

1 bottle of brown rice syrup from Whole Foods contains 596g and costs $3.59, not taxable.

You do the math. When I do it, I see "600% profit". That's a better margin than crack dealers get.

[ed073]

When I turn pro, that's what I'll use. 'Til then, I'll stick with what works for me.


Good logic.

[FXjohn]

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.


Why dried? My favorites to bring are grapes ( really quenches my thirst for some reason).
Banans and apples. No chemical laden bullsheet bars for me.

[hi565]

hi
How ya doin! :D

[EJ123]

lol good just got out of school you?

[hi565]

lol good just got out of school you?

Im alright, just got back from a ride! :D

[EJ123]

wut kinda bike do u have?

[hi565]

wut kinda bike do u have?

Bianchi "Capable" Brava, you? :)

[crawfman]

All this powerbar baloney. :rolleyes:

Long rides:

1. After about an hour/two: 1-2 small sandwiches with olive oil, cheese and prosciutto (parma ham to you heathens!) :p

2. Mid-ride - banana and/or apple slices

3. Later in the ride: small sandwiches of honey and/or marmelade.

Races: small sandwiches packed with marmelade

Works way better, is healthier, and no problemos.

Oh, BTW, lots of H20 in the water bottles. Or, if in a race, de-fizzed coke (something with sugar w/o carbonation) - I always prefer the former, but the power of globalisatio and world wide brands does have an effect, even here. And to think cyclists use to drink one part soda water and one part white wine through the 60s...

Cheese and prosciutto!...that's my kinda energy bar.

Wes

[DannoXYZ]

Personally, I like dinner-rolls with jam, bananas, pizza, baked-potatos, burritos and fish-tacos on my rides. Still trying to figure out a way to get hot (or at least) warm soup on a ride. Now that the winter season is here, temperatures are going to drop into the 70s, so I'm gonna need some hot meals..

[NoRacer]

The problem with a lot of the processed foods like sandwhiches and dried fruit is that these things divert water to your digestive system while you need the water to remain in the circulatory system. The gels, on the other hand, should be followed with some plain water, therefore helping to balance or increase water in the system (your body).

[lws]

First time I've ever heard of dried fruit referred to as a processed food. And by implication, synthesized food products like Gu are not? If you value your life, don't say this anywhere near your local food co-op.

[hi565]

Personally, I like dinner-rolls with jam, bananas, pizza, baked-potatos, burritos and fish-tacos on my rides.

wow, thats a filled roll! :D

[Cromulent]

Now that the winter season is here, temperatures are going to drop into the 70s, so I'm gonna need some hot meals..

Temps in the '70s? In winter? I think I need to move to Southern California.

Gu and Cliff Bars are pricey, or at least they can be, but they're really convenient. Fig Newtons are good. PB&J, and bananas are good too. Even in sandwich bags, the stuff falls apart and gets messy. I prefer the prepackaged stuff (even though bananas come in their own natural package) that I can cram in my jersey pockets and not worry about.

[mollusk]

Personally, I like dinner-rolls with jam, bananas, pizza, baked-potatos, burritos and fish-tacos on my rides. Still trying to figure out a way to get hot (or at least) warm soup on a ride. Now that the winter season is here, temperatures are going to drop into the 70s, so I'm gonna need some hot meals..

Would this work?

http://www.thermosonline.com/products/FBE700.htm?id=google

Probably better for broth than a "chunky" soup.

[Bikepacker67]

I'm a fresh fruit eater on rides

Bananas, grapes and clementines.

[vadenplas]

Okay first of all thank you all for the wealth of knowledge i now have about recovery and energy foods. I can see why the gus can be easier under racing conditions, however for someone like me who just is riding for fun and riding only aroun 30 miles on average per ride, they are pointless. I have went the gu way and went with power, or cliff bars for a while and realized that i really care about what is going into my body. So dried fruit is best for me. I also choose driesd fruit because its smaller and easier to pack.

[jackb]

I think we should turn over this thread over to Powerful Pete. Anyone who suggests cheese and prosciuttto sanwiches with olive oil obviously knows more about eating than most people. May I humbly suggest that the cheese be provolone. Don't forget the red wine with dinner after you get home from your ride.

[vadenplas]

I guess we have a buch of fat old men here huh? Haha

[hi565]

I think we should turn over this thread over to Powerful Pete. Anyone who suggests cheese and prosciuttto sanwiches with olive oil obviously knows more about eating than most people. May I humbly suggest that the cheese be provolone. Don't forget the red wine with dinner after you get home from your ride.


Naw you need some fresh, made 2 hours ago mozzarella

[CardiacKid]

I stopped at a 7-11 Saturday, 1/2 way thru a metric century and had an ice cream sandwich. 10 times better than Gu.

[EJ123]

I like that 7/11 has like every energy drink made there:D

[FXjohn]

I guess we have a buch of fat old men here huh? Haha


What do you mean? Only fat guys like fruit? LOL

[Richard Cranium]

There is no comparing dried fruit and most commerical energy snacks. Dried fruit does not contain any complex carbohydrate. Anyone riding with intensity would not be able to maintain their energy levels [for very long] with dried fruit.

[lws]

There is no comparing dried fruit and most commerical energy snacks. Dried fruit does not contain any complex carbohydrate. Anyone riding with intensity would not be able to maintain their energy levels [for very long] with dried fruit.
Wow. 0 for 3. But with such *certainty*!

[Jose R]

All this powerbar baloney. :rolleyes:

Long rides:

1. After about an hour/two: 1-2 small sandwiches with olive oil, cheese and prosciutto (parma ham to you heathens!) :p

2. Mid-ride - banana and/or apple slices

3. Later in the ride: small sandwiches of honey and/or marmelade.

Races: small sandwiches packed with marmelade

Works way better, is healthier, and no problemos.

Oh, BTW, lots of H20 in the water bottles. Or, if in a race, de-fizzed coke (something with sugar w/o carbonation) - I always prefer the former, but the power of globalisatio and world wide brands does have an effect, even here. And to think cyclists use to drink one part soda water and one part white wine through the 60s...

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.

[Powerful Pete]

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.

LOL. That would be me, Euro, watching and hoping for the nasty men like Stephen Rooks, Gert-Jan Theunisse and that awful Spaniard Big Mig Indurain would fall off the pace so that God's Gift to Cycling, aka Gianni Bugno, could rightfully win a Tour de France. Not to be. And I was NOT a PDM fan. Nasty Dutch people. ;)

And I will gladly take over the thread, if you like. Actually, the amount of food I am talking about is not that much if... you wear a regular cycling jersey! :p

I might not have been clear, but I provided you with the menu for a long ride (a la Gran Fondo rides we do here in the Old World) where chances are you will be on your bike for more than 6 hours anyway. The first rolls with prosciutto and cheese (if you are into that sort of thing add some rucola, makes it really yummy) is good for your ' base ', as you ride longer the food tends to move more towards sugary stuff.

And none of that yucky gatorady stuff. Water, I am inclined to agree with you, Jose R, is the best thing.

Hey, trust me, I am Italian. :D

Buone pedalate!

[Powerful Pete]

Anyway, water, fruit and a few rolls with jam will do the trick. No need for powerbars, schmowerbars, cliff bars, extran bars and all that other garbage with partially complex carbos and a twist of fructose and wee bit of this and that. :p

And the sandwiches taste better if you mom makes them!

No, no, now I am married and I have to make them on my own. It is a tough world... :)

[Powerful Pete]

May I humbly suggest that the cheese be provolone. Don't forget the red wine with dinner after you get home from your ride.

You MUST drink some wine (never more than a couple of glasses a day!) as part of a balanced diet. No jokes!

Sheesh, now they say that alcohol is bad for you...

p.s. the cheese choice is up to you, I am a fontina man myself for my sandwiches, but it is a free world...

[MarkS]

Do racers have especially developed saliva glands? I tried eating a powerbar while on the return part of a 1 hour ride, and had trouble chewing and breathing. The promo material stated that the form factor of the bar was made for athletes, but I found the way the bar stuck to the wrapper to be very inconvenient. The Cliff bar I tried was easier to handle and tastier. Both were more expensive than my homemade solar oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

---
"So I opened the refrigerator and there were two tortellini talking to each other about quantum physics and its relationship to Einstein's general theory of relativity. Now that's what I call complex carbohydrates..."

[Powerful Pete]

I really doubt there are many pros that eat powerbars and/or Cliff bars much during a race day. And it is doubtful that you really need to eat anything on a 2 or less hour ride.

[ed073]

I really doubt there are many pros that eat powerbars and/or Cliff bars much during a race day. And it is doubtful that you really need to eat anything on a 2 or less hour ride.


not quite. Having packed and eaten from plenty of musettes, I can tell you every rider is different, and COMPLETELY anal about what they eat.....

-some love commercial "power bars" and slices
-some prefer sugary cakes
-some like little soft sandwiches
-some race only on carbo gels and liquids
-some like a little can of Coke....esp coming into the final

most use a combination of the above.

But you are correct on distance. Unless the race is 150km plus, it's unlikely there will be even be a feed.

[Jose R]

LOL. That would be me, Euro, watching and hoping for the nasty men like Stephen Rooks, Gert-Jan Theunisse and that awful Spaniard Big Mig Indurain would fall off the pace so that God's Gift to Cycling, aka Gianni Bugno, could rightfully win a Tour de France. Not to be. And I was NOT a PDM fan. Nasty Dutch people. ;)

I might not have been clear, but I provided you with the menu for a long ride (a la Gran Fondo rides we do here in the Old World) where chances are you will be on your bike for more than 6 hours anyway.

1992 Tour de France, San Sebastian, Spain (WC jersey, and oh spot the french guy):

http://www.fototime.com/6A7C50F78DBEB7C/standard.jpg

GJ-T
|
|
V
http://www.fototime.com/A444EBCF03C9312/standard.jpg

And the "Gran Fondo" ride is just one of many reasons I want to visit Italy. I'm so jealous... :mad:

[ed073]

awesome pics....

I'm officially Gianni Bugno's #1 fan.

good work.

[will dehne]

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


I just completed back to back centuries on Wisconsin lime stone trails.
My total nutrition intake was Gel packages of 90 calories each. I had 10 packages per day. Dinner was fish, veggies, potato and bottle of good wine. Breakfast was large oatmeal, fruit plate and egg sandwich.
My speed was 100 miles in 6 hours the first day with a light wind from the back.
Second day it took 7 hours for the 100 miles with a gusty headwind, all the way.
I lost 4 lb. in those two days but some of that may be water.

Summary: I will not do this again. The Gel became distasteful after the two days.
I did this same trip with conventional food and felt better and had more energy.

[vadenplas]

Wow, please get your facts straight. Dried fruit is an excellent source of glucose which is the main source of energy burned by a body. Trust me they work.

[NoRacer]

Wow, please get your facts straight. Dried fruit is an excellent source of glucose which is the main source of energy burned by a body. Trust me they work.

Can you point us to -your- facts about fruit and glucose? Fruit, from what I remember, contains mostly fructose and some glucose.

Maybe I'll google up what the percentages are, but I suppose it depends on the fruit.

.

[NoRacer]

Here's the top 50 fruits containing the highest amount of glucose (in mgs) per 100 gram serving:


Fruits and Fruit Juices
# mg/100g Food Name
001 33680 Dates, medjool
002 33080 Apricots, dried, sulfured, uncooked
003 27750 Raisins, seedless
004 25540 Plums, dried (prunes), uncooked
005 24790 Figs, dried, uncooked
006 22270 Prune puree
007 19870 Dates, deglet noor
008 12830 Peaches, dried, sulfured, uncooked
009 7700 Pineapple, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids
010 7500 Pineapple, canned, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids
011 7200 Grapes, red or green (european type varieties, such as, Thompson seedless), raw
012 6589 Cherries, sweet, raw
013 6100 Pears, canned, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids
014 5629 USDA Commodity, mixed fruit (peaches, pears, grapes), canned, light syrup, solids and liquids [A404]
015 5490 USDA Commodity, mixed fruit (peaches, pears, grapes), canned, light syrup, drained [A404]
016 5439 Persimmons, japanese, raw
017 5070 Plums, raw
018 4979 Bananas, raw
019 4880 Blueberries, raw
020 4800 Pears, canned, light syrup pack, solids and liquids
021 4500 Abiyuch, raw
022 4300 Applesauce, canned, sweetened, without salt
023 4180 Cherries, sour, red, raw
024 4110 Kiwi fruit, (chinese gooseberries), fresh, raw
025 3899 Cherries, sour, red, canned, water pack, solids and liquids (includes USDA commodity red tart cherries, canned)
026 3300 Pears, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids
027 3280 Cranberries, raw
028 3250 Apples, raw, without skin
029 3220 Currants, red and white, raw
030 2760 Pears, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A435]
031 2680 Melons, honeydew, raw
032 2500 Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid
033 2430 Apples, raw, with skin [Includes USDA commodity food A343]
034 2370 Apricots, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A386]
035 2340 Orange juice, frozen concentrate, unsweetened, diluted with 3 volume water
036 2310 Blackberries, raw
037 2170 Avocados, raw, Florida
038 2130 Tangerines, (mandarin oranges), raw
039 2040 Strawberries, raw
040 2020 Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened
041 1970 Oranges, raw, navels
042 1950 Peaches, raw
043 1900 Pears, canned, water pack, solids and liquids
044 1860 Raspberries, raw
045 1760 Pineapple, raw, traditional varieties
046 1740 Pineapple, raw, all varieties
047 1700 Pineapple, raw, extra sweet variety
048 1610 Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas
049 1580 Watermelon, raw
050 1570 Nectarines, raw


And, here's the top 50 fruits containing the highest amount of fructose (in mgs) per 100 gram serving:


Fruits and Fruit Juices
# mg/100g Food Name
001 31950 Dates, medjool
002 29680 Raisins, seedless
003 22930 Figs, dried, uncooked
004 19560 Dates, deglet noor
005 13870 Prune puree
006 13490 Peaches, dried, sulfured, uncooked
007 12490 Plums, dried (prunes), uncooked
008 12470 Apricots, dried, sulfured, uncooked
009 8130 Grapes, red or green (european type varieties, such as, Thompson seedless), raw
010 7500 Applesauce, canned, sweetened, without salt
011 7200 Pineapple, canned, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids
012 6501 Pineapple, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids
013 6231 Pears, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A435]
014 6030 Apples, raw, without skin
015 5900 Apples, raw, with skin [Includes USDA commodity food A343]
016 5900 Pears, canned, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids
017 5800 Pears, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids
018 5601 Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid
019 5559 Persimmons, japanese, raw
020 5370 Cherries, sweet, raw
021 5101 Pears, canned, light syrup pack, solids and liquids
022 5041 USDA Commodity, mixed fruit (peaches, pears, grapes), canned, light syrup, solids and liquids [A404]
023 4970 Blueberries, raw
024 4850 Bananas, raw
025 4850 USDA Commodity, mixed fruit (peaches, pears, grapes), canned, light syrup, drained [A404]
026 4350 Kiwi fruit, (chinese gooseberries), fresh, raw
027 3899 Pears, canned, water pack, solids and liquids
028 3801 Abiyuch, raw
029 3530 Currants, red and white, raw
030 3510 Cherries, sour, red, raw
031 3360 Watermelon, raw
032 3070 Plums, raw
033 2960 Melons, honeydew, raw
034 2700 Cherries, sour, red, canned, water pack, solids and liquids (includes USDA commodity red tart cherries, canned)
035 2560 Orange juice, frozen concentrate, unsweetened, diluted with 3 volume water
036 2500 Strawberries, raw
037 2400 Blackberries, raw
038 2400 Tangerines, (mandarin oranges), raw
039 2350 Raspberries, raw
040 2250 Oranges, raw, navels
041 2170 Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened
042 2150 Pineapple, raw, extra sweet variety
043 2050 Pineapple, raw, all varieties
044 1940 Pineapple, raw, traditional varieties
045 1870 Melons, cantaloupe, raw [includes USDA commodity food A415]
046 1770 Grapefruit, raw, pink and red, all areas
047 1530 Peaches, raw
048 1370 Nectarines, raw
049 940 Apricots, raw [Includes USDA commodity food A386]
050 629.9 Cranberries, raw


To me, these look like acceptable alternatives, but I still feel, IMHO, that the dried fruit will just suck the water right out of you unless you take on more water to adjust for the fruit.

.

[Richard Cranium]

"1 bottle of brown rice syrup from Whole Foods contains 596g and costs $3.59, not taxable."

Yes, I've heard of the "corn syrup", the pancake-sryup, and now the "rice-syrup" bulk energy replacement stratagy. However, I can never find any modern-day racers ever actually "packing" the stuff in their jersey on race day. If they can afford to race, it seems, they go ahead and buy the "special-fortified" stuff. (or are sponsored supplied)

Since you seem to be such a "bright a-hole", I'd like to hear more of your semi-coherent babble.

I'd like to know if in fact - you actually DO use bulk sugar products?